Trust Me, I’m Not A Veterinarian

The Real low Down on Pickin’ A Small Animal Veterinarian Part II 

 

            In writing the chapter ‘Pickin’ The Right Financial Planner..Lullabies, Legends & Lies for my previous editions of ENOUGH(sm): A Handbook for Your Personal Financial Planning, I dealt with the dilemma of interviewing the referral sources the planner provides the prospective client.

            The dilemma: the prospective client wants the ‘low down’ on the planner (even realizing the planner is not going to refer clients or former clients that are/were dissatisfied), yet the present client fears any repercussion from saying negative things.

            So how does one get useful information from the present client under these circumstances?

            Typically, people ask questions like, ‘are you happy with the planner? Would you refer the planner? How long have you been with the planner?’ But when questions like, ‘what areas does the planner need to improve in, or, what are you not satisfied with’ people clam up.

            I suggest the use of a semantic differential (sort of like when you call the nurse at 3:00AM in the morning relative to what might be a minor emergency) before proceeding to an ER room. He or she will ask about the pain ‘on a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rank the pain?’

            Using the same concept, ask the referred owners/guardians a 1-10 scale relative before or upon engagement of the veterinarian and now 1-10 after the engagement of the veterinarian, the following:

 

1. Preventative care for my companion animals (before engaging this veterinarian 1 to 10) and since being with this veterinarian (1 to 10)
2. Relative to the chronic conditions of your pets – ranking before and now (1-10)
3. Accessability (getting into see the vet especially when necessary whether you are unduly neurotic or not) Baseline (before 1-10) and presently (1-10)
4. Nutritional guidance (before and after)
5. Risk / reward guidance (informed consent) & probabilities of success (cure, manage etc)  for your decisions on procedures for pets (before and after)
6. Shots – informed consent (risk/rewards/ probabilities) for your decisions (before and after)

           Obviously, what you are looking for is numerically an increase from the baseline (before) and today from the referred client – which is less threatening than a declarative value statement on their part.

Notice there is not a ‘likeability’ bedside manner question- though that is up to you. Likeability is nice but competence – results is more important.

Besides, if you want a friend, as the saying goes, get a dog – or another dog.

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