Customer Story
Why Vital Vet Made the Switch: A Case Study on Vetstoria’s Impact
1985+
Appointments booked
52%
OOH (Out of hours booking)
49%
appointments booked via the Vetstoria widget on the website
(This data is from January 2024 to December 2024)
The challenge
As Vital Vet grew, managing multiple vets and appointments became increasingly difficult. Their previous online booking system lacked flexibility, didn’t integrate well with their PMS (Ascend), and required too much manual work, leading to high phone traffic and an overwhelmed reception team.
The solution
Switching to Vetstoria provided:
✅ Better customisation – Flexible scheduling for different appointment types
✅ Seamless integration – Smooth syncing with Ascend
✅ More automation – Clients could provide key details upfront, reducing admin work
The results
🌙 More appointments are now booked outside clinic hours, reducing peak-time congestion.
📅 Seamless online booking has led to a steady increase in scheduled appointments.
📞 Receptionists have more time to focus on in-clinic clients instead of handling phone calls.
📉 Early morning call surges have decreased, creating a more efficient workflow.
‘We needed a more flexible solution and Vetstoria was our answer!’
Before implementing Vetstoria, Vital Vet faced significant challenges as their clinic grew. Initially, when the clinic was smaller, an online booking system wasn’t a priority, and at the time, it wasn’t widely available.
As digital booking platforms emerged, the clinic first adopted online booking from another company, which struggles to keep up with their growing needs. We spoke to Dr. Barry Odesnik and his wife Lara Odesnik, RVN who gave us an insight into the practice.
“As our practice started to expand, managing multiple vets and appointment schedules became too complicated. Our earlier online booking platform was quite rigid, and we needed a more flexible solution. We had heard that Vetstoria was a superior system, so we decided to switch.”
‘Our earlier booking platform had issues…’
For their clinic, the biggest challenge was lack of flexibility.
As the clinic expanded, managing schedules became increasingly challenging. They needed:
- Better customisation – Their previous booking system lacked the flexibility to tailor scheduling options effectively.
- More automation – They wanted clients to provide more details when booking to help the team prepare in advance.
- Seamless integration – Their practice management software (Ascend) wasn’t syncing smoothly with their existing booking system, creating inefficiencies.
“These limitations led us to explore a more adaptable solution and Vetstoria solved these problems by providing a highly customisable platform with better integration into our system.”
‘Vetstoria has significantly improved our workflow.’
Dr. Barry loves the fact that Vetstoria helped them with the workflow within the clinic. He said:
“Vetstoria helped us with reducing phone traffic as clients can now book directly instead of calling. It also helped with enhancing scheduling as we can assign different consultation times for various appointment types. Not only that, it has helped us with streamlining client interactions as we can capture important details before appointments, making consultations more efficient.”
“Our receptionists actively encourage clients to book online, and our social media manager frequently shares the booking link in posts.”
‘Now, many bookings happen outside clinic hours, reducing peak-time congestion.’
Lara and her team realise how without Vetstoria, receptionists would have been completely overwhelmed.
“Our receptionists remain busy, but without online booking, we would be completely overwhelmed. Vetstoria helps reduce the early morning phone surge—before, phones would ring off the hook at 8 AM with clients trying to book first-thing appointments.”
On the topic of customisation, the couple told us that their practice manager handles most customisations, and they’ve had no major issues.
“Vetstoria has proven to be highly adaptable, allowing us to adjust booking slots based on different consultation types, making scheduling much more efficient.”
‘Vetstoria has truly been a game-changer for our team.’
Summing up all the benefits, the Odesniks have highlighted that they see Vetstoria as a valuable investment with a significant return.
“From improved workflow efficiency and reduced phone traffic, to greater convenience for our clients and seamless scheduling – Vetstoria has streamlined our operations and enhanced the overall client experience. While measuring ROI can be tricky, the impact on our daily workflow is undeniable.”
Nikki and the Vetstoria team have been great. We felt well-supported throughout the process. The setup for online booking was smooth. We would definitely recommend Vetstoria!
Vetstoria’s real-time online booking drastically reduces phone calls and keeps you in control.
Book a free demo with us today and see how we can help you grow!
About the Hospital
Serving the Ellenbrook community since 2007, Vital Vet Animal Hospital is a family-run practice with a dedicated, close-knit team. The clinic provides a welcoming environment where pet owners can rely on familiar faces, compassionate care, and expert veterinary services.
With a combined 50 years of experience, the veterinary team specialises in anesthesia, pathology, medicine, and ophthalmology, while a membership-qualified surgeon handles advanced procedures such as cranial cruciate repair, patella, and airway surgeries. The skilled nursing team offers expertise in behavior, husbandry, and nutrition, ensuring pets receive the highest standard of care.
Dr. Barry Odesnik, BVSc, BVSc (Hons)
Dr. Barry Odesnik qualified as a veterinarian in South Africa in 1987 and later earned a postgraduate degree in Small Animal Internal Medicine. After immigrating to Perth in 2000, he worked in emergency care before opening Vital Vet Animal Hospital in 2007.
With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Barry remains passionate about veterinary medicine, with special interests in dermatology, clinical pathology, and osteoarthritis management.
Lara Odesnik | RVN – Registered Vet Nurse | Accounts Manager
Lara obtained her veterinary nursing diploma in South Africa in 1988 and has worked in small animal practice for many years. Lara’s main duties are in accounts administration and reception and she especially enjoys interacting with owners and their pets. Lara and Barry started Vital Vet Animal Hospital together in 2007. They have two adult children and their pets are Dasha the Whippet and a cat called Binx.
With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Barry remains passionate about veterinary medicine, with special interests in dermatology, clinical pathology, and osteoarthritis management.
