a clear course logo on a white background

Assisi – Practice. Made perfect.

Dec 09, 2022
  • With staff shortages affecting many sectors, software that helps automate previously manual processes is key. 
  • ClearCourse brand Assisi helps veterinary practices run more efficiently – but that human touch is still as important as ever. 
  • Our new tagline for Assisi is Practice. Made Perfect. Bold? Absolutely. Achievable? Most certainly. 

Staff shortages have been making the headlines for a while now, with the most recent figures from the CBI showing that three-quarters of UK businesses have been hit by labour shortages this year. 


The global pandemic and Brexit are the two main factors – the former changing people’s perceptions of work and the latter reducing the number of skilled workers able to be freely employed in the country. 


No business sector’s been immune, and the veterinary sector’s been as hard hit as any – with staff shortages adding to the stress of an already busy environment and in turn, creating an even busier – and often even more stressful – workplace. 


Veterinary practices are a hugely important part of our lives here in the UK. We love our dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, and other domestic pets. We dote on our horses while, as a country, we rely heavily on the farming sector. 


But if veterinary practices don’t have the right amount of staff, things can become difficult. 




Helping practices become perfect 


Regular readers of our blog will know by now that we love software that does good – software that helps provide positive outcomes for people and businesses; software that helps fuel success. 


One of the brands we’ve welcomed into ClearCourse recently is Assisi - a management software brand that helps veterinary practices run more efficiently and effectively. 


Of course, software can never replace humans – especially in an environment like this where that personal touch, understanding and empathy are essential to delivering the right level of care and service. 


However, what software like Assisi can do is automate a huge number of previously manual tasks, easing the amount of work that needs to be done in the back end – freeing up time for everyone in the practice to spend with clients and their animals. 

Assisi large animal vet practice software

Streamlining processes, saving time 


Assisi, which we’ve recently given a fresh new brand and visual identity as part of ClearCourse, helps veterinary practices across the country save time by offering features such as diary management, which helps reduce no-shows. 


It keeps accurate and up-to-date records so you’re not left searching for notes or consent forms, and it offers pay-by-link so bills can be automatically sent to customers, reducing time spent invoicing and chasing payments. 


Of course, there’s also a host of other features that save time and help achieve greater efficiency – batch traceability, accounting (including digital tax), stock control, lab integration and insurance claims are all there, inside Assisi. 


A new addition to the brand is AssisiPay, Assisi’s very own integrated payments platform, powered by ClearAccept. AssisiPay is purpose-built and enables practices to streamline and speed up payments – another way the software helps save time every single day. 



Repositioning for the challenges veterinary practices face today


The Assisi brand has been working with some of the UK’s biggest veterinary names for more than ten years. It’s established. It’s known. It’s proven. It works. 


As brands evolve, as they get those runs on the board, they can rightfully exude greater confidence. 


Our new tagline for the brand is ‘Practice. Made Perfect’. 


While that may be a bold ambition, it’s one we know with certainty the brand can help make a reality, while at the same time easing the burden of the people-difficulties every business in the country is currently encountering. 


If you’d like to learn more about Assisi, check out the brand’s new website


a man and a woman are playing tennis on a tennis court at night.
07 Feb, 2024
London, 7 February 2024 – ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and embedded payments for SMEs and targeted enterprises, announces the acquisition of ThinkSmart Software (“ThinkSmart”), an independent software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) provider delivering an innovative technology for businesses that offer clubs and classes in the UK and Australia as well as other global markets. This strategic acquisition will be integrated as part of ClearCourse’s growing Business Services division. Founded in 2008, ThinkSmart is a scheduling and customer management platform for businesses that conduct classes and take bookings. Today, ThinkSmart serves approximately 2,500 customers predominately within the children’s activities sector, offering a user-friendly, intuitive product which helps “class-based” businesses with managing all day-to-day administration. Its award-winning software helps clients across the tennis, swimming, gymnastics, dance, music and sports sectors automate processes so that they can spend more time managing their business and working with their customers. ThinkSmart’s innovative technology streamlines several business admin tasks, including class scheduling, customer management and communications as well as invoicing and payments systems. Christina Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce ThinkSmart as the latest software business to join our group. We look forward to welcoming the ThinkSmart team, led by founder Andy Leigh and UK Managing Director George Bentley, and working with them to enhance their offering across the growing, class-led activities sector. This investment is a further milestone in the growth of ClearCourse which continues to expand in the UK market as well as internationally.” Andrew (Andy) Leigh, Founder and Managing Director of ThinkSmart, commented: “In ClearCourse we have found a likeminded, customer-focused partner that will support a new phase of growth for ThinkSmart. As part of ClearCourse, we will be focused on continuously improving the industry-specific software solutions we offer our customers across the world, as well as looking for opportunities to expand our services.” George Bentley, UK Managing Director said: “ClearCourse has built a unique and compelling group of software companies and payments capabilities, and we are excited to continue growing our business supported by the rich experience and infrastructure now available to us. In particular, working with ClearCourse will enable us to offer our UK growing customer base market-leading, embedded Direct Debit and card payment solutions which will make accepting and managing payments quicker and easier.” Established in London in 2018, ClearCourse is a leading software and embedded payment specialist servicing SMEs and targeted enterprise customers. The group’s vertical software solutions provide essential, market-leading technology to help their customers manage and grow their businesses. Since inception, the company has undergone rapid growth by acquiring 40 leading software and payments solutions in the market verticals in which it operates: Retail & Hospitality, Golf & Leisure, Business Services and Membership Services. Christina Hamilton added: “ClearCourse is a growth company with a clear ambition to help our customers build great businesses with our industry-specific software and embedded payments solutions. We acquire small- and medium-sized businesses and integrate them into the ClearCourse group of companies to benefit their growth and development, while delivering the same for our customers with their own growth aspirations. Our acquisition of ThinkSmart is our first investment in 2024 and marks a successful start to what we expect to be a year of continued growth for ClearCourse.” The terms of the deal are undisclosed.
Nathan Best ClearCourse Chief Operating Officer
04 Jul, 2023
ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and payments for UK SMEs, announces the appointment of FinTech veteran Nathan Best as Chief Operating Officer.
Share by: