For Synchrony, a consumer financial services company,
"We received feedback from employees asking for more help caring for their pets, so free access to Airvet was an ideal service, since they provide unlimited 24/7 virtual veterinary care," says Aaron Brown, SVP of total rewards at Synchrony. "We prioritize co-creating the employee experience with our team. That means actively listening to them, and constantly developing new benefits that address their needs and challenges."
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For Kris Jackson, owner of Oakley, a 5-year-old goldendoodle, and Ally, a wheaten poodle going on 14, access to
"It was quite simple; they looked at her through the video and talked about different topical things that I could put on it," Jackson says. "Within six minutes I was able to get a remedy, then go to the store and buy over-the-counter things for her."
Jackson notes that having two dogs at different life stages comes with a wide variety of urgent and nonurgent questions and concerns. While her in-person vet office is good about returning calls, the recommendation is almost always to come into the clinic, she says. According to CareCredit, the average emergency vet visit for a dog ranges from $96 to $236. If the emergency happens on a weekend, the cost can climb into the thousands.
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With Airvet, Jackson knows help is available at any time, for any reason. She has used the platform's multiple ways to connect — including chat, speaking with a technician and getting an evaluation and opinion from a vet — for everything from Ally's behavior to Oakley's unpleasant eating habits.
"I travel for work pretty frequently, and on a Sunday I had my work backpack with all my snacks ready for my trip on Monday. Oakley ate my [vitamins], some pistachios, some chocolate, and I'm pretty sure she ate some Tums," Jackson says. "I was panicking because I was leaving town. I was connected [to a vet on Airvet] within a minute — they assured me that what she ate wasn't lethal. They told me to watch her signs, that she'd probably have an upset stomach, but based on what she ate, she was OK."
Airvet saved Jackson money and gave her peace of mind before leaving town. While Airvet will recommend in-person services if necessary, by using its vet telehealth services, 70% of unnecessary in-person visits are avoided and members save an average of $1,000 a year.
"After that visit, I reached out to our benefits team and said, 'Thank you so much — this one visit was worth everything,'" Jackson says.
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Since adding the service to their benefits plan, more than 2,100 Synchrony pets have engaged with Airvet, which, in addition to telehealth, offers prescription fulfillment and delivery, pet insurance, specialty care and wellness plans. Synchrony consistently gets information on Airvet's services to its people through internal channels, town halls and webinars.
When a company cares deeply about the well-being of its workforce and their families, that means pets, too, says Brown. This mindset is also good for business.
"This benefit saves employees time and money and helps them avoid stressful trips to the vet, which allows them to bring their best selves to work and save their time off to do something else," he says.
Jackson agrees, reiterating the strong feelings she has toward her organization because it invests in what she cares about.
"There are many benefits that cover not just the employee, but our extended families, and I would consider our pets our extended family," she says. "You just feel like they fully care about the whole you."
