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  1. #1
    Senior Dog janedoe's Avatar
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    How important is it that the vet staff is pleasant?

    We see our holistic vet approximately 12-16 times a year. She had a tight setup with the waiting area and work area for her staff in the same small room. When another office vacated in the building, she rented that one as well. It's a large room that's used as storage, has two desks and shelves for the supplements. Now when clients come in, they go into this huge room and hit an intercom button to let the staff down the way know that they are there.

    The staff used to be super friendly. Over the course of the last year, they have become increasingly distant and practically disrespectful. Six months ago, I was handed a sheet of new rules that I understand was put together by the staff including one about talking during the exams. Since then, one of the staff called my home, left a message demanding an appointment then called again and spoke to my husband in a way which I found completely unacceptable.

    The vet has asked me three times now to assist with my own dogs but I still get charged the full amount which has increased. Then today for the second time, no one showed up when she called on the intercom to ask for help putting together the paperwork for our appointment. They literally just ignored her.

    This is a great vet but she's abrupt, her new people rarely stick around for any length of time and I think they're imitating the way she talks. Curiously though she started being really nice to me after about three years.

    Would any of this matter to you? I'm trying to look at it like I look at the orthopedic surgeon we used for Zo. He was brilliant but he and his people were downright nasty. I'm fresh off of a visit but I find myself getting upset now before I even leave the house.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    I don't tolerate disrespect very well especially when I am a paying customer. I do understand the necessity of this specialty though and feel for you if there are slim pickings.
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  4. #3
    Best Friend Retriever LucyTudeOn4Feet's Avatar
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    Your market up there may be totally different from our market down here, but I have found here that holistic vets are not all equal. I had one that was so far different from all the rest here that it seems he has no equal here. I asked him once if what he did was called "classical homeopathy" and he said god no, he was looked down upon by classical homeopaths. He said he was considered the "junkyard dog of the homeopathic world".
    But - what he did for Lucy was brilliant (homotoxicology & homeopathy) and gave us hope from her osteosarcoma, and is nothing short of miraculous.
    He retired, and we went to a holistic vet locally. I gave her the "junkyard dog's" paper on his treatment plan, and asked her if she could continue on this plan. She said this was so far over her head and outside the realm of what she did - and, no, she could not.
    My point is - if you have confidence in the doctor, are happy with that aspect of the care your dogs receive, you may consider living with the situation.
    Last edited by LucyTudeOn4Feet; 07-18-2014 at 09:30 AM. Reason: typo

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  6. #4
    Real Retriever KenZ71's Avatar
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    Hmm. Maybe they are more into dogs vs people?

    Do the dogs like the vet and staff? If no I would be out of there.
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  8. #5
    House Broken
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    I take the demeanor of the staff very seriously in any medical setting. A place that has staff that is consistently disrespectful to clients or to each other is indicative of a poor work environment. Not only does that not reflect well on the vet in charge, but I would be scared to leave my dog in their care if the need arose, since medical care is usually a team effort.

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    janedoe (07-17-2014)

  10. #6
    House Broken HammerLover's Avatar
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    IMO, if you are going to work in a job where you have to communicate with people then do it nicely or don't do it at all.
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  12. #7
    Real Retriever Moby and Barley's Mom's Avatar
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    Wow! I would be very annoyed at the utter lack of customer service. I would confront the vet directly. She is running a business as well as a clinic and very few people every directly express their discontent. You are an amazing customer as well considering how often you are there and how much you must spend with them. As a business person, I would prefer to know this rather than just watch another person leave.

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  14. #8
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    I've said it before and will say it again - I DO NOT tolerate that type of service. There should be a reception desk with a person to greet every patient. Sounds like the room is large enough for that. She can check you in, ask any necessary questions and then buzz the tech.

    I consider the way the techs interact with my dogs as important as how the vet does. They need to be open to what you have to say. Heck, you are their main source of symptoms and problems. Not talking during an exam, no way. My vet and I get to chatting the minute she walks in.

    Talk to the vet about your feelings. If she wants to keep her business, they need to change their attitudes. I'm quick to pass along the word on a business when I do or do not like their service.

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  16. #9
    Senior Dog janedoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LucyTudeOn4Feet View Post
    Your market up there may be totally different from our market down here, but I have found here that holistic vets are not all equal. I had one that was so far different from all the rest here that it seems he has no equal here. I asked him once if what he did was called "classical homeopathy" and he said god no, he was looked down upon by classical homeopaths. He said he was considered the "junkyard dog of the homeopathic world". But - what he did for Lucy was brilliant (homotoxicology & homeopathy) and gave us hope from her osteosarcoma, and is nothing short of miraculous.
    He retired, and we went to a holistic vet locally. I gave her the "junkyard dog's" paper on her treatment plan, and asked her if she could continue on this plan. She said this was so far over her head and outside the realm of what she did - and, no, she could not.
    My point is - if you have confidence in the doctor, are happy with that aspect of the care your dogs receive, you may consider living with the situation.
    I think this situation is similar to yours. I did try a couple of other vets at one point and they weren't very successful but this vet really turned the dogs around. Hopefully she's just having problems keeping people.

  17. #10
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Small animal Veterinary is as much about the people. I don't think the staff have to act like they're your best friend but polite and pleasant is definitely part of the job. On the other hand my previous Vet's people were mostly very, very nice and I took agility classes with two of them. It made it hard for me to see past their niceness to what was really going on, it was very hard for me to leave there but now I'm glad I did.

    If staff have changed over the past year I'd wonder what's going on in that office. It seems to me the boss often sets the tone for the office but work stress, like maybe clients leaving and decreased revenue, can cause staff to act differently too. You just have to judge if the care is still good and worth it.

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    janedoe (07-17-2014)

 



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