How Home Visit Pet Care is Pioneering a Scalable Franchise Model with Digitail

Home Visit Pet Care was founded in 2021 by Louise Walters, a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) who brought her clinical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to the forefront with her own mobile practice. Sparked by her passion for business ownership and a better work-life balance, Louise’s idea for a mobile practice took off during the Covid-19 pandemic when many pets missed out on routine care. Since then, her practice has flourished, with a fully booked calendar and an impressive 38% growth year on year. Alongside a team of locum vets, she is serving the community of Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Originally, Home Visit Pet Care started with a server-based practice information management system (PIMS) but quickly realized that it wasn’t cutting it, especially with plans to franchise Home Visit Pet Care across the UK. That’s when Louise, with help from her husband Ben, began the search for software that could truly support their vision for the future.

Choosing Software for a Mobile Veterinary Practice

Mobile practices are on the rise, and it’s easy to see why. For many pet owners — especially those with elderly or vulnerable pets — a house call can be a much better option than the stress of a clinic visit. With today’s technology, mobile practices are more connected and efficient than ever, using cloud-based software, apps, and even AI to stay on top of things.

For Louise, choosing the right practice management software (PIMS) was one of the most important decisions she made for Home Visit Pet Care.

“We needed something mobile-friendly, of course — something we could use on the go, but it was also about having support in time-consuming areas, like receptionist duties. Our previous software didn’t have online booking, so I spent hours sifting through Facebook messages, WhatsApp chats, and phone logs, manually adding appointments to the schedule.”

She adds, “The big thing for us was finding a company that’s constantly evolving. We wanted to know that in five years, our software would still be relevant. It wasn’t about finding the cheapest option, but the best. Having said that, Digitail’s pricing worked perfectly for us. They only charge per vet, which means we can scale up as we grow without worrying about extra costs for admin or support staff.”

Louise also points out the importance of staying connected with clients. “Modern pet owners prefer texting over calling, so we really wanted an app that clients could use. It makes communication so much easier, and it’s just one more way we can offer a personal touch.”

Covering All Bases with Digitail

Having the right technology in place isn’t just about day-to-day operations — it’s about ensuring the practice can scale and grow smoothly.

“I’ve got big ambitions for franchising Home Visit Pet Care across the UK. Having the right technology means we can expand without hitting roadblocks. Digitail’s cloud-based, all-in-one software, complete with AI capabilities and a native pet parent app, truly ticks all the boxes.”

One important factor in Louise’s decision to choose Digitail also was its mobile-friendliness. “As a mobile practice, everything has to work on the go,” explains Louise. “We’re often out in the field, so being able to easily access everything from a tablet was a big win for us.”

But it wasn’t just about mobility. “We didn’t have a receptionist, and I was stuck handling all the admin work myself. It was exhausting and sort of defeated the purpose of starting a mobile practice for better work-life balance. With Digitail’s online booking and AI-powered intake, which acts like a virtual receptionist, it’s been a game-changer for me.”

Another deciding factor was Digitail’s future roadmap. “It was clear they’re investing in their platform, constantly adding new features and thinking ahead. Our old system wasn’t doing that — it was stagnant. We wanted something that would grow with us,” Louise shares.

The team also appreciated the hands-on approach from Digitail. “We got early access to the demo, which was fantastic,” says Louise. “We’re the type who likes to dive in and play around with things, not just watch demos. Plus, the support staff at Digitail have been so nice and incredibly helpful.”

Louise shares that what truly sets Digitail apart is the quality of its support. For her, it’s more than quick responses—it’s about an onboarding experience that keeps the focus on patients, not tech hurdles. “The help desk articles are incredibly informative, and the onboarding process included video walkthroughs, which made it easy to get up and running,” she says.

A Virtual Receptionist

Before Digitail, Louise would gather all the patient information on the spot when she arrived at a client’s house. But with Tails AI Intake, things have become much more streamlined. Now, clients can chat with Tails AI a few days before their appointment. It asks personalized questions, collects the pet’s history, and provides a clean summary for Louise.

“Having that information ahead of time makes such a difference. It means I can show up more prepared and spend less time gathering details, which leaves me more time to focus on the patient and build relationships with the client. That little bit of information helps build trust quicker, in my opinion. Instead of a fact-finding mission, it feels more like a collaborative approach to pet care.”

Streamlining Routine Tasks with Digitail

Here are the gained efficiencies in numbers, showing how Digitail has helped streamline the daily routines for Louise and her team:

🎙️AI-Powered Note-Taking: Louise used to write notes on paper and re-type them later, which took a lot of time. Now, she either dictates her notes or uses Tails AI Dictation to generate SOAP notes during consultations. This saves her approximately 5 hours per week, a significant time saver.

🤗 Tails AI Intake: Digitail’s automated check-in feature allows clients to input their pet’s information before the appointment and provides a summary for the veterinary team to review. This streamlined process saves about 10 minutes per visit.

📲 Automated Reminders: Previously, Louise manually sent reminders each morning, taking around 15 minutes a day. With Digitail, reminders are automated, saving her over an hour per week.

📍 Easy Navigation: Instead of copying and pasting addresses into Google Maps, one can now click the address directly from the schedule, which automatically opens the navigation. This saves around 10 minutes per day for each team member, streamlining their workflow.

Altogether, these efficiencies add up to over 5 hours per week, saving roughly 9% of the clinic time, which is particularly impactful for a mobile practice.

Pet Care Heroes

True support for the community and pet parents is beautifully exemplified by the Pet Care Heroes service offered by Home Visit Pet Care. This dedicated role ensures that pets receive personalized care while their owners are away, eliminating the stress of boarding facilities. “It’s especially valuable for pets with special needs, like diabetic pets who require regular oversight,” Louise explains. “Our clients really appreciate knowing their pets are being looked after in the comfort of their own home.”

The Pet Care Heroes utilize Digitail to manage their appointments, add notes to patient records, and access custom templates for visits. “Having a checklist for each pet visit ensures we don’t miss a beat,” says Louise. “It’s all about providing the best care and client experience possible, and Digitail helps us deliver that with ease.”

Veterinary Mobile Practice Franchising Model

With support from her husband Ben, Louise has her sights set on a bright future as they aim to franchise Home Visit Pet Care. Their vision encompasses comprehensive training and advanced practice management and scheduling software — all designed to streamline operations, attract clients, and maximize earnings. “With our support, franchisees will be well-prepared to build a successful and rewarding business,” Louise shares.

As she grows the Wigan branch through 2025, she’s aiming to recruit at least 12 new practices next year. “When you’re a mobile vet, you wear many hats — receptionist, inventory manager, practice manager. The more technology can assist with these administrative duties, the more time we can dedicate to creative and fulfilling work,” Louise highlights.

With Digitail, she is confident that her chosen platform will only improve over time. “In one year, in five years, we know we’re equipping our franchisees with a modern, all-in-one tool that simplifies running their business. This is one of our unique selling points for potential partners,” Louise adds. “It enhances our offering and makes the franchise more attractive to future franchisees.”

Looking ahead, Louise believes that the adoption of AI is just around the corner. “Soon, everyone will be using AI without even realizing it! Automated reception processes and AI diagnosis assistance are inevitable,” she says. “AI is the least painful tool to learn and brings the quickest benefits. Think of it like having a free member of staff — if you don’t embrace it, you’ll find yourself slower and less agile than practices that do.”

For any UK-based vets or nurses wondering if they’d make a great franchise owner and could see themselves running their own mobile practice, Louise has some advice on how to join this exciting journey:

“If you’re a UK-based vet or nurse who’s ever wondered if you could own your own mobile practice, this is your chance to find out! We’ve made it easy to take the first step – just head over to our website and take the quick suitability quiz. It’ll give you a clear idea of whether owning your own practice is the right fit for you, plus it links to detailed FAQs that cover everything you need to know.

And remember, this isn’t just for vets – nurses can absolutely become franchise owners too. With Home Visit Pet Care, you get the best of both worlds: the freedom to be your own boss and run your own branch, combined with the mentorship, support, and network to help you succeed. You’ll be able to choose your own work-life balance while delivering exceptional care to pets in your local area. If you’re ready to make a change, take the quiz, and let’s see if this could be the right next step for you!”

With a strong foundation and a forward-thinking mindset, Home Visit Pet Care is set to redefine veterinary care in its community, and we look forward to sharing their innovation journey in our future publications.

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