What owners want / expect from their vet

Re: What owners want / expect from their vet

Susan Jackson — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:20:23 GMT

I agree that client care is an important part of veterinary nursing. It's not about running round and letting them have everything they want, but more about making them understand why I want them to consider buying flea and worming regular. I find once you explain to a client what it is your recommending to their pet and why, they get on board in using it.

Like most of the owners said they don't want to be talked down to they just want to be talked to in a way that makes them understand. Most of the complaints were from clients that didn't understand.

I didn't like the coment from the owner about their vet not knowing some product to do with arthritis. We cannot possibly know every product. The lameness probably got better on it's own accord and the owner is probably using a product that is not effective as some glucosamine chondroitin products that we know of.

Re: What owners want / expect from their vet

Tracy Windler RVN — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:16:03 GMT

I read the link- took me most of my lunch break, so no time to reply!! But, to be honest, it wasn't as frustrating as I thought it was going to be. Ok, so there were a few comments about vets knowing nothing about RAW diets, how crap all the specialised diets are, costs of meds / prescriptions and general whinges about why people changed vets (some of these seemed justified). But I thought (considering the type of people who comment on these things, are often people who have an axe to grind!) that most seemed very happy with their vets and any gripes were dealt with very well by the OP or other vets on there.

It is still frustrating when people comment about things they have no knowledge of, for example, suggesting that Vets should not offer expensive treatment options which people can't afford and should be able to make immediate (yet reliable!) diagnosis without unnecessary investigations. One person actually said something along the lines of "I would prefer it if my vet didn't guess what was wrong with my animal" Which I would guess they are referring to a vet discussing the differential diagnosis'????

Re: What owners want / expect from their vet

Dippy — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 09:27:44 GMT

Well I'll start it off then (sort of!) I've been amazed since doing my current job (which involves going into vet practices all over the place, amongst other things) at the difference in standards in cutomer care. I know this isn't directly mentioned above as one of the key points but first impressions play a huge part in how the client perceives the rest of their visit. I have been shocked at how many practices I've been into where I've not been acknowledged for ages because the receptionist/nurse has been doing something else (I know as well as anyone else how hard it is to juggle all the things youi need to but a brief "I'll be with you in a moment" makes all the difference), have had to wait for staff behind the desk to finish what is obviously a personal conversation and in one which I visited last week, I stood in reception for 8 minutes, having pressed the bell twice, and still no one came. Of course, there could have been a massive emergency going on, but judging by the giggling and conversations I could hear from behind the door to the rest of the surgery, I would guess that this was not the case. I did wonder how much of their large display of dog./cat accessories go walkabouts as I could easily have helped myself to allsorts of stuff!

It's been an eye opener seeing things from the "other side of the counter". if I was a client going into some of these practices, in a stressed state already because my beloved pet was ill, it wouldn't fill me with confidence and I would probably be in a pretty negative state of mind before even getting as far as the vet so it's little wonder that people complain about other things. The staff in question probably do have a wealth of knowledge about what they do but if that isn't conveyed from the outset in the way in which they greet clients, people tend to make up their minds very quickly, whether that be right or wrong.

Having said that, I have also been into some fantastic practices, been truly impressed with waiting areas, displays, staff etc so there is a huge variation out there!

Re: What owners want / expect from their vet

Katie Mansfield — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:38:39 GMT

Bless you, Arlo. It was Fri night - everyone was in the pub

K x

Re: What owners want / expect from their vet

Arlo Guthrie — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:22:07 GMT

I thought that was going to provoke more discussion than it did. I'll go and stand back in the corner, then.