A client’s guide to grievance

Lawyers deal with hostile witnesses and rancorous spouses, policemen withfelonious thugs, salesmen with constant soul-sucking rejection, and veterinarians with -- cute little kittens, sweet old dogs, and cuddly bunny rabbits.  We’re so lucky to be a part of a stimulating, fun, helping profession.

But hey, it’s not all unicorns and rainbows on our side of the exam table!  Among the many challenges in our profession is dealing with complaints.   A complaint, whether justified or not, can cause us regret, anger, bewilderment, hurt feelings, and sleepless nights.   We’re just like everyone else, because we care very much how the world perceives us.

That being said, I actually appreciate criticism, as long as it’s fair and not mean-spirited.  It can be a great tool to help us improve, so I decided to share the top three things I’d like you to know about giving us effective feedback:

1. One might assume that a business owner is aware of how everyone in her employ behaves.  One would be mistaken!  Sometimes I wonder if I’m the last to know about the underbelly of my practice.  And it’s not just me; I’ve heard many other business owners voice the same lament. 

  

For example: A former employee didn’t show one of our clients the proper respect.  After that team member left, other employees told me that she had occasionally been curt and bossy with customers and colleagues alike.  The revelation gave me a chill.  How could I have been so clueless?  My team members enlightened me:  Working with another person when you fear retribution from them is unpleasant, at best.  Sometimes we bosses can be really ignorant!  Don’t assume we’re aware of the chinks in our armor; speak up.

2. Try to distinguish justified from unwarranted anger or disappointment.  It’s easy for clients to develop unrealistic expectations of what veterinarians can do.  Unfortunately, we can’t always diagnose a pet’s maladies without considerable expense or a referral.  Even with a diagnosis, we can’t always save a precious life.  And like you, we’re hampered by the fact that there are only so many hours in a day, so we can’t always return every phone call right away, or immediately see every patient that needs seeing.

Every once in a while I find myself feeling irritated toward someone else’s employee, usually because I perceive them as not doing a good job or because they’ve delivered bad news.  I’ve learned to (mostly!) hold my tongue, because further reflection makes me recognize a few realities:  I was impatient because my day wasn’t going well; the worker wasn’t adept at her job, but at least she was trying; the company’s policies aren’t the employee’s fault.  If you feel wronged, take some deep breaths and decide whether the business actually fell short or whether you were really just angry at your spouse, or upset because the car needs repairs -- again.

3.  If it truly is about us and not about you, it’s time to send us an email, or pick up the phone and give our practice manager or one of us veterinarians a call. Sometimes scheduling a time to come in to discuss your concerns will go a long way towards resolving them.

 

Feedback and criticism can be indispensable.  You’re the reason we exist, and we try hard to please you. If something makes you uncomfortable, unhappy, or disappointed, we want to know. We welcome the time you take to help us make improvements. But please be courteous, and we’ll return the favor.