I feel as if this blog has become a rant section, however I'm unsure that I care. The last few weeks have been extremely frustrating, and a lot of it has to do with a lack of our clients ready the postings in the clinic that we put up specifically for them. Examples are as follows:
Office Hours - It is clearly posted within the clinic, on our website, business cards, and outgoing voice mail message as to what our hours are. Please do not knock on the doors and demand to be let in if the doors are locked and we have closed for the evening. I'm sorry you didn't make it in time to drop off/pick up for boarding, that is not our problem anymore. Oh, you called in your pet's medication and need to pick it up now because they're out? This excuse makes me feel the need to ask why you waited until your pet was out of medication to call in a refill when we require a 24 hour notice so as to ensure accuracy and be able to notify you of any changes or diagnostics needed. For those evenings when we've closed and not had a chance to lock the door due to clients still being in the building from us running late, please do not just waltz in the door with a sh*t-eating grin on your face. We have left the door unlocked for clients to leave, not for your lazy arse to come in and make us stay even later. We do have homes we'd like to go to, you know.
Doctor's Hours - Before you ask, no, this is not the same thing as office hours. Our clinic policy is that our doctors are seen by appointment only, unless it is an emergency. We have an appointment calendar for a reason, and when you decide it's a good idea to just plop your dog in the car and bring him in for us to update his vaccines without even bothering to give us a call, you put us behind schedule. Now, not only are the clients that were considerate enough to book a time to be seen going to be seen late, but you're also going to get angry and frustrated that we can't see you immediately. Especially when you come during our time set aside specifically for the staff to get lunches and our surgical patients taken care of. If you have the balls to do this, you have no right to get snippy with us, so please keep your snarky comments to yourself, 'cause the more rude you are as a walk-in the more we'll charge you. Oh, and that walk-in fee? You can bet your a*s that's going to be on there, too.
Holiday Hours - Surprise! Just because we're a vet clinic, doesn't mean we stay open on all holiday for your convenience. Major holidays such as July 4th, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and all those others everyone that doesn't work in food service gets off of work means most of our staff gets those days off too! The only people we have there is a skeleton staff to take care of the kennels, which means NO you cannot pick up or drop off your dog for boarding on those days. We take the time to post a notice on our front door to inform you of this in advance, so don't make yourself out to be an idiot by trying to get us to unlock the door for you when we're closed. We have families that we want to see, and we'd like to get off shift on time. Have some respect.
Staff Meeting Hours - Again, the days and hours of our staff meetings are posted for all clients to see. Our staff meetings are not just parties - though sometimes they seem like it - but are for staff education. This is for YOUR benefit! By coming to pick up your pet's medication - that can wait another hour - in the middle of our staff meeting, you are detracting from our education and benefits for your pet. During our staff meetings we turn our phones over to voice mail so that the phone will not disturb us from learning. Yes, we check messages immediately following dismissal from the meeting, and will call you back, so please don't leave a message with a lot of attitude stating that you don't know why we have that message because you know we're open. To that I have to say, turn your ears on and realise that we will make time for you when we have time for you.
I understand that as a vet clinic it seems like we're here to wait on you hand and foot, however that's not the case. We provide a service to you and your pet to keep them healthy, and we offer a variety of hours for your convenience. Please DO NOT try to get away with stupid things as listed above and in previous entries. We take a lot of time to give the best care we can, and it's not easy. Clients that don't respect our policies and are rude about them only make it that much more difficult. I'd say if you don't like it, then to find another clinic, but every clinic has its own policies. Without those policies a clinic cannot function. And, no, there will be no veterinary anarchy, but nice try.
No comments:
Post a Comment