By: Julia Behr, CVPM, CVBL, PPPC, CCFP, Director of Coaching Operations at Veterinary Growth Partners

As a manager or team member in the veterinary industry, dealing with emotions and difficult situations is inevitable. Every day, we face situations, tasks, people, and animals that cause us to react emotionally. Unsurprisingly, you are bound to come across stressed, emotional, and sometimes irate clients in your position. Especially during more stressful times, such as during the global pandemic or during an economic downturn, emotions are high, and sometimes, clients will take out their frustrations on you, the service provider.

In the veterinary industry, like any other, encountering demanding clients is a common occurrence. However, the unique nature of our work requires us to handle these situations with care and understanding. Fortunately, a few strategies have proven effective in managing and diffusing such scenarios in our specific context.

Tip # 1- Stay Calm, Relaxed, and Collected

This tip is the most important to remember when dealing with a difficult client. If a client is upset or acting rude, nothing will be gained by responding in a similar manner. In fact, this is a surefire way to escalate the situation. Although your client may not be able to manage their emotions at the moment, it is essential that you do. If you feel stressed with a client, take a few deep, calming breaths (count to 5 if that helps!). It is OK for you to collect yourself and manage your emotions before responding.

Tip # 2- Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Remember not to take your client's behavior personally. You never know what happens with your clients before they get to your practice. Usually, their anger and frustration stems from concern for their pet. Or they are under financial pressure or have personal problems at home. Whatever the reason, try not to be offended - you never know their exact situation. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How would you feel if this were your pet?
• Would you react similarly?

Tip #3- Acknowledge Their Feelings!

So many of your clients come to you when they have a concern or an emergency. As members of a healing profession, it is tempting to respond quickly with a diagnosis and solution—to be the "talker" and tell them what to do about their situation. Before jumping in, it's crucial that you acknowledge their emotions, whether or not they're justified. By doing so, your client feels like they have been honestly heard. All humans want to be validated, and it is essential to remember this. Try using the following empathy statements:

• "I understand this situation is frustrating for you."
• "I know this is a sensitive topic, and you are worried about Fluffy."
• "I understand this has caused you real stress and concern."

Tip # 4- Practice the Art of Silence

Silence is a part of listening, and it may be a surprise to learn that silence is a skill. The skill starts with saying nothing and attending to your client's words. This skill is not easy when your mind is going quickly to a response. Remaining silent gives your client time to speak. It reassures the other person that you want to listen. While pacifying an angry or emotional client is essential, you should also take their comments on board. Do they have a valid reason to be so distressed? Why do they feel let down by your practice? Were your initial promises or communications misleading? Try some of these tips to help you practice:

• Focus on what your client is saying, not what YOU want to say
• Put aside distracting thoughts
• Keep eye contact
• Ask open-ended questions for more clarity into the situation
• Be conscious of your open body language (no crossed arms!)

By truly listening to your client's problems, you may discover ways to improve your service, business processes, and communication in the future.

Tip # 5- Get on the Same Page

Try to find some common ground early in the conversation. Do not focus solely on the point of disagreement. This can be frustrating for both of you. Here are some statements that may be helpful:

• "I think we can agree that the results did not go as expected."
• "I know we are both eager to find a mutually beneficial solution."
• "We both want to get the best results for Fluffy. Let us make a plan that works for everyone."

Establishing that you have things in common can help generate feelings of empathy and understanding. The goal is to end with a concrete plan for moving forward. The longer the disagreement drags on, the more likely the client will complain publicly or leave negative reviews of your hospital.

Hopefully, this will give you a few strategies to help you manage and diffuse difficult client situations effectively. Please join my webinar on De-escalation Techniques to Handle Client Complaints and Conflict on June 20th at 12 PM CST to hear more tips and tricks to help in these encounters. After June 20th, you can find the recorded webinar on VGP’s learning platform EdQuest.

About the Author

Since 2015, Julia Behr has been indispensable in the development and growth of the practice coach team at Veterinary Growth Partners. She brings more than 25 years of veterinary industry experience to the table; 20 of which were spent in veterinary practice management. Being able to connect hundreds of veterinary hospitals and practice owners with business-transforming resources is one of Julia’s favorite parts of her job.

Reference:

The 8 Best Ways to Deal with Difficult Clients. https://www.workflowmax.com/blog/the-8-best-ways-to-deal-with-angry-emotional-or-difficult-clients