Transparency is a hot topic in the veterinary industry. Recent scrutiny, such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into the sector, has brought this issue firmly into the spotlight. Understandably, clients expect openness about costs and services, and regulatory attention has made addressing this expectation even more pressing.
I was recently involved in a panel discussion on transparency at a veterinary conference. During the session, three key questions emerged which lie at the heart of both the challenges and opportunities surrounding transparency in the profession, so let’s explore them further:
What does transparency within the veterinary sector mean?
Discussions about transparency often focus on price, with for example, talk of the need for wider use of price lists on websites. But while pricing transparency is vital, it’s only part of the equation. Hand in hand with transparency on price must come transparency on value. Clients need to understand not just what they are paying, but why it’s worth it.
Transparency is more than simply making information available. It’s about making that information useful to clients. This means presenting it in a format that’s easy to understand and easy to apply when making decisions about their animals’ care. For example, jargon-free explanations and visual aids can make complex information more digestible. Highlighting the benefits - both short and long term - of the service helps clients see prices in context. And being clear about what is and isn’t included helps clients make more appropriate comparisons.
Ultimately, transparency is about helping clients feel informed, supported, and confident—not just aware of the numbers.
What’s stopping vet practices from communicating transparently?
Every veterinary team that I’ve worked with genuinely wants to be transparent with their clients. They take pride in building trust and delivering clear communication about care and treatment options. But discussing prices with unguarded transparency can feel daunting for many.
This may be because price and value transparency can feel uncomfortably close to selling—and “selling” is a word many people in the veterinary profession instinctively avoid. Team members may worry that openly discussing costs and the benefits of certain choices could be misinterpreted by clients as prioritizing profit over care. Some even reflect on past experiences where a client bristled at the mention of price, and that memory lingers, feeding hesitation.
But transparency about price, when paired with the same care and empathy already used in clinical conversations, doesn’t alienate clients—it reassures them. Clients don’t resent openness; they resent feeling uninformed or surprised. And while the word “selling” may sound uncomfortable, in reality, veterinary professionals sell every day - ideas, recommendations, and, ultimately, the best solutions for patients’ needs.
At its heart, selling in a veterinary context is simply about helping. It’s about understanding the needs of the client and the animal, and guiding them to make the best decisions for their unique situation.
The key is to build on the team’s strengths, providing tailored training which helps them communicate both value and price confidently and competently in a way which also feels comfortable. To do this well, teams must understand how clients perceive value and price at an instinctive level, and therefore how to present them in the most effective way.
Do subscription models reduce transparency?
This question was raised alongside a concern that boiling some aspects of veterinary care into a single monthly payment could reduce transparency. Some clients will consume fewer services than others, and therefore the amount paid may not accurately reflect the volume of services and products used. Whilst you could argue that this may reduce ‘fairness’, I would argue that a well-executed subscription model doesn’t reduce transparency.
On the contrary, subscriptions provide clients with a clear, predictable way to budget for their pet’s care. Instead of being surprised by a large, one-off bill, clients know exactly what they’re paying each month and what’s included in their plan. This level of clarity not only removes the stress of unexpected costs but also builds trust by demonstrating that the practice is upfront and consistent. I would argue that when done well, subscription models actually increase transparency.
For example:
- A pet health plan that includes (often amongst other things) consult fees and routine vaccinations makes preventive care straightforward and affordable and helps reduce the barriers to early diagnosis. Clients can budget effectively for their pet’s routine care and can bring them in whenever they have a concern, with less worry about unplanned costs.
- In equine and farm practices, subscription models such as herd health plans, routine worm count or dental care packages allow clients to plan, knowing exactly what they’re investing in and why.
Ultimately clients are free to choose whether they value predictable monthly costs more or less than paying as they go and therefore paying only for the services which they use. The success of a subscription model will depend on how well it is communicated, and transparency is key here too. Clients need to be clear on what’s included, what isn’t, and why it’s of value to them…and both regular and ongoing value communication is key.
Transparency builds trust
Transparency in veterinary practice is more than a box-ticking exercise; it’s about building trust and helping clients feel confident in their decisions. Ultimately it gives us all a great opportunity to strengthen relationships, create better clinical outcomes and enhance both client satisfaction and loyalty.
Do you need help building your team's skills for transparent and effective discussions around value and price? Contact us to find out how we can help.
