Customer Story
How this 15-Location VetPartners UK Clinic used Vetstoria to Capture 3,000+ Bookings, Even at 2am
A snapshot of two standout Westway clinics — Houghton and Eden Hill — showing the impact Vetstoria has had. The group-wide averages reflect similar success across all 15 sites.
Westway Veterinary Group -
Houghton
37% Out of Hours booking
540+ Appointments booked
Westway Veterinary Group -
Eden Hill
44% Out of Hours booking
335+ Appointments booked
Average from 15 Westway clinics:
3040
Appointments booked
40%
OOH (Out of hours booking)
(This data is from November 2024 to March 2025)
The challenge
With 15 busy clinic sites, Westway Veterinary Group struggled to manage high call volumes, especially around vaccine reminders. Their manual scheduling process lacked flexibility, limited out-of-hours accessibility, and placed strain on staff and phone lines.
The solution
The team implemented Vetstoria’s Online Booking across all locations, enabling 24/7 self-scheduling, automated diary control, and routing based on appointment type and location. Vetstoria also supported customisations for specialised clinics, such as cat-only slots.
The results
📅 3,000+ appointments booked across 15 clinics in just 5 months.
🌙 40.7% of appointments made outside clinic hours.
📞 Significant reduction in phone calls and front-desk pressure.
😊 Improved efficiency, client satisfaction, and team morale.
‘When something comes highly recommended, you expect it to be amazing—and that can lead to disappointment if it falls short. But that wasn’t the case with Vetstoria. It delivered exactly what was promised—and more. The bar was set high, and the system has absolutely lived up to it so far.’
– Mark Turnbull RVN, Practice Manager, Westway Veterinary Group
When Mark and his team at Westway Vets began looking for ways to modernise client interactions across their 15-site practice, Vetstoria was already on their radar. It had come up repeatedly at the London Vet Show, through peer recommendations, and in industry conversations as the ‘best-in-class solution for online booking’.
“We’d been thinking about this for nearly two years. Everywhere we looked, Vetstoria kept coming up. It was clear this was the product to try.”
What started as curiosity quickly became a strategic decision. With growing pressure on phone lines, shifting client expectations, and a desire to stay ahead in a digital-first world, the team decided to take the plunge—and haven’t looked back since.
Behind the scenes, VetPartners Group — the corporate group Westway is part of — had been facing similar challenges across the wider network.
“We absolutely recommend Vetstoria. Partnering with a trusted provider like them allows us to focus on what matters most—delivering excellent care and creating a great place to work.”
– Carinne Saulet, CMO, VetPartners Group
‘We’ve come a long way with Vetstoria.’
For over 50 years, Westway Vets has served clients across the northeast of England. But with 15 branches and a growing number of tech-savvy pet parents, the traditional ways of managing appointments — mostly phone calls and a bit of email — were becoming unsustainable.
“We were still relying on the phone for all appointment bookings. Some clients would email, but by the time we got back to them, the appointment slot was usually gone.”
“Vetstoria was already recognised as the market leader in the UK—I’d heard about it through industry connections. So when VetPartners chose to partner with them, we were fully supportive.”
‘We needed to offer the same convenience people get everywhere else.’
Mark and the team saw that client behaviour was changing. “People expect to book everything online — dentist appointments, cars, holidays — why not their vet?” he said. As call volume surged around vaccine reminders and routine care, the practice knew they had to modernise.
‘Online booking transformed our workflow almost immediately.’
Six months into using Vetstoria, the results have been dramatic.
“Call volume has dropped massively, especially during peak times like when vaccine reminders get sent. Now when a client gets a reminder, they don’t have to call — we give them a link, and they book it themselves. Even at 2 a.m!”
He also notes how the tool reduces time-consuming back-and-forth:
“Clients often call with a specific time in mind, and if it’s not available, they need to check with family, then call again. Online booking skips all that. They can pick from what’s available, whenever it suits them.”
“The most ‘wow’ moment for me has been seeing how quickly and easily clients adopted it. No fuss. They expect it now. It’s just the norm.”
‘We’re getting clients we wouldn’t have before.’
Vetstoria also opened new doors for Westway by opening a new revenue stream for the practice. They’re now getting clients who register during unsociable hours, for example, people working night shifts.
“People working night shifts or those who are too busy during the day can now register and book easily. Before, we may have lost them to a competitor who offered online booking.”
‘We’ve saved time and we’re seeing growth.’
While the practice finds it hard to quantify exact ROI yet, Mark sees it clearly in the daily operations.
“I can hear the difference. My office is near the reception, and before, every call was a vaccine reminder. Now it’s only one in five or six. I see that as a good return on investment.”
Receptionists have more time to focus on in-clinic clients. Mark hence feels that this also leads to client retention.
“They’re no longer juggling the phone while trying to greet people and process payments. We’re able to deliver more personalised care, and that absolutely contributes to loyalty and retention.”
“I think when someone visits the clinic and has meaningful interactions with the team, it helps build rapport. That kind of connection naturally boosts client retention because it creates a sense of loyalty to the practice.”
For Carinne, one of the most immediate wins from Vetstoria was how it improved the client journey.
‘The most impactful outcome of having Vetstoria has been the user experience. The market is tightening, but Vetstoria makes the journey easier and simpler for clients. It’s the right thing to do.’
– Carinne Saulet, CMO, VetPartners Group
‘Customisation was key and Vetstoria delivered.’
One of Mark’s main concerns was losing control over scheduling.
“We had anxieties about giving clients too much freedom. But Vetstoria’s customisation options solved that. For example, we run a cat-only clinic at one site during Wednesday lunchtimes, and we’ve set it up so only cats can be booked in that slot.”
Vetstoria’s ability to route appointment types to specific locations has also been a game changer.
“Emergency bookings go to our main hospital, while routine appointments like vaccines or nail clips are automatically routed to our cat or dog clinics. That’s something we didn’t think was possible—but it is.”
‘The best way I can describe it? Vetstoria is like a virtual receptionist. It’s an extra member of the team that smoothens the entire process — from reminder to booking to check-in. We have automated the process so that we can focus on the care.’
‘We knew we had to take the plunge — and Vetstoria delivered.’
Mark understands the natural hesitation that comes with adopting new technology. For a large, multi-site practice, change isn’t just a logistical challenge — it’s a financial and cultural one too. But for the clinic, the potential upside was worth it.
VetPartners’ mission centres around team wellbeing, and technology that supports that goal is always welcome.
“I think change is always hard — especially because it’s often expensive. But there has to be a genuine willingness to change. You need to reach a point where you're actively looking for a solution, and then be ready to take the plunge. Once you’ve planned it out properly, go for it. That’s how I work — and it’s how we operate as a clinic.”
“Our number one priority is being a great place to work. We support our teams so they can focus on delivering the best care to patients and clients. Vetstoria plays a key role in this by reducing stress and making front desk interactions more meaningful—giving receptionists more time to connect with clients and provide thoughtful service. It truly aligns with our mission.”
– Carinne Saulet, CMO, VetPartners Group
‘You get what you pay for—don’t compromise on tools that matter.’
For clinics unsure about investing in higher-end software, Mark has a clear message: the right solution may cost more upfront, but it saves far more in the long run.
He cautions against going with cheaper, lower-tier options.
“We value working with a proven partner. Yes, you might pay a bit more but you get dependable performance and the peace of mind that help is always there when you need it.”
“I think it’s simple — you get what you pay for. If you don’t invest in the right software, one that truly meets the needs of your business, you’ll end up disappointed. And that frustration usually extends to the support you receive, too.”
‘The onboarding was smooth, personal, and exactly what we needed.’
With 15 clinic sites to configure, Mark Turnbull knew that setting up an online booking system could easily become a time-consuming, complex task. Fortunately, Vetstoria’s onboarding experience exceeded expectations right from the start.
“The onboarding process was very good — it felt personal. We had named contacts we’d met over Zoom, and when emails came through, we knew exactly who we were talking to. It wasn’t some generic support inbox — it felt individual and well-managed.”
What made the biggest difference, he says, was Vetstoria’s willingness to handle much of the initial setup.
“As a multi-site practice, repeating configuration across 15 branches, each with some unique needs, could have easily delayed our rollout. But the Vetstoria team took the reins and handled the setup exactly as we’d discussed. That saved us a huge amount of time and made going live across all sites much easier than we’d anticipated.”
Carinne has a similar response:
‘The setup and onboarding was excellent. Initially, we had monthly group calls for clinics to join. But your team quickly shifted to one-to-one demos, which made a big difference. The personal approach has been much more effective.’
– Carinne Saulet, CMO, VetPartners Group
If I had to sum it up, Vetstoria has brought us automation, flexibility, growth—and peace of mind. It’s absolutely something I’d recommend to any practice serious about improving their operations and client experience.
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
Westway Vets was established in 1975 and now operates 15 branches across Tyne and Wear, Durham, and Northumberland. These locations are supported by a Tier 3 RCVS-accredited hospital based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The hospital is staffed by a large, experienced veterinary team, including certificate-holding Veterinary Surgeons and a dedicated, highly skilled nursing team. The facility offers advanced operating theatres and in-house diagnostic services, as well as a separate feline unit that has achieved Gold Standard Cat Friendly Clinic status. Westway Vets remains committed to delivering high clinical standards and providing exceptional patient and client care across all its practices.
Mark Turnbull RVN, Practice Manager, Westway Veterinary Group
With 19 years of experience in the veterinary industry, Mark Turnball, RVN has worked alongside a wide range of practices both within and outside the VetPartners family. He began her career as a veterinary nurse and later qualified as an RVN at Westway Veterinary Hospital in Newcastle. As VetPartners was formed, he transitioned into a non-clinical IT role, supporting practices across the UK with IT integration. In 2019, he returned to Westway to take on the role of Group Practice Manager, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the business.
