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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that I had a really insane experience just now?

16 replies

SheepNoisesOff · 10/04/2013 17:21

NB I do not mean 'insane' in a derogatory sense, I mean it in the sense of being the opposite of 'sane' ie sensible or reasonable.

Just a few hours ago I had a, shall we say, bad customer service experience at the vet. It was not great but it wasn't like it was really really awful, just stressful when dealing with the illness of a beloved pet. Due to various boring circumstances my partner then had to ring them to get more information about my cat (I was too upset to call). The vet and my partner had a very very very long conversation and she wanted to come over to discuss the situation with me in person, plus they have arranged with DP that are going to do an operation my pet needs at cost price and pick him up from our home to take him to the practice.

She also said that from now on I only need to deal with her and that the staff member involved would be disciplined.

I think it's great that the practice takes customer service so seriously but honestly, I want to put it all behind me and find a new vet. I feel really uncomfortable now and just like it's made a mountain out of a molehill, even though the molehill was probably a fairly big one to start with. I refused the offer of her coming over because, to be honest, it's far more important to the practice than it is to me. I have my own business to run, which I should have been doing instead of wasting my time on all this, and honestly I just don't care that much. I also don't want to have to see when when they come to get my pet and I don't want to go and pick him up. In other words there is simply nothing more they can do to keep me on as a client, but I do not feel that it would be responsible to change vets right now as my cat does need urgent treatment and having this operation next Monday is the best course of action for him.

AIBU to think that this is all a bit OTT? I'm sorry that this happened but why should I have to invest so much more time and energy into helping them put it right? I don't want them to make it right, I want to walk away. But perhaps I'm just not thinking clearly.

OP posts:

Original poster

SheepNoisesOff · 10/04/2013 17:23

To be clear: the problem was an admin/communication one, my cat did not receive poor or inadequate medical treatment.

OP posts:

fluckered · 10/04/2013 17:24

shouldnt your focus be on your pet right now and whats best? deal with them later.

fluckered · 10/04/2013 17:25

bad customer service happens everywhere its how they deal with it thats important and it sounds like they are trying to rectify it. but you have every right ti seek another vet however if your pet needs an operation so soon and they know the medical history that is what would make me wait until my pet was better.

somedayma · 10/04/2013 17:29

What? How is that an insane experience? I was expecting you to say the vet showed up and...ate the cat or something. Hope the cat is ok

Original poster

SheepNoisesOff · 10/04/2013 17:29

Yes, absolutely. And what's best for the cat is to get further treatment asap (which was why DP had to call them to get cat's medical notes) and thus they came up with this plan of action. That's why I'll be sticking with the vet for at least the next week. DP assured me that he was convinced that this operation was best for the cat, having spoken to the vet at incredible length.

So now it seems like the cat's situation is under control and I'm sat here thinking, what on earth just happened? Vet has been saying to DP that she always thought that she and I clicked well and that she knows I'm under a lot of stress at the moment and and and ... I'm like, what? She's lovely, but I really don't want to have her over to discuss the issues over a cup of tea. A member of her staff was less helpful than she could have been but OK, we'll all learn to cope!

OP posts:

Original poster

SheepNoisesOff · 10/04/2013 17:32

sorry someday, you are right, I just left out all the details because it was far too tedious. I'm just reeling because it feels like a massive overreaction to me. After I left the practice I had a voicemail and four missed calls from the vet, and then she wanted to come over. It's important to rectify problems but it just seems to me to be above and beyond, I want them to leave me be!

OP posts:

fluckered · 10/04/2013 17:34

confused.com! what actually happened? i hope your pet is better soon.

HildaOgden · 10/04/2013 17:35

Were you thinking of leaving this vet over the original incident (whatever that was) or is it just the vet's ott 'making it up to you' that is making you leave?

If it's the first...then I'd say the vet values your custom,and a vet who shows consideration towards the humans,as well as the animals,is worth knowing.Give them a second chance.

If she's just freaking you out with her niceness,then feel free to leave.You don't have to stay with a practice if you are uncomfortable.

(ps,hope your kitty makes a full recovery)

itshothere · 10/04/2013 17:41

Sounds like the vet is over compensating for her staff members lack of training in the customer service department. I would feel uncomfortable with all this drama too. Home visits?? No need!! If your cat is stable to wait until you find another vet, then do just that. You don't need to have any further contact or false pleasantries again.

IsItMeOr · 10/04/2013 18:09

Sorry your cat is poorly Sheep.

Although you've given a lot of details, you haven't actually said what the poor service was, so it's hard to judge whether this is an over-reaction.

The fact that you want to leave the practice suggests that it is pretty serious.

Unless you're saying you weren't going to leave the practice until the vet tried to put it right, and you now want to leave the practice because you think she's gone too far in trying to put it right?

In which case, I think you're understandably upset about your cat being poorly and it's throwing your judgement off a bit.

Hope cat is much better very soon.

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 10/04/2013 19:23

It may well be that this staff member has form and this incident is the latest in a long line of unacceptable things they've done.

Without knowing what it was, it's really hard to get any idea.

Original poster

SheepNoisesOff · 10/04/2013 20:22

You're all going to be horribly disappointed at the "bad service" aspect - all it really was was that I was told to come in at some stage today to discuss the treatment plan for the cat. I live on the other side of town (I used to live nearby but stayed with the practice when I moved away as I was happy with them). When I got there today I was told, oh yes, we don't know too much, we'll ring you. I made it very clear that I was not happy. After all, the cat is either sick or he's not, I either needed to come in to discuss it or I didn't, but I resented travelling 40 minutes to be told to go home and wait for a call!

So we pretty much had a ten-minute conversation about nothing with me repeating myself and the poor assistant not really able to do much about it. I don't really feel that she did anything wrong; she wasn't madly helpful but it was more that she wasn't able to take the initiative to ask a colleague for advice and she didn't know how to deal with me when I became quite emotional. Sorry if I'm still being vague but honestly, the full story is so incredibly detailed, yet trivial and boring, you really would not want to hear it. There was no big drama and the vet did not eat the cat he is far too thin now anyway and I'm sure he would not be tasty

I have to say that I remained polite throughout and I did apologise to her several times for going off on one, and that it wasn't intended personally! But unfortunately at a vet you are going to be dealing with stressed and even grieving owners at times, so as an assistant you need the skills to deal with that.

OP posts:

HotCrossPun · 10/04/2013 20:34

I'm so confused!

Original poster

SheepNoisesOff · 10/04/2013 20:37

Ah, it. I can't really do anything right and now I can't even get along with people on the internet. Why do I waste everyone's time. I'll just flounce here and now and not be bothered going to that section. Over and out.

OP posts:

cjel · 10/04/2013 21:01

Don't flounce!! I think you are right. You had bad experience and vet has overcompensated to try and rectify the situation. Trouble is you are now very tired and fed up and just want to forget it and get your cat well. As long as you can guarantee the vet doesn't want to fatten up your cat to eat, I'd say let them treat it at reduced rate offered then move to another vet when the cat is better. I think you sound like you could do with chocolate and a cuddle.x

shellbu · 10/04/2013 21:04

i cant make sense of this post at all , going to read it again very slowly !

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