I look forward going to the vet each time.
Strange, isn't it? It's like saying one loves going to the dentist, a usually dreary event to most. (And no, I am not an evil or horrible dog owner.)
On Valentine's Day, 14 February 2016, our late beloved golden retriever, Kira, had woken up to hugely swollen ears. (We soon learned that it was a syndrome aptly-named Cauliflower Ears.) I remembered it was a Sunday, because our regular vet clinic was closed. Alarmed, we quickly googled and found Pet Avenue Clinic which was open and luckily, it was a short ride from hom. After calling to confirm they were able to see Kira that very morning, we hopped into a cab and rushed there right away.
There were many firsts at this clinic for us:
Arvind, the receptionist, saw us approaching the glass doors and promptly came out of his counter to open the door and welcomed us warmly. Right away, he made us feel assured and at ease.
After doing some swabs of Kira's ears, the vet Dr. Chong asked if we would like to look at the microscope too, making us feel included.
Together with another assistant, Dr. Chong sat on the floor while demonstrating the proper cleaning of the dog's ears so we could do the same at home.
While waiting for the bill, Arvind spoke to Kira as if she was his best friend.
Arvind asked if we were fine with transport or if we needed any help to the taxi.
A day after the visit, I received a SMS text asking how Kira was doing.
All the above made us switch to this vet clinic after the very first visit. Kira's original clinic, where we had been going to for almost a decade, never did any of the above. Nada. It was all functional but without any emotional engagement. I realised that I had been settling for Service Bank Zero experience the past ten years. Perhaps it was because I was not expecting to have any pluses from a vet visit. On hindsight, why shouldn’t we? Now I know better.
Few months ago, we got a new puppy, a cheeky but most adorable English Cocker Spaniel named Tibo. We took him to Pet Avenue Clinic for a regular check-up following all his vaccine shots.
Just the other day, I received a message from them as their records showed the monthly heartworm tablets for Tibo was purchased in July, and it was a gentle reminder to top up the supply before completely running out. (Indeed, ours had!). In particular, I like this last sentence which they placed in parentheses: [Please ignore this reminder if you have enough heartworm medication at home].
I appreciated that the message did not feel like a hard sell, but rather, a helpful reminder with the sole purpose of caring for the dog. To me, it also brought a peace of mind in that I could always count on them to make sure I had what was needed for my pet.
As the message was signed off by Arvind, I thanked him for the reminder and wrote that he had yet to meet Tibo since he was not at the clinic during our previous visit. See below for the screenshot conversation. How many of such communication does one ever get with their vet clinic?
Service Bank: 💝💝💝💝💝
Reflective thoughts: Relook at your service touchpoints and identify those with Service Bank Zero. What can you do to make it a plus? And more pluses?