Phones and IT support for veterinary practices through a busy practice
Help clients reach the right team, give staff more ways to answer, and keep the software behind every consulting room running.
Why use Chrome for veterinary practices?
ChromeX gives veterinary practices more control over call routes, voicemail, reporting and business numbers.
We’ll understand how your practice works, prepare the setup and train your team. We’ll also remain available when you need help or something changes.
Support busy reception teams
Use queues and agreed call routes when several clients contact the practice together.
Follow up missed enquiries
See which calls went unanswered and give your team the information needed to respond.
Connect calls with practice software
Selected software connections can help staff recognise callers and open useful records.
Calls rarely arrive at a quiet moment
A client may be booking an appointment, requesting a repeat prescription or asking whether their animal needs urgent attention.
At the same time, reception staff may be welcoming clients, speaking with the clinical team and completing other work.
ChromeX can help you agree what happens when several calls arrive together.
Your setup may include call queues, ring groups, short call menus, agreed overflow routes, opening-hours rules, voicemail to email, out-of-hours messages and calls shared between practice locations.
We’ll begin by looking at how calls are handled today.
The aim is to help clients reach the correct team and make calls easier for staff to manage.
IT support for veterinary practices
A practice runs on more than its phone line. Practice management software, imaging and the network in every consulting room all have to work through a busy list.
Chrome looks after that technology, so your team can stay with the animals.
Systems that stay available
Your practice software and consulting room computers are needed all day, and out of hours too. We’ll watch the network behind them and sort faults before a list slips.
Imaging and practice software
Imaging, practice management and your phones all lean on the same network. We’ll keep them working alongside each other, in every branch you run.
Client data and practice records
Client and animal records carry real obligations. We’ll handle backups, staff security training and the access controls your practice standards scheme asks about.
Help clients reach the right team
Veterinary practices receive many types of call through the same main number.
A short call menu may help direct callers to appointments, repeat prescriptions, reception, accounts and insurance enquiries, a particular practice location or an agreed out-of-hours service.
Keep the choices simple.
Someone worried about an animal should not have to work through a lengthy menu.
Your practice may prefer some calls to reach reception directly. Others may follow a different route based on the time, day or number called.
When the practice is closed, callers can hear clear information about your out-of-hours arrangements.
Any clinical advice, emergency wording or instructions for clients must be written and approved by the veterinary practice.
Chrome provides the call-routing tools. Your clinical team decides what callers should be told and where urgent calls should go.
Appointments
The route most clients need first.
Repeat prescriptions
Handled without tying up reception.
Accounts and insurance
A separate route for billing questions.
Out of hours
Callers directed to the agreed service.
Keep your team reachable across locations
Veterinary staff may work at reception, in consulting rooms, in treatment areas, from home or across several practices.
Depending on the role, they may use desk phones, wireless headsets, cordless handsets, desktop applications, mobile applications or Microsoft Teams.
Cordless handsets can help agreed staff answer and transfer calls while moving around the practice.
Coverage depends on the size, layout and construction of the building. We’ll review the premises before recommending equipment.
Desktop and mobile applications may also allow authorised staff to make calls, check voicemail and view recent activity.
The practice number can be shown instead of a staff member’s personal mobile number.
ChromeX can also bring numbers and call routes together across several practices.
Teams may be able to transfer calls between locations, share busy queues and view agreed settings through one portal.
We’ll agree how calls should be shared before setting up any overflow route.
Connect calls with your veterinary software
Your practice-management system may already hold the information staff need during a call.
ChromeX can connect with selected veterinary and business platforms, whether that means veterinary practice management software or a more general business system.
Depending on the software, staff may be able to see available caller information, open a matching client record, view animal or appointment details, click a telephone number to begin a call, add call information to a record, and access contacts through both systems.
This may help reception staff find useful information while the client is still on the line.
Functions differ between platforms.
We’ll check the software your practice uses and explain what is available before recommending anything.
See which calls need a response
A missed call could be a new client, an appointment request or someone waiting for an important update.
ChromeX reports can help authorised staff review information such as unanswered calls, the date and time, the number or practice contacted, queue waiting times, call volumes, activity by staff member or team and outbound call activity.
Some reporting options may also help identify missed calls that have not received an outbound response.
An outbound call does not always mean the enquiry has been dealt with.
Your practice still needs a clear process for checking missed calls, assigning responsibility and recording when someone has responded.
Reports can also help practice managers ask when clients wait longest, whether urgent calls are reaching the agreed team, whether voicemail messages are being checked, whether reception needs more cover at certain times, and whether another practice could help during busy periods.
The answer will not always be more staff.
A change to a call group, queue or overflow route may help.
Keep clients informed
Clear messages can reassure clients that they have reached the correct practice and explain what will happen next.
Recorded greetings and on-hold messages may share practice opening hours, how to request a repeat prescription, other ways to contact the practice, information needed before an appointment, temporary service changes and agreed out-of-hours contact details.
Messages should be calm, brief and easy to follow.
Someone calling about an unwell animal is unlikely to appreciate a long sales message while they wait.
Chrome can help prepare the wording, arrange the recording and add it to the agreed parts of the phone system.
Where available, business text messages may also help with appointment reminders, collection updates and other agreed information.
Your practice remains responsible for the message content, contact permissions and information used.
Review important conversations
Call recording may help when there is a clear reason to listen again.
A veterinary practice might use recordings to check what was discussed with a client, review a complaint, support staff training, understand a difficult call, or review whether an agreed process was followed.
Recordings should not replace clinical notes, consent forms or information stored in the practice-management system.
Your practice should decide why calls are recorded, who can listen and how long recordings are kept.
Chrome can explain the recording, access and storage options.
Your practice remains responsible for its data protection, employment and professional requirements, including anything set by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Legal or compliance advice may also be needed.
Plan for a phone or connection problem
A cloud phone system uses an internet connection and power.
Before the service begins, we’ll discuss what should happen if the main connection becomes unavailable.
Calls may be sent to another number, selected mobiles or another practice location. A suitable backup connection may also form part of the setup.
The right approach will depend on your opening hours, out-of-hours arrangements and the calls that need to remain available.
Chrome can support your phone system, internet connection and business mobiles through one team.
How Chrome helps
A veterinary phone system should handle the rush without losing callers. This is how we work through it with you.
We understand your practice
We recommend and prepare the setup
We train and support your team
One team for more of your practice technology
Your phone system depends on the technology around it.
Chrome can also support internet connectivity and Wi-Fi, business mobiles, managed IT, Microsoft 365, cyber security, and CCTV and access control.
This gives your practice fewer suppliers to manage and one team to call when responsibilities overlap.
We’ll make it clear what Chrome supports and when another provider needs to be involved.
Related industries: healthcare providers and dental practices. You can also browse every sector we support.
Veterinary phone systems FAQs
Common questions about phone systems for veterinary practices: call menus, out-of-hours routing and handling busy morning periods.
Can we keep our existing practice number?
In most cases, existing business numbers can be moved. We’ll check them before the project begins and explain any restrictions or timescales.
Can ChromeX connect with our veterinary software?
ChromeX can connect with selected veterinary and business platforms. Functions differ between systems. We’ll check your software and explain what is available.
Can several practices use the same phone system?
Yes. ChromeX can connect staff and call routes across several locations. We’ll agree how numbers, queues and overflow calls should work between them.
Can staff answer away from reception?
Staff may be able to use cordless handsets, desktop applications, mobile applications or Microsoft Teams. The right choice will depend on their role and working location.
Can calls be recorded?
Call recording is available through certain ChromeX options. Your practice will need a clear reason for recording and suitable rules for access, retention and informing callers and staff.
How many client calls still need a response?
A client may call while reception is already speaking with someone.
An urgent enquiry may arrive when the clinical team is busy.
A voicemail may sit in an inbox without a clear owner.
Chrome can review your call routes, practice software, reporting and wider technology setup.
You’ll receive clear recommendations based on how your veterinary practice works.