FHRP Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 The receptionists at my local vets are fantastic. I know at least one of them isn't a vet nurse, not sure about the other. They are always polite and very helpful, especially when dealing with the forms for pet insurance. They nearly know me by voice If I ring up for an appoinment hoping to get in that day, they will tell me if there isn't any available but will check to make sure it's not an emergency. On the rare occasion it has been urgent they have found me an appointment. I can't understand people who work in customer service who are rude and unhelpful. More so, how they keep their job!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeeGee Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 My vet nurses/phone answers whoever are fantastic. They listen to me, then the next words out of their mouths are always "im going to put you on hold so i can go and check with the vet". Love it. I trust them to the the right thing by Mia and Charlie in EVERY situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I'm probably one of those 'wannabe vets', because I strive to learn as much as I can from my boss, so I can confidently handle most calls and know I'm giving the right answer. Well you get a gold star from me, Stormie, because from the quality of your informative posts I thought you were a Vet. don't worry - stormie deals with most of my enquiries - I only see the vet if I need the anal glands done I personally think it would not be the easiest job as they're frequently dealing with people who are concerned about their pet - need to calm them down, get information out of them and make an assessment about what course of action to take. They also have bad days - who knows, you might have got someone who's just had to help put down someone's pet or dealt with a cruelty case. My vet has fantastic staff and even the other nurse who I don't know, now knows me by voice :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) don't worry - stormie deals with most of my enquiries - I only see the vet if I need the anal glands done .... Poor Vets. All those years at Vet School just to squeeze butts whilst Stormie saves the doggy world. Edited January 4, 2011 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I'm probably one of those 'wannabe vets', because I strive to learn as much as I can from my boss, so I can confidently handle most calls and know I'm giving the right answer. Well you get a gold star from me, Stormie, because from the quality of your informative posts I thought you were a Vet. don't worry - stormie deals with most of my enquiries - I only see the vet if I need the anal glands done I personally think it would not be the easiest job as they're frequently dealing with people who are concerned about their pet - need to calm them down, get information out of them and make an assessment about what course of action to take. They also have bad days - who knows, you might have got someone who's just had to help put down someone's pet or dealt with a cruelty case. My vet has fantastic staff and even the other nurse who I don't know, now knows me by voice :D And the Vet knows everyone's DOL names ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Most calls start with 'Can I speak to the vet' it drives you nuts. Imagine if you were having your consultation with the vet and they were continually on the phone. A good vet nurse should screen all calls but know when to ask the vet or tell the patient to come in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobostar Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I have excellent receptionists at my vet. They put up with me quite well and are always accomodating to my sometimes odd requests (they have written notes for the vet so when my dad takes the dog in even if he forgets something the vet knows, they always put me through to the vet, ask the vet themselves or get the vet to call me). One of them even told me Toby is one of her faviroutes and most of them know my dogs and me Can you PM me your vet's name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldust Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) The vet receptionists/nurses at my vet are worth their weight in gold. Recently one older lady receptionist/nurse had her cheek slashed when a lady slashed her with her nails because she was adamant the resident vet cat was hers she had lost a year before (and its not hes been there forever) I asked her how she was the other day and she just said "Its part of the job" amazing lady Edited January 4, 2011 by Bulldust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I think it really does depend on your relationship with the vet. I am a breeder with a number of dogs and have been there and done that with a lot of things unfortunately. If I ring and ask to talk to the vet I am not interested in talking to the vet nurse or receptionist. I actually changed vets once because of this very issue, it was all but impossible to get past the receptionist. Fortunately my current vet is excellent. If I had to rush to the vet with every issue I had I would spend my life there. He is happy to talk to me over the phone and I only bring the pet in if he wants to do a hands on exam. I am also pretty good at assessing if they need to go in and if in doubt they do. Having said that I can certainly understand the need to screen some of the calls. I tend to treat most minor things at home without even thinking about it and can't quite believe some of the things some pet owners are in an absolute flap over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clover Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 The receptionist at our Vets is excellent, and has become more than 'just' the receptionist she is a friend . Our Vet nurses also help out and know who they are talking to if either myself or my Mum rings about something. I would not use any other Vet in Ballarat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) The people at the practice I go to now are great. A previous place however...my cat had been ill for months and one morning I rang the emergency out of hours number and said I thought my cat was dying...the bright spark asked if it could wait until they opened... Edited January 4, 2011 by Cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirty Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 If you called out of hours, that would probably have been the vet you were speaking to. Nurses don't generally man the out-of-hours lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytdog Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I've never had any trouble with the nurses/receptionists at "my" clinic - they're all great. Love to come into the waiting room for a cuddle, and always very helpful. One forgot to charge me for both cats' vaccinations once (I thought it was cheap!). The head nurse rang me and was very apologetic about it once we sorted out what had happened - didn't worry me; I don't mind paying for what's fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss B Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Depends on what you need to talk to the vet about. I work in a one-vet clinic and my boss is a very busy man! Of all the calls we get requesting to speak to the vet, I'd say 50% are simple enquiries that the vet nurse can deal with, 25% are people basically wanting free over-the-phone consultations and 25% are genuine enquiries/follow-ups about patients, test results, etc. If there is a genuine reason for wanting to speak to the vet, then I put the calls through where possible or take a message and the vet calls back. Regardless, I am always polite and take the client's concerns seriously - there's nothing worse than poor customer service!! Even more so in this industry, having a sick pet can be very stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 If you called out of hours, that would probably have been the vet you were speaking to. Nurses don't generally man the out-of-hours lines. Maybe not, but it wasn't the vet because she eventually put me through to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodoggies2001 Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 The topic started by Snook about her mum's little dog got me thinking about Vet receptionists. Some are great and some are downright awful. It brings me back to the time when my mini schnauzer Benson, who was all of 6 months at the time had trouble passing urine. At first, whilst we were out walking he was squatting constantly, and I thought he had a lot to pass. After a wile, I realised that he couldn't go, so when I came home, I rang my vet. Couldn't get past the b****y receptionist who told me surgery hours for morning consults were over and I could come in late afternoon because they were pretty much booked out. I wanted to talk to the vet and she wouldn't put me through. So, I packed my boy in the car and off I went to the surgery. It turned out that he couldn't pass urine because of a stone blocking his urethra and had to have a catheter inserted. I blew my stack at the receptionist and so did the vet. Had I waited for the late afternoon who knows what may have eventuated. As it turned out, my pup had a porto systemic shunt. After that episode, I was given the vet's mobile and home number if I needed. Sometimes the vets themselves just don't how the receptionists deal with the patients. BTW, for interest, did the vet advise that mini schnauzer's are predisposed to this problem? Once I got to see her, yes she did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodoggies2001 Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 I LOVE My receptionist at our vets! There is one who is there most of the time, and a few nurses who relieve her when needed, they are all great, know me when i say just my first name and also know what animal see what vet. (3 different vets, i only use 2 of them, Sumo and Fanta go to one, the others to the other - no idea why, it just worked out that way ) Also love most of the vets, and most of the vet nurses, (one i have a personal problem with for reasons not relating to the vets! - saying that, she always does her job well and treats my pets fine, but i usually try to go when she isnt working :D ) I have no problems getting through to the vets when needed, they call me back if they are busy when I call - I wouldnt go to any other vet! Most of the receptionists and vet nurses are great, as you say, but when you strike the odd one that doesn't help in a situation, and you feel there could be a problem, then you do as I did, take matters into your own hands. In my case, the vet was very upset with the lass, because she took it upon herself to trivialize the urgency of my boy's problem. Coincidentally, soon after, she left the practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Our vet receptionists are all vet nurses as well. The ones that have been there a long time are great but some of the new ones need to be told what to do. If I call to speak to the vet I always ask if I can either speak to the vet, or can they ask the vet something for me, or if it isn't urgent, can the vet call me back. By giving them some options I find they co-operate better than if I was to just demand to speak to the vet. They work on appointments but if I have a dog that they need to see asap, I just call and tell them I am coming, what the problem is and try to work out the best time with them so they can squeeze me in between appointments. If it is a new receptionist, I insist they ask the vet when they can see me. In a real emergency I would just go but if it can wait a couple of hours I try to work in with them. No point rushing out there if they are just starting a caesar and being breeder vets, they do plenty of them. With surgery the newer staff find me hard to deal with because I do not leave my dogs for surgery. I stay with them until they are knocked out, half watch the surgery and wait until the dog is awake to take it home. The vets and experienced staff are fine with me doing this but the new receptionists struggle with the concept. The last one I booked in to remove a mammary lump, had the receptionist very flustered when I wouldn't agree to drop the dog off that morning or the night before. She went and checked with the vet who said, "yes that's fine, she is a breeder and understands that if we have an emergency she will have to re-schedule or wait". Receptionist came back and wrote the vet's exact words all over the appointment book. Last time I booked a spey I did have to reschedule until the next week because the vet I wanted was tied up with emergencies and I was not going to leave my dog overnight on the off chance they may get to her at the end of the day or the next morning. Much better for the dog to try again another day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Everyone who works at my vet is fantastic. There are certain staff who generally answer the phone and not only do they know my voice over the phone but they remember my dogs names and what medication or diets they are on and what we usually order. It is really comforting as a pet owner. Even though some of the vet nurses have changed they have all been amazing. I've been going to them for 20 years now and am a VIP customer! And if I need to speak to the vet it is very rare that I can't access her. If I have an emergency and the staff are there they will let me in before appointments start. They care about the clients who care about their pets. I also like that the staff bring their own pets in from home and they have a resident cat who lives at the vets. She scares the hell out of some clients when they go to get food off the shelves and she is sleeping behind it. Recently she lived under the christmas tree so happily that someone thought she was a stuffed display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Couldnt fault the service caring & devotion I recieve from All the staff @ my vet clinic !!!! They know who I am!!as soon as the phone is picked up . If the vets r busy, They will ring me back ,If its not an emergency ,if it is, im in like flint !!!!! The first person u talk to, be it receptionist /vet nurse @ the desk ,I feel is of extreme inportance & should be qualified to ansew most ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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