We all have that one team member that all the clients love. It seems to be their personality to simply get along with everyone and try to solve their problems. But are those qualities trainable? Kim Delaney says a lot of them are and she joins us today to talk about just that. Kim has been in the industry since she was a teenager, beginning as a kennel attendant and working into other various roles before her current role as the practice manager. In our conversation today, she shares her experience during the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges that the practice experienced post-Covid.  Ultimately, we know that the staff needs attention, but without clients, we don’t need staff members. We can’t have one without the other and while the “customer is always right” mentality might not be as true as we once believed, we know that building relationships with clients is the key to ensure their satisfaction in the level of care we provide.    Show Notes: [2:56] - Kim manages a family practice that has seen a lot of changes and challenges in the last three years. [3:45] - One thing she is seeing is the influx of first time pet owners. [4:58] - Post-curbside, a challenge they saw immediately was the lack of experience in face-to-face service from newer team members. [6:38] - Put yourself in the client’s shoes to understand where they are coming from. [7:40] - Kim shares an experience with discovering why a client was behaving the way she was. [9:42] - It’s not about us and it’s not even about the client. It’s about the pet. [11:43] - Open discussion is important at the practice. [12:51] - Use the personal experiences of others and how other people have handled situations to help prepare for future conversations. [14:29] - There’s a lot to juggle when you wear a lot of hats. [16:41] - Client service goes throughout the entire practice. [18:26] - Someone spreading negativity about clients can bring the whole team down. [20:23] - Difficult conversations sometime need to happen. How do you have these conversations? [22:13] - Challenging clients will come in, but we have to remember that we are here for the pet. [24:05] - Remember how you would feel if this was yourself. [26:28] - Cross communication can support client service.   Thank you for listening. Remember you are not in this alone. Visit our website for more resources.   Links and Resources: VHMA Web Page VHMA Coronavirus Resources VHMA Facebook VHMA Twitter VHMA on Linkedin