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Sep 07
2010
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Random Thoughts On Random Thoughts Part IIIPosted by Dean Scott in Untagged |
Does anyone understand the importance of the nodding technician? I don’t mean just mindless, bobble-head nodding, but directed assent. It’s an art. You think the client is listening to you in the room? Pfft. No. They are, however, looking toward your technician as a third party in the room and a well-timed nodding to whatever it is you’re saying can mean the difference between compliance or applying the figurative brakes. Oddly, clients may resist what your technician has to offer in a one-on-one setting, such as pre-surgical bloodwork or making an appointment with the doctor. Yet, in a setting where you, as the veterinarian, are discussing options, or plans, or giving instructions, the client will invariably look for that non-verbal clue from your technician (a sort of subliminal unsolicited body-language advice) to decide whether you actually know what you’re talking about or whether you’re a nutter. Yes, the gray hairs, the degrees on the wall, all that fancy-talk you have, mean nothing next to a well-placed nod of agreement. And certainly it does you no good if your technician is sighing, displaying silent scoffing or mocking, or imploying the infamous eye-roll. So, some training may be necessary. Sometimes I like to get my staff to throw in an “Amen” or a “Hallelujah, brother” just to add some variety.
Does anyone else have the thought, as they’re rooting around trying to express a pet’s anal glands for instance, “Hey! I have a doctorate!” Yes, that’s right! It requires eight long years of school to put that finger there! Congratulations! You realize that without that advanced degree, what you are doing could be illegal in several states.
I find it amusing when I have new clients (and this goes off something I spoke to in previous blogs) who are in only for a rabies vaccine, in which the paperwork takes longer than actually doing the vaccine, and afterwards the clients gush how much they like me and what a great doctor I am! “You’re the best!” I’ve been told. To which I can only reply, “Yes, yes. I give good rabies.”
I’ve been thinking of adopting an Australian accent. Americans really seem to like such accents and I thought that I might increase compliance by doing so. I think we all are more intrigued and listen better when confronted with English or Australian accents. I distinctly remember that when we had a couple of male Australian lecturers come speak at our vet school, the estrogen wave that went through the class threatened to wash over the social levees. Certainly, there was a greater response to them than to that guy from “Bahston”. Clients might even infer some exotic value to a perhaps more glamorous background and education. If I were to do it I would have to remind myself that with Great Accent Comes Great Responsibility. Hmmmmmmm…..maybe a nice Scottish brogue.
Isn’t it interesting how animals aren’t getting sick anymore? We’ve really noticed a decline in the past, oh, let’s say, three to four years. I think it must be that clients are finally listening to our sage advice and doing preventive care - feeding properly, getting their pets exercise, doing regular ear cleaning, keeping up on their routine physicals and vaccines. Oh, wait, no, that can’t be it. Because we’ve seen a decline in those types of visits as well. Maybe it must have to do with the increased number of pets not spayed or neutered I’ve seen lately. Perhaps they are healthier because of that? That doesn’t make a lot of sense. Perhaps people just have fewer animals? Hard to say. I mean, I’m sure if a family pet were sick, even in this economy, that people would certainly still be as quick to take care of them, right? So, it must be something else. I guess it could be those fantastic rabies vaccines I’ve been giving have more to them than we thought! Well, mate, no worries! We’ll just have ourselves a game of Two Up and veg out later, watch some aerial pingpong.
Does anyone else have the thought, as they’re rooting around trying to express a pet’s anal glands for instance, “Hey! I have a doctorate!” Yes, that’s right! It requires eight long years of school to put that finger there! Congratulations! You realize that without that advanced degree, what you are doing could be illegal in several states.
I find it amusing when I have new clients (and this goes off something I spoke to in previous blogs) who are in only for a rabies vaccine, in which the paperwork takes longer than actually doing the vaccine, and afterwards the clients gush how much they like me and what a great doctor I am! “You’re the best!” I’ve been told. To which I can only reply, “Yes, yes. I give good rabies.”
I’ve been thinking of adopting an Australian accent. Americans really seem to like such accents and I thought that I might increase compliance by doing so. I think we all are more intrigued and listen better when confronted with English or Australian accents. I distinctly remember that when we had a couple of male Australian lecturers come speak at our vet school, the estrogen wave that went through the class threatened to wash over the social levees. Certainly, there was a greater response to them than to that guy from “Bahston”. Clients might even infer some exotic value to a perhaps more glamorous background and education. If I were to do it I would have to remind myself that with Great Accent Comes Great Responsibility. Hmmmmmmm…..maybe a nice Scottish brogue.
Isn’t it interesting how animals aren’t getting sick anymore? We’ve really noticed a decline in the past, oh, let’s say, three to four years. I think it must be that clients are finally listening to our sage advice and doing preventive care - feeding properly, getting their pets exercise, doing regular ear cleaning, keeping up on their routine physicals and vaccines. Oh, wait, no, that can’t be it. Because we’ve seen a decline in those types of visits as well. Maybe it must have to do with the increased number of pets not spayed or neutered I’ve seen lately. Perhaps they are healthier because of that? That doesn’t make a lot of sense. Perhaps people just have fewer animals? Hard to say. I mean, I’m sure if a family pet were sick, even in this economy, that people would certainly still be as quick to take care of them, right? So, it must be something else. I guess it could be those fantastic rabies vaccines I’ve been giving have more to them than we thought! Well, mate, no worries! We’ll just have ourselves a game of Two Up and veg out later, watch some aerial pingpong.




