What Makes an Exceptional Client Care Specialist in Vet Med?
A Client Care Specialist (CCS) at a veterinary hospital is the first and last face you see in the veterinary clinic. Typically stationed at the front desk, the Client Care team focuses on client service and communication. They are who you speak with on the phone when calling with a pet emergency or scheduling an appointment for your pet, and the ones who greet you and check you out when you’re at our hospitals. This is an essential role in the veterinary field that carries out many responsibilities.
So, what makes and exceptional Client Care Specialist at an Ethos hospital?
Empathetic & Caring When Pet Owners Need You Most
When a client calls the hospital and is experiencing an emergency, it is important that the person on the other end is calm and able to guide them where they need to be. Every patient and client deserves to feel heard and cared for. Regardless of their role in the veterinary field, every team member is here because they love animals and want to help in providing them the care they need.
An exceptional CCS truly cares about both the client and the patient, and that will display in everything they do.
Organized & Able to Juggle Many Things at Once
The Client Care team juggles many different things at a time. Organization is key! Being a CCS means that you are able to multitask and prioritize different situations. They are checking clients/patients in & out, answering phone calls, monitoring emails/texts and many more tasks. Because the doctors see multiple patients at a time, there is a lot of information to keep track of and Client Care assists with that! We may have an emergency case that arrives at the same time as another patient who is not as emergent. However, both clients and patients deserve the same quality of care and concern.
An exceptional CCS can ensure that clients who are physically at the hospital are being taken care of and so are the clients calling and reaching out to the hospital.
Strong Work Ethic & Self-Motivated
Like any position in the veterinary field, being a receptionist can be tough. There are many different responsibilities to keep up with and tasks to complete in order for things to run smoothly in the hospital. When it gets busy and overwhelming, the CCS is able to complete all their tasks both with their team and on their own.
An exceptional CCS is self-motivated and able to push through the hard days in order to make the client feel heard and cared for.
Understands a Variety of Veterinary Cases
Being a great receptionist is understanding of all aspects of the field. We see everything from trauma, ear issues, and allergic reactions to end-of-life services. When a client is experiencing a pet emergency, they will naturally feel stressed and worried. As a CCS, it is our duty to make sure they feel comfortable, and we help them remain calm. We must put ourselves in our clients’ shoes and understand that they are experiencing something difficult and sometimes traumatic.
An exceptional CCS must realize that every single client and patient coming in is equally important and will cater to each need the client may have to feel comfortable.
Able to Acclimate – Every Client is Different!
Depending on the case, some clients need words of affirmation, some need silence, or a moment alone. It is so important for the Client Care team to respect their ways of dealing with the situations. Many different situations arise in the veterinary field, and we must be able to handle whatever that situation may be.
An exceptional CCS will be able to see what a client needs and make sure that is what they get from us and their experience at the hospital.
Willingness to go Above & Beyond
When a family has to leave their pet with us, the Client Care team understands how hard that can be and wants to ease any stress they may be feeling. We want clients to feel comfortable and calm while waiting in the lobby, so we work with them to provide comfort that suits their needs. We are here to be understanding and patient while we help each family and their pet. There is always something more we can do, and a great Client Care Specialist will find ways to make sure we are providing the best care.
An exceptional CCS will make it their first priority to provide the best care from start to finish when a client phones the hospital or arrives in our care.
Our hospitals are so grateful and lucky to have a reliable Client Care team. Thank you for all that you do for our clients, patients, and our hospital! The next time you visit your veterinarian’s office, make sure to say a big ‘Thank You’ to the Client Care Specialist!
Written by: Alyssa Thompson, Client Care Specialist
