The tooth hurts
Recently our founder Alison was struck down with dental trouble (and when we say struck down, anyone reading this who has experienced the slow torture of deep-seated bone pain will know exactly how debilitating it is). This was something even Alison couldn’t simply crack on through, but fortunately she has an excellent and much-trusted dentist to call on. Their practice is an hour’s drive away, but when you’ve been with someone for 27 years, the small matter of moving out of catchment isn’t going to stop you from continuing to rely on their services when needed. And boy, were they needed.
Ringing on a Thursday morning to see if they could fit her in, Alison was told that there was indeed an emergency appointment available that day. However, it was with a dentist that she hadn’t seen before. The pain was too much to wait with, and so the appointment was accepted. Fast forward a couple of hours and Alison is in the chair, feeling quite vulnerable and more than a little apprehensive, but relieved to hear that the cause of the pain has been identified in a lower molar.
Evidence = trust
Now, referred pain is an odd thing. Alison was pretty convinced that the culprit was a tooth in her upper jaw. And so obviously she asked the lovely, kind, experienced dentist whether he was sure it was a bottom tooth that needed drilling out. He was very sure. And he had the x-rays to prove it. Reassured by evidence (old habits die hard), Alison made an appointment for the next day to come back and have the tooth drilled out.
After many more Nurofen (other pain relief medications are available ;-)) and not much sleep, Alison returned on Friday to face the drill. Emotions and stress levels were running high – nobody enjoys going to the dentist, but having a major procedure with an unfamiliar person and being in a lot of pain is not an environment conducive to calm. There were, in fact, a few tears as the emotional maelstrom worked its way through. Tears of relief. Of enormous gratitude for the pain ending.
Reflecting on everything the next day, it’s not surprising that the whole experience was so emotional. Pain and anxiety will unsettle the best of us. Seeing a new person, not being able to rely on the trusted professional who has always been by your side, means that the familiarity which is such a big part of trust is missing. And obviously there are clear parallels for the veterinary world here – owners who are scared and worried for their beloved pet or horse may not always act rationally and will almost certainly not present as their best selves. There needs to be so much latitude given in these moments, and that won’t always be easy if the client is new and an emotional bond has not yet been forged.
#Gratitude
Perhaps meeting Alison and experiencing every aspect of the procedure from the other side of the chair was simply all in a day’s work for the lovely dentist. Or perhaps he went home and reflected on what could have been done differently to make a stressful situation a little less fraught, in the spirit of his own continuing professional and personal development. Either way, the whole thing was a big deal for Alison, and she sent a handwritten card the next day to say so. These things matter. If you’ve received great service or experienced empathy, let the person who cared for you know. If your colleagues have gone the extra mile, or even if they’ve ‘just’ kept doing what they do in that uniquely brilliant way they have, then let them know you see it. Feel it. And tell them that they make things better by being around.
Make time to say thank you.
Gratitude is contagious.
Choose to pass it on wherever and whenever you can.
Onswitch offer a wide range of training courses that have already helped countless veterinary professionals learn skills and develop insight into what makes great customer care, and how to deliver it. You can join scheduled workshops online or in person, or we can tailor sessions for your practice team and bring our acclaimed training to you. Why not have a chat to one of our team here, or give us a call so we can discuss how we can help your team be their best selves every day?
