"Waited forever, far too expensive, would never go back!"
F. Schmidt
"Schmidt has given us 1 star on Google!"
09 January 2024 — by Katrin Rahn
Susanne was the veterinary practice assistant in a small animal practice in central Germany for over two decades. Over time, one of her areas of work also included a place outside the veterinary practice: Google! Together with the team, she found a way to deal with bad Google reviews and how mutual understanding helps in avoiding them. And if there is actually something that helps: clarification and explanation.
"Another Google review," Susanne thinks out loud: "And that's despite the fact that we squezeed her in between appointments. Sure, it's not her fault that her dog stepped on a piece of broken glass, but honestly, we give it our all and then to get upset about a two-hour wait and a bill of €120 - and on the internet to boot - that really takes the biscuit!" Have you ever thought this or something similar after a Google review?
Different perspectives
We often have the feeling that we have given our all and made a spontaneous appointment "just in time" and as a thank you we get a bad rating. But why? If we put ourselves in the customer's shoes, it quickly becomes clear where the problem lies. The customers who come to the practice every day have no idea about the practice procedures. They don't know that a cut not only messes up the waiting room, but can also blow up the appointment schedule.
For Mrs. Schmidt, it's clear that her dog has stepped on a piece of glass and needs help immediately. For you, it's clear that it can mean anything from a quick bandage to stitches under general anesthetic, which is better done during the lunch break. Here we already have the first conflict that, if not addressed, can cause everyone distress.
Communicating practice procedures clearly helps to counteract misunderstandings and false expectations*
Explain calmly and objectively why there might be waiting times and, as in this case, emphasize the advantages for the patient: more peace and quiet and enough time for a potential surgical procedure. Even if the treatment is not so serious, the animal can only benefit from not being treated frantically just because the waiting room is full.
If customers have written a bad review, take a proactive approach and call them. Ask about the exact points that led to the review. Explain the situation from your point of view in a calm and objective tone. Do some educational work! Whether it's about waiting times, prices or the result of the treatment, all these things are clear to you and are part of your everyday life. Customers don't know exactly what goes on behind the clinic door nor do they know how prices are calculated.
Picking up the phone and making these calls is a real challenge for many at first. And yes, it feels strange. You don't really know how the customer will react, what they will say, and whether they might shout at you. From my own experience, I can say that it's surprising how many customers are happy to receive such a call. They feel that they are taken seriously and that they're important – not just another appointment in the calendar. Very few give free rein to their displeasure in a one-to-one conversation.
In Mrs. Schmidt's case, I would calmly explain that we were still treating her dog even though the consultation was full. I would tell her that the two-hour wait was due to the possibility that it could require an operation and that the €120 for wound care and bandaging was not a price we had thought up, but was based on the Veterinary Fee Schedule (in this case, the German GOT).
Transparency creates trust, understanding and makes your practice more humane. Even when you may at first get annoyed about a bad rating.
