Stop Running From Your Vendor Reps

The other day, I was talking to another practice manager who also happens to be a friend of mine. We were talking about the usual chaos of veterinary management when she mentioned how much she hates when vendor reps come in to talk to her.

I’m not going to lie. That caught me off guard.

After I let her vent, I was quick to try to change her perspective because I am basically the complete opposite.

I love my reps.

Midwest, MWI, Vetoquinol, Zoetis, Merck, IDEXX—you name it. Over the years, I have built some genuinely great relationships with the people who represent the companies we work with.

Now, before anyone says it: Yes, I know they have sales goals.

Of course they do. They're sales representatives. I'm not under the impression that they drove across town because they couldn't stop thinking about me and wanted to see how my day was going. 😂

But here's what I've learned after years of managing a veterinary practice:

A good vendor rep can make your life a whole lot easier.

And if you're avoiding every rep who walks through your hospital because you don't have time for "another sales pitch," you might actually be leaving some pretty valuable resources on the table.

They're More Than a Sales Pitch

When you actually take the time to talk to your reps and build relationships with them, you start realizing how much they can bring to your practice.

My reps help me keep an eye on COGS. They let me know about promotions and rebates I might otherwise miss. They help with team training and education. They keep us updated on new products, changes to existing products, and advances happening in the industry.

And when something goes wrong?

I have a person I can call.

That's probably one of the things I appreciate most.

Instead of spending an hour trying to figure out who to contact at some giant company because an order is wrong, a product isn't available, or something isn't making sense, I can reach out to someone I already have a relationship with and say:

"Hey, I need help."

And more often than not, they're on it.

That has value.

Your Team Benefits Too

Something else practice managers sometimes overlook is how much these relationships can benefit your team, not just your inventory.

I've had reps provide training, educational opportunities, product demonstrations, lunches, resources, and additional support for my staff. I've had vendors help with team-building activities, trips to theme parks, and experiences that gave my team an opportunity to get out of the hospital and actually enjoy each other.

You name it, and I've probably had a vendor help me with it at some point.

Those things matter.

We spend so much time as managers trying to figure out how to educate our teams, keep morale up, show appreciation, and create opportunities for people to bond…. all while staring at a budget that is basically telling us:

"Absolutely not." 😂

A good vendor relationship can sometimes help bridge that gap.

And yes, sometimes they show up bearing lunch, snacks, pens, goodies, or whatever mysterious treasure happens to be inside the vendor-rep bag that day.

I'm not going to pretend we don't appreciate those things.

We absolutely appreciate those things.

But that's not why I value the relationship.

I value having another person in my corner who understands our hospital, knows our team, understands what we're trying to accomplish, and is willing to say:

"Let me see what I can do."

Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes it's a lunch-and-learn. Sometimes it's help with training. And sometimes, apparently, you're taking your team to a theme park. 😂

And Yes, I Get Attached

Over the years, some of these people have become individuals I genuinely look forward to seeing.

Which is probably why I was personally offended when Zoetis let go of one of my favorite reps earlier this year.

I briefly boycotted purchasing from them.

Was that dramatic?

Perhaps.

Did Zoetis notice my one-woman protest?

Probably not.

Am I still a little salty about it?

Absolutely.

Thankfully, they eventually sent me another fabulous rep, so relations have been restored. 😂

But that's exactly my point. When you take the time to build these relationships, these people stop being "the Zoetis rep" or "the MWI rep."

They're people you know. They're people who know your hospital. They understand your team's needs, your purchasing habits, your challenges, and sometimes even your management style.

I Know You Don't Have Time

Now, I completely understand the other side.

Practice managers have approximately 47 things happening at the same time.

You're working on payroll, someone called out, there's an HR situation brewing, inventory needs to be ordered, a client wants to speak to "the manager," somebody needs access to something, the refrigerator temperature log hasn't been completed, and somehow a doctor needs you to solve a problem that absolutely did not exist five minutes ago.

Then someone walks through the door carrying a business card.

"Hi! Is the practice manager available?"

Your immediate instinct may be:

“No... she was abducted by extraterrestrials.”

I understand. 😂

Especially if you're working a limited in-office schedule, your time is valuable.

But give the good ones a few minutes.

Hear them out.

Ask questions.

And most importantly, tell them what your hospital actually needs.

You might be surprised by how much they can help you.

Now... There ARE Exceptions

Before my fellow practice managers come for me, let me clarify something.

I am not talking about every sales rep who has ever walked through a veterinary hospital door.

There are some I keep at a six-foot-pole distance.

You know the type.

The overly pushy, aggressively sales-y, Matilda's-dad-used-car-salesman energy where somehow you've said "no" four different ways and they're still explaining why you desperately need to buy 87 units of something you've never used.

Those reps usually get approximately three minutes of my time.

Because wouldn't you know it...

An emergency suddenly comes in.

And every veterinary manager reading this knows exactly what I'm talking about.

You're walking away from the conversation and quietly tell one of your team members:

"If you don't see me in three minutes, come find me and tell me there's an emergency."

Don't judge me.

We've all done it. 😂

Stop Running From Them

The point isn't that you need to say yes to everything a vendor presents.

You shouldn't.

Part of our job is protecting the financial health of the practice, asking questions, negotiating, comparing options, and knowing when something simply doesn't make sense for our hospital.

But don't automatically treat every vendor walking through your door as another interruption.

Build relationships.

Get to know the good ones.

Tell them what you're struggling with.

Ask about promotions. Ask about rebates. Ask about training. Ask what's new. Ask whether there's a better way to purchase something you're already buying. Ask if they have opportunities for your team.

Because the best vendor relationships aren't simply about what they're trying to sell you.

They're about having another resource available when you need one.

After more than 20 years in this field, I've learned that you don't turn away good relationships. You build them. Because you never know when that relationship is going to turn into an opportunity for your hospital or your team.

Veterinary management is hard enough.

I'll happily take all the good people in my corner that I can get.

So the next time you see your vendor rep walking toward the hospital and your first instinct is to turn off the lights and hide behind the reception desk...

Give them five minutes.

Unless they're giving Matilda's dad.

Then suddenly...

I think I hear an emergency coming in. 😂

And if any of my reps ever happen to read this, just know that I genuinely appreciate you. You all help me more than you'll ever know. The training, the favors, the problem-solving, the opportunities you've provided my team, the random phone calls I've made asking for help, and all the times you've responded with “Let me see what I can do”.... none of it goes unnoticed.

Practical tips, honest insights, and gentle support for veterinary professionals navigating the realities of clinic life.

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