• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Upcoming dvm360 Conferences
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
Veterinary Heroes
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

10 client turnoffs

January 1, 2007

You don't need to work very hard to make clients feel uncomfortable, dissatisfied, or irritated. Here's a look at 10 ways to chase off clients.

Untitled Page

10 client turnoffs

You don't need to work very hard to make clients feel uncomfortable, dissatisfied, or irritated. Here's a look at 10 ways to chase off clients.

1. Call a pet by the wrong name or the wrong gender. How much confidence would you have in your doctor's office if they couldn't tell whether you were a man or a woman? “Many pet names aren't gender specific, so we use pink or blue stickers on the front of the pet's file to remind us,” says Sharon DeNayer, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and clinic manager at Windsor Veterinary Clinic in Windsor, Colo.

Advertisement

2. Ignore bad smells. Hospitals should look and smell clean. Bad smells make clients uncomfortable, and they may start to wonder how clean your practice really is. Once your practice sparkles, try creating a welcoming ambiance with potpourri or air fresheners.

3. Run late. Emergencies happen. But if you're always playing catch-up, plan a staff meeting to discuss strategies for staying on track. Most important, when you do run behind, tell clients why.

4. Interrupt during appointments. Clients like to think that you're completely focused on their pets. Frequent interruptions from the clinic phone, cell phones, or other team members poking in to ask questions are distracting and irritating.

5. Send pets home dirty. Never send hospitalized pets home with dried blood or dirt in their fur. It doesn't give an impression of attentive care.

6. Don't offer updates on hospitalized pets. Clients often feel anxious when their pets are hospitalized, and it's worse when they don't know what's happening. Frequent updates inspire confidence in your team members.

7. Don't show appreciation. Clients love feeling appreciated. Research shows it takes an average of four thank yous before they really register with clients, so thank them at every opportunity.

8. Don't bother telling clients what to expect. Don't assume clients know what you'll cover during an appointment. Instead, greet them in a friendly manner and tell them what you're going to do that day, even if it seems obvious.

9. Don't help. It's easy to stand on the sidelines and play shy, but it won't win you any friends. Instead, look for little things you can do to be helpful and friendly. For example, if you sell a large bag of food, offer to carry it to the client's car.

10. Send clients away without instructions. If the pet is healthy, it's easy to simply dismiss clients after the exam is finished. But clients expect some direction. Always leave them at check out with instructions, even if it's just to schedule a routine visit in six months.

Related Content:

TechniciansClient Relations & Marketing
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets joins forces with AVMF
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets joins forces with AVMF
5 ways to work smarter, not harder
5 ways to work smarter, not harder
dvm360® is seeking nominations for the 2023 Veterinary Heroes Awards
dvm360® is seeking nominations for the 2023 Veterinary Heroes Awards

Advertisement

Latest News

Comparing treatments for restoring the skin barrier in atopic dogs

Increasing efficiency and productivity in uncertain times

AAVMC awards almost $100,000 in diversity scholarships

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus Maryland Zoo welcomes baby addra gazelle

View More Latest News
Advertisement