How to Set, Meet and Exceed Client Expectations: A Focus on Dermatology Cases

In many cases that I see for the first time, I notice very quickly from my new clients that there is an expectation on me to produce immediate results. Most clients expect that if they are seeing a boarded dermatologist that they will receive instant long lasting relief of their pet’s dermatologic disease. Routinely, there is a disconnect between the clients expectations and what actually is going to take place at our first appointment. We live in a fast paced world with immediate access to resources, and now because of that, clients expect instant results from the veterinary field as well. In order to attempt to achieve the results desired from the client, we must first fully prepare the client by re-setting their expectations. From there, through consistent communication and owner compliance and adherence to the prescribed protocol, we likely will meet and hopefully exceed those expectations. The goal of this seminar is to review the importance of setting client expectations, explore the methods of setting those expectations, and discuss how to continually meet and exceed our client’s needs. This seminar will focus on dermatology cases but can be applied to any field of veterinary medicine where we are treating chronic disease.