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Great customer service should be delivered in the same manner that you treat your customers.
"A company that truly demonstrates customer service is invaluable," said Pownall.
Reliability is simply expecting a company to do what its representatives say they are going to
do, when they say they will do it.
Transparency is also important. "I would rather someone tell us the truth even if we don't like
the news than be surprised when something isn't done when scheduled. Whether it is repairing
one of our trucks or hearing about a back order, it is better if the company tells us in advance."
Pownall wants to help veterinarians understand that there is a see-saw effect when you weigh
lowest price against services.
"As I was looking at my schedule one day, I noticed that I had three meetings with
representatives of suppliers and manufacturers," said Pownall. "I already knew that one of them
would try to get our business because his company's products are cheaper than those of the
company we are currently using. I hate those types of meetings, because they focus on the one
element that I don't want our customers to focus on—price."
However, Pownall related that he has recognize that over the years, "We as veterinarians have
trained manufacturers and distributers to give us the best prices at our annual convention,
or we will go to the competition and get a better deal. Year after year, we tell them price is
paramount; then we are surprised when that is all they can offer us."
Pownall said veterinarians need to understand that something has to give when the
manufacturers and distributors have decreasing profit margins. Unfortunately, often what gives
is customer service, reliability, and transparency.
"We would be no different to our clients if they kept forcing us to lower our prices," said Pownall.
He advised that the next time a sales rep comes to visit your practice, instead of asking for the
best price, ask about the things that are important to your business. Tell that representative that
you want to do business with someone who has a long-term interest in your business and is not
just looking to make a sale today.
"You might pay a bit more up front for a piece of equipment, but in the long run, the value you
will get from a service-oriented company will make the initial cost savings seem meaningless,"
he said.
Dr. Mike Pownall, DVM,
MBA, said he likes
to view relationships
with industry partners
in the same way
that our clients
view our veterinary
services, with a focus
on excellence in
services and value in
areas like customer
service, reliability,
transparency, and
ethics.
https://equimanagement.com/articles/equine-veterinarians-should-develop-industry-partnerships Source:
Equine veterinarians should
develop industry partnerships
