How to Offer a Great Experience

Based on studies on a human hospital, this chapter will outline the different steps in the pet owner journey in your practice, including the consultation that should be a “golden moment” for your client. The veterinarian and the staff play a crucial role in the pet owner experience” but process and physical aspects should never be underestimated. Finally, some tips to improve your follow-up strategy will be reviewed.

The rule of the 3Ps

A) Lessons from the best human medicine hospital

In 2003, Professor Leonard Berry (Texas A&M), one of the world’s top experts in health services management, carried out an in-depth study on the internal operations of the Mayo Clinic at its three main campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota (Harvard Business Review, 2003). The Mayo Clinic is probably the most recognised hospital brand in the world and its prestige is legendary. During his research, L. Berry and his team interviewed over 1,000 doctors, patients, nurses and managers of the group. They attended and were present at over 250 medical appointment interactions between patients and doctors and they analysed the operation of 14 different medical departments (including neurology, oncology, orthopaedics, gastroenterology and urology, among others). In the conclusions of their study, the authors of this research identified three pillars on which the exceptional level of service provided by the Mayo clinics are based and the resulting exceptional patient experience: the People, the Process and what they call the Physical Evidence. This is the rule of the 3 Ps.

People. The creed of the Mayo Clinic’s founder (“the best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered”) pervades all staff actions. The clients who were interviewed explained how “My doctor calls me personally at home to find out how I am” or “When I had a colonoscopy, the doctor personally explained to me that I had a polyp, as she remembered that my husband had died from cancer of the small intestine and she knew that I was scared that the same was happening to me” or “My oncologist is the kindest person I have ever spoken to. I was much more than a medical problem to him. He talked to me about his personal life. He treated me like a person”. [...]