Without communication, failure looms

I suppose, looking through my retrospectoscope, that there was never a time in our profession, when medical expertise alone, made less of an impact, and communication skills made more of a difference between economic success and just barely surviving in practice.

Just to emphasize the point, I recall a "for real" licensedpractitioner, who for years, diagnosed hip dysplasia by showing the clienteither a positive hip dysplasia film or a negative one. He had no radiographicequipment. He sometimes had trouble explaining the os penis on a femaleGerman Shepherd's films, but he was a great salesperson.

His clients only came to my practice when this "doctor" wasout of town. They sang his praises especially after he performed an emergencysplenectomy, his second most common surgery, through the vagina, so as toavoid skin sutures.

Every spay owner was called during surgery to say that he found a verylarge and malignant tumor on one ovary. He could probably get it all, butit would add $200 to the cost of the surgery and $100-200 in chemotherapyjust to be on the safe side. He dispensed a placebo at discharge to be takenfor six weeks and the client was to return the pet every four months fortwo years for repalpation of the abdomen to make certain of a cure.

He was very financially successful. He never attended a county veterinarymedical meeting because he was hated by all the other practitioners. Attemptsto get his license revoked failed. All of his clients loved him.

Doomed to failure

Without great communication skills used for legitimate practice, manyof our current practitioners are doomed to failure. As I consult, I seepractitioners who talk to their record sheet, never looking their clientin the eyes. People seldom have confidence in a professional who will notlook them in they eye when making recommendations. Record somewhere in therecord the color of the client's eyes. It requires looking at them for atleast 10 seconds.

Compliment your client on taking good care of their pet when applicable.It is possible to compliment anyone.

Our new associates may not realize that communication got cut out oftheir veterinary curriculum because, well, there just wasn't enough time.There just might be something in the following notes that could help youand them do what you were trained to do communicate with the clients todetermine their pet's needs and what their expectations are for their pet'scare.

Expectations

Clients always have expectations of us and our practices. Think aboutyour own expectations.

When you shop, you have expectations about cleanliness, lighting, storehours, and more. What happens when you walk into a clothing store wherethe merchandise is limited and the store is dirty? You notice a few lightsare out and the salesperson is chewing gum and on the phone, obviously talkingto a friend. Unless the prices are extremely low you probably won't buyanything and you'll leave quickly.

Our clients go through the same process. If we don't measure up to theirexpectations with their first visit, they leave; probably never to return.

Here are some of the expectations our clients have about us and ourstaff:

* They expect the hospital to be neat, clean and free of animalodors.

* They expect our staff to be friendly, courteous and knowledgeable.

* They expect us to be able to answer their questions about petcare or at least try to find the answer.

* They expect us to solve any medical problems their pets have,quickly and at the least possible expense.

* They expect us to care. We win when we show we care. If youshow genuine concern about their pets, you're well on your way to gainingtheir loyalty and their business. And it's fairly simple ­ all you haveto do is actively listen to them.

Here are six tips to effective listening:

1. Let clients talk. Give them a chance to get their story out.Ask a few questions to get a better picture of what's going on.

2. Stay involved. When busy, you may feel pressure. If possible,try to block it out. Focus on the client in front of you now! If you mustanswer the phone, excuse yourself and apologize when you return. They don'tcare about your pressure. They are only concerned with their situation.

3. Don't prejudge. Don't get out in front with your solution untilyou know the problem. It's a case of timing. You may know right away whattreatments you're going to recommend, but clients must first know you fullyunderstand.

4. Check for understanding. Clients like it when you reassurethem that you're listening. Just say, "Let's see if I understand thesituation correctly."

5. Determine real needs. Sometimes clients aren't sure what theyneed. It takes probing questions like, "Tell me more about why thathappened."

6. There is an art of listening. You do it with your ears andyour eyes. Try to see what your clients can't put into words as well aswhat they are saying. Show you care by giving clients your undivided attentionand they'll do most of what you recommend and come back often.