Category: service

I have been engaged with two veterinary practices while I deal with a torn “ACL” in my dog Emma. Both could have done the surgery that was ultimately required, and I believe both would have done it well, but it was an easy choice to pick one vet over the other simply because of their communication practices.

At one place, Emma would go in for therapy, I would pick her up, and not much more was said. They didn’t share the plan, benchmarks, or progress; instead, they counted on me to trust that they were doing the right things. At the hospital that did the surgery, I received a packet of information and a meeting with the doctor to discuss options before I even booked the operation, and then throughout, I received regular texts, “Emma is going into surgery,” “Emma got through surgery well and is in recovery,” etc. I met with the doctor when I dropped her off and had an extensive review and “saw pictures of Emma’s new hardware” (i.e., x-rays of the pins and plates in her knee) when I picked her up. The same communication occurred when my other dog was spayed, including a weekend call from the doctor to check on her. As a nervous “Dog Mom,” the communication was comforting.

Remember that you are always delivering more than the product or service itself. The communication surrounding it goes a long way toward determining how people feel about what they received.

On a recent business trip, I stayed in a hotel that catered to the blue collar crowd. I think I was the only one in the parking lot without a work truck or pickup.

In the bathroom, there was a basket of black hand towels, along with this laminated message: “I’m nothing but a pile of rags…living a life forlorn…I’m old, tattered, and possibly stained. But wait! I am still clean and can be put to work if you, dear guest, would give me a chance. Use me, for heaven’s sake, to wipe your boots and shoes, your hard-working hands, your makeup, even your windshield or motorcycle. I’m tattered but clean and ready to be used instead of a new fluffy towel on those dirty jobs you need done.”

Given the typical clientele, this idea made perfect sense. I’m sure there was dirt and grime from working in the field, and having special towels to accommodate their needs while preserving the white towels was a great idea…

…only the towels were embroidered with cute eyelashes and the words “makeup.” It was a departure from what the message said, implying they were tattered black rags to be used on the slimy jobs vs. a dainty eye makeup remover. I don’t picture a burly man in muddy boots cleaning them off with a makeup towel. Everyone would have been better suited with plain, black clothes.

Do a double check to ensure your message aligns with what you actually deliver, and wipe away any mismatch.