INDEPENDENT VETS
STOP OVERPAYING
FOR MEDICINES
Discover a way to buy supplies for your Independent Veterinary Practice at fairer, more accessible prices that won’t impact the growth of your business.
INDEPENDENT VETS
STOP OVERPAYING
FOR MEDICINES
Discover a way to buy supplies for your Independent Veterinary Practice at fairer, more accessible prices that won’t impact the growth of your business.
“I bought medicine for our practice online as a consumer – because it was cheaper than buying it as a business.”
Some years ago, while I was running my own successful Independent Veterinary Practice, I remember a staff member telling me the above. I was embarrassed that they had gone behind my back to buy the medicine for our practice, but I was also secretly relieved because I knew it would actually benefit us better as a business.
From this uncomfortable conversation, the idea of the Veterinary Independent Purchasing Group (VIP Group) was born. The aim of the VIP Group is to help independent veterinary practices receive better discounts and buying opportunities available to their practice, by purchasing direct from the suppliers of their medicine. In doing so, they’ll be able to provide better care for their customers, and unlock hidden profits within their businesses that were virtually non-existent up until now.
To learn more about the VIP Group, you can listen to this accompanying message from our founder.
IT IS TIME TO STOP OVERPAYING FOR ANIMAL SUPPLLIES THAT OUR TEAM AND THAT CUSTOMERS CAN BUY ONLINE FOR LESS!
“I bought medicine for our practice online as a consumer – because it was cheaper than buying it as a business.”
We’re so used to hearing & seeing in the media about the rising cost of veterinary care and our medicines and we feel compelled to hold prices or offer discounts, I want to share what I’ve learned about the discount & pricing structure of animal medicines during my time in the animal health industry & also while running a practice over the last 12+ years. I strongly believe this will revolutionise the way you buy your medicines and how you too can unlock the hidden profit in your business.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL COST OF THE PRICES WE PAY FOR?
For years, your independent veterinary practice may have simply put up with overpaying for essential supplies from a buying group. As a member of these groups, you have very little control over the price you pay or the products you have access to as a practice. But what does this actually mean for your clients, your patients, and you as the owner?
FOOD SUPPLIES
It’s not simply the medicine that can be expensive, it’s also the food you buy in as well. This can either mean that you either overpay for essential food supplies, or opt for a cheaper alternative that may not be as nutritive. If opting for the former, your margins suffer. If opting for the latter, your patients suffer. In either case, your veterinary practice is on the losing end of both deals.
PRESCRIPTIONS
The rising costs have meant that it is becoming less and less financially viable for veterinary practices to get ahold of essential medicines. Ultimately, you want to provide the highest level of care for your clients, but this can usually come at the price of margins.
SERVICES
With the control over buying opportunities that many large corporations have, it can often mean that the supplies you want are simply more difficult to get ahold of. This can mean that you’re often simply “taking what you can get”, as opposed to finding the medicine and food supplies that are the absolute best fit for your patients.
OUR VALUE PROPOSITION
With the Veterinary Independent Purchasing Group (VIP Group), we aim to change the way independent veterinary practices pay for their medicine. By focusing on the priorities of the veterinary practice, rather than the priorities of large corporations, we want to help vets all over the UK get ahold of their supplies in a more affordable, financially viable way. In turn, we hope to unlock hidden profits in their businesses that may have up until now been non-existent, and give them an avenue for growing their practice more effectively.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL COST OF THE PRICES WE PAY FOR MEDICINE?
For years, your independent veterinary practice may have simply put up with overpaying for essential supplies provided by your buying group. As a member of these groups, you likely have very little control over the price you pay for your medicine, or the products you have access to as a practice. But what does this actually mean for you clients, your patients, and you as the owner?
FOOD SUPPLIES
It’s not simply the medicine that can be expensive, it’s also the food you buy in as well. This can either mean that you either overpay for essential food supplies, or opt for a cheaper alternative that may not be as nutritive. If opting for the former, your margins suffer. If opting for the latter, your patients suffer. In either case, your veterinary practice is on the losing end of both deals.
SERVICES
With the control over buying opportunities that many large corporations have, it can often mean that the supplies you want are simply more difficult to get ahold of. This can mean that you’re often simply “taking what you can get”, as opposed to finding the medicine and food supplies that are the absolute best fit for your patients.
PRESCRIPTIONS
The rising costs have meant that it is becoming less and less financially viable for veterinary practices to get ahold of essential medicines. Ultimately, you want to provide the highest level of care for your clients, but this can usually come at the price of margins.
OUR VALUE PROPOSITION
With the Veterinary Independent Purchasing Group (VIP Group), we aim to change the way independent veterinary practices pay for their medicine. By focusing on the priorities of the veterinary practice, rather than the priorities of large corporations, we want to help vets all over the UK get ahold of their supplies in a more affordable, financially viable way. In turn, we hope to unlock hidden profits in their businesses that may have up until now been non-existent, and give them an avenue for growing their practice more effectively.
1. INDEPENDENT VETERINARY PRACTICES
Each independent veterinary practice differs slightly from one another, and it’s these unique qualities that can make your practice so special. Yet as a group of businesses, we are often treated as one and the same by the corporations and buying groups supplying our medicine. This can leave us with buying opportunities where we often must take what we can get, rather than what we need.
2. MANUFACTURERS
The manufacturers are massively supportive of what we are doing, as they can see that if they don’t support independent vet practices, the landscape will change forever including their businesses, as there will be only a few very large clients running the profession. If we support these key manufacturers, we will protect the future of the independents and the bespoke personal services they provide.
3. SUPPORTING VENDORS
Finally, in order for the medicines to reach our veterinary practices, we rely on a complex chain of supply and transport. In some cases, however, the effectiveness of this supply chain can be sacrificed in favour of shareholder profits. Ultimately, this can lead to slower delivery times, issues in getting ahold of the medicine required as vets, and difficulties in providing the level of service that our clients expect from us.
3. ALLIED INDUSTRIES & KEY SUPPLIERS
We will continue to foster the relationships we have already built with a whole range of suppliers, from pharmaceuticals manufacturers, to equipment, consumables, surgical instruments & implants, disinfection & cleaning, CPD & training providers & even finance, as we believe that business is about people & relationships it’s also for the long term for us, for you & for those who work with us.
WHO DOES THE VIP GROUP HELP?
1. INDEPENDENT VETERINARY PRACTICES
Each independent veterinary practice differs slightly from one another, and it’s these unique qualities that can make your practice so special. Yet as a group of businesses, we are often treated as one and the same by the corporations and buying groups supplying our medicine. This can leave us with buying opportunities where we often must take what we can get, rather than what we need.
2. MANUFACTURERS
The manufacturers are massively supportive of what we are doing, as they can see that if they don’t support independent vet practices, the landscape will change forever including their businesses, as there will be only a few very large clients running the profession. If we support these key manufacturers, we will protect the future of the independents and the bespoke personal services they provide
3. ALLIED INDUSTRIES & KEY SUPPLIERS
We will continue to foster the relationships we have already built with a whole range of suppliers, from pharmaceuticals manufacturers, to equipment, consumables, surgical instruments & implants, disinfection & cleaning, CPD & training providers & even finance, as we believe that business is about people & relationships it’s also for the long term for us, for you & for those who work with us.
3. SUPPORTING VENDORS
WHAT PROBLEMS DOES THE VIP GROUP SOLVE?
Decreased Profits
As the owner of an independent vet practice, you may often find you have to resort to “loss leading” on your prescriptions, or simply reducing your margins in order to pay for the supplies you need. However, we don’t think that business growth should come at the cost of providing essential services.
Compromising on expenditure
The additional rebates available through our co-operative go straight onto your bottom line, meaning YOU can choose how to best utilise the increased available cash- whether that be expanding your team, buying that new piece of equipment, or even taking your family on the holiday or getting a new car you owe yourself.
Lower Service Standards
Through the decrease in profits that your practice has to absorb, this may have knock-on effects for other areas of your services. The high cost of supplies is not usually an independent factor - it often comes with a host of accompanying issues.
Vet Bashing
With the rising cost of the products and services we provide, this can ultimately lead to a disgruntled client base that voices their unhappy views towards vets on social media.
WHAT PROBLEMS DOES THE VIP GROUP SOLVE?
Decreased Profits
As the owner of an independent vet practice, you may often find you have to resort to “loss leading” on your prescriptions, or simply reducing your margins in order to pay for the supplies you need. However, we don’t think that business growth should come at the cost of providing essential services.
Compromising on expenditure
The additional rebates available through our co-operative go straight onto your bottom line, meaning YOU can choose how to best utilise the increased available cash- whether that be expanding your team, buying that new piece of equipment, or even taking your family on the holiday or getting a new car you owe yourself.
Lower Service Standards
Through the decrease in profits that your practice has to absorb, this may have knock-on effects for other areas of your services. The high cost of supplies is not usually an independent factor - it often comes with a host of accompanying issues.
Vet Bashing
With the rising cost of the products and services we provide, this can ultimately lead to a disgruntled client base that voices their unhappy views towards vets on social media.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Through the Veterinary Independent Purchasing Group (VIP Group), we aim to shift the tide in favour of independent veterinary practices. By providing a collective in which we are dealing directly with the suppliers ourselves, we become able to negotiate better pricing discounts, and can afford ourselves better buying opportunities for our practices.
Not only is the VIP Group designed to give you more freedom from the restricted buying opportunities often provided to us by large corporations, it can also bring positive knock on effects for your business as well.
Through these better pricing terms, you will unlock hidden profit in your business that may have been virtually inaccessible up until this point.
We’re aiming to revolutionise the vet industry, by putting the needs of the independent veterinary practices themselves at the top of the priority list. And to help us pursue this aim, we’re currently looking for 10-12 veterinary practices to become founding members of our core team.
Not only will you play a role in a positive new change in the industry, you will also receive a share of profits as a business as a way of saying thank you for joining us.
To maintain the integrity of the group, we are currently accepting members on an application-basis. This process will also give you a chance to chat with our founder, and discover what opportunities you could open up for your own practice simply by being a member of the VIP Group.
To submit your no-obligation application today, simply click the button below.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Through the Veterinary Independent Purchasing Group (VIP Group), we aim to shift the tide in favour of independent veterinary practices. By providing a collective in which we are dealing directly with the suppliers ourselves, we become able to negotiate better pricing discounts, and can afford ourselves better buying opportunities for our practices.
Not only is the VIP Group designed to give you more freedom from the restricted buying opportunities often provided to us by large corporations, it can also bring positive knock on effects for your business as well.
Through these better pricing terms, you will unlock hidden profit in your business that may have been virtually inaccessible up until this point.
We’re aiming to revolutionise the vet industry, by putting the needs of the independent veterinary practices themselves at the top of the priority list. And to help us pursue this aim, we’re currently looking for 10-12 veterinary practices to become founding members of our core team.
Not only will you play a role in a positive new change in the industry, you will also receive a share of profits as a business as a way of saying thank you for joining us.
To maintain the integrity of the group, we are currently accepting members on an application-basis. This process will also give you a chance to chat with our founder, and discover what opportunities you could open up for your own practice simply by being a member of the VIP Group.
To submit your no-obligation application today, simply click the button below.
ABOUT US
The VIP Group was founded by Ross Kelly, a veterinary surgeon with over 30 years experience across the profession.
In 2008, Ross and his wife Helen set up a companion animal veterinary practice, starting with a team of just 4. Within a few years, the practice survived the difficulties of the Financial Crisis and had successfully grown to a team of 18. In September 2020, Ross and Helen sold their practice in order to focus on the VIP Group and the opportunities it is set to provide for independent veterinary practices across the UK.
Through the VIP Group, we aim to create a shift in the industry away from the priorities of large corporations and the shareholders that control the current buying groups, and instead put the focus back on those it impacts most - the independent veterinary practices themselves.
In doing so, we hope to create an environment within the industry where veterinary practices can provide top-level service and care to their clients and patients.
To enquire about becoming a founding member of the VIP Group, simply fill out the no-obligation application form below.
ABOUT US
The VIP Group was founded by Ross Kelly, a veterinary surgeon with over 30 years experience across the profession.
In 2008, Ross and his wife Helen set up a companion animal veterinary practice, starting with a team of just 4. Within a few years, the practice survived the difficulties of the Financial Crisis and had successfully grown to a team of 18. In September 2020, Ross and Helen sold their practice in order to focus on the VIP Group and the opportunities it is set to provide for independent veterinary practices across the UK.
Through the VIP Group, we aim to create a shift in the industry away from the priorities of large corporations and the shareholders that control the current buying groups, and instead put the focus back on those it impacts most - the independent veterinary practices themselves.
In doing so, we create an environment within the industry where veterinary practices can provide top-level service and care to their clients and patients.
To enquire about becoming a founding member of the VIP Group, simply fill out the no-obligation application form below.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM JOINING THE VIP GROUP?
The VIP Group doesn’t simply offer benefits in the form of lower supply expenses. It also offers an opportunity to continue growing your vet practice, safe in the knowledge that you’re providing a high level of care to your clients and their pets in a way that’s viable for you.
We don’t believe that the simple necessity of providing care to your client base should come at the expense of your business growth. And as a founding member of the VIP Group, we want to offer you an opportunity to shift this narrative that has unfortunately become so common within the industry.
Apply to join today, and start experiencing the joy of a successful, sustainable veterinary practice where the power of the buying collective is back in your hands. Don’t forget either - as a founding member, you will also have the opportunity to share in the profits of the business each year, as our way of saying thank you for being with us from the beginning.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM JOINING THE VIP GROUP?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
The VIP Group doesn’t simply offer benefits in the form of lower supply expenses. It also offers an opportunity to continue growing your vet practice, safe in the knowledge that you’re providing a high level of care to your clients and their pets in a way that’s viable for you.
We don’t believe that the simple necessity of providing care to your client base should come at the expense of your business growth. And as a founding member of the VIP Group, we want to offer you an opportunity to shift this narrative that has unfortunately become so common within the industry.
Apply to join today, and start experiencing the joy of a successful, sustainable veterinary practice where the power of the buying collective is back in your hands. Don’t forget either - as a founding member, you will also have the opportunity to share in the profits of the business each year, as our way of saying thank you for being with us from the beginning.
