From Negative to Positive: Addressing Veterinary Client Feedback

Client complaints and negative feedback are inevitable in veterinary practice. Nobody wants to be criticized or hear complaints, but you can learn from them and ultimately benefit the practice. Effectively handling veterinary client feedback is crucial for maintaining relationships and protecting the practice’s reputation. The right approach and strategy can help turn the most challenging feedback into a positive growth opportunity.

Client complaints offer valuable insight into practice areas that may need attention. Whatever the reason, positive and negative feedback provide a perspective that you may not otherwise consider. Here, we discuss ways to address negative veterinary client feedback in your practice.

Steps to addressing veterinary client feedback

A protocol that addresses client feedback can provide consistency and guidelines for team members who are approached with a complaint. At the most basic level, your protocol should include the following:

• Active listening and empathy — Active listening involves giving your client your full attention, acknowledging concerns, and showing empathy. Understanding the client's perspective is important, regardless of the complaint's nature. Specialized team training can help veterinary professionals learn to approach complaints with patience. A simple acknowledgment, such as "I understand,” can open the door to a productive conversation.
• Addressing the complaint promptly — Delayed response can make reaching an amicable resolution much harder. Ensure team members understand when to escalate feedback to a manager or owner and the necessity for providing the client with a timeline for a resolution. Then, stick to that timeline. For online reviews, consider a service that monitors multiple platforms.
• Offering a resolution — After actively and empathetically listening to negative veterinary client feedback, offer a fair, appropriate resolution. Apologizing, correcting a mistake, offering a refund, or providing additional services at no cost are possible solutions.
• Setting expectations — Some clients are unhappy and complain in all situations, regardless of the team’s actions. Management should discuss their expectations for behavior and staff treatment with abusive or chronically negative clients. Clearly explain that you want to help their pet, but the relationship cannot continue unless they accept your terms.

Note that negative feedback after a medical error is a special case that requires careful planning and execution. Discussions about medical errors are uncomfortable, but should take place as soon as possible after the event. Although opinions are mixed on apologies, the responsible veterinarian must, at the very least, explain to the client what happened and offer to make it right in some way (e.g., refund a procedure cost). Although you may ultimately lose these clients, honesty and integrity can reduce the risk of disparaging reviews or legal action.

Learning from negative veterinary client feedback

Every complaint is a learning opportunity. After resolving an issue, work with all involved parties, reflect on what went wrong, and brainstorm ways to prevent similar situations. A new protocol that will reduce the likelihood of repeating a mistake can also resolve a client complaint. Clients who see your commitment to improvement and your willingness to accept and learn from feedback are more likely to remain with the practice.

Team responsibilities in managing veterinary client feedback

Handling client complaints is a team effort. Regularly discussing feedback and complaints keeps team members on the same page and provides an opportunity to develop conflict-resolution strategies. Many heads are better than one to address the most common complaints. For example, repeated complaints about post-operative complications indicate that better client education and risk assessment is needed during pre-operative visits. Sharing positive feedback or outcomes from resolved complaints also can boost morale.

Addressing veterinary client feedback is essential for maintaining client relationships. Through active listening and quick resolution, you can turn potential setbacks into opportunities for growth. Although not all complaints or feedback will result in a positive outcome or resolution, the team should continually strive to learn from these client interactions.