The golden rule with all complaints is to stay calm. Never take a complaint personally, even when it feels like that's how it was meant. Remember that a client may be desperately worried about their pet, and unable to deal with this emotionally. Some will 'take it out' on veterinary personnel simply because they feel that they need someone to blame. Whatever the rights and wrongs, it is your job to rise above it.

The easiest and quickest way to defuse many client complaints is to apologise unreservedly, regardless of where blame lies. The client is, after all, always right! These days, though, litigation has become increasingly commonplace, and an apology for a particular situation may be taken as an admission of liability.

It is therefore important to exercise good judgement as to when and how an apology is made. Regardless of the situation, you can and should always apologise for the fact that the client is unhappy. This implies no admission that you or the practice are in any way at fault.

However, you should only apologise for the problem itself if it is a minor one. If the problem is a serious (say if it relates to the wellbeing of a patient), it is for senior staff or partners to decide whether an apology is appropriate, and to deliver it, if it is.

No two clients are ever the same, so you will probably find that there are different ways of dealing with identical complaints. Here are some broad pointers:

• If possible, try to take the client into an office or consulting room (ensure that a colleague mans the reception desk). The lack of a captive audience may help an angry client to calm down, although a sad few do actually enjoy causing a scene.
   
• Establish exactly what the problem is. Explain that any complaints are taken very seriously and you will do your best to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
   
• Take notes of the conversation.
   
• Establish the solution that the client would be happiest with and assess whether this is reasonable.
   
• If the complaint concerns a minor mistake made by the practice (for instance, a mis-scheduled appointment), apologise immediately. It is sometimes hard, especially if someone is ranting at you, to say sorry. That's even more the case if you were not responsible for the mistake in the first place! But the reputation of your practice is at stake here, so grit your teeth and do it with a smile, before the client grumbles to all their friends.
   
• If you can rectify the problem yourself, then do so. For instance, a client complains that the bill for a dental was £200 when he had had a quotation only the previous week for £150. First call up the client's ledger and check for mistakes. It could be that 2 anaesthetic charges have been entered in error. In such a case, the account can be reduced accordingly.
   
• If it's a major problem (for instance, concerning the health of a client's pet), or you think it unreasonable, always ask a senior member of staff or partner for help. Meantime, be apologetic for the fact that the client is unhappy, but not for the problem itself.
   
• If you need to consult a senior member of staff, and they are unavailable, ask the client to put the matter in writing. Tell the client who they should address it to. If you have email and/or fax facilities then the process can be speeded up.
   
• The faster any complaint is dealt with, the less likely it is to escalate. It's also best to avoid the situation where a client leaves the practice disgruntled. So whatever your level of involvement in dealing with a complaint, make sure that you facilitate a fast conclusion to the matter. If dealing with the matter yourself, do it quickly. If you need the help of senior staff, get it quickly!
   
• If a client is unacceptably rude (i.e. swearing, or being aggressive), you are not obliged to deal with the problem - find a partner at once.
   
• You will get the odd client who is consistently awkward and unpleasant. Try not to dwell on situations like these, and instead think pleasant thoughts about all the charming and polite customers that you have served with a smile during the course of the day.