Hair today, gone tomorrow
MY dear old dad, who is 89, has been going to the same barbers for more than 80 years.
He started off walking there, as he lived locally, then, after moving house, he drove.
Now he takes two buses. He is on his fourth generation of barbers. The first has long passed away. The second has retired.
There are plenty of places he could go that are nearer but, when I asked him why he took the trouble to be so loyal, his answer was simple. “They know me, they know how I like my hair cut and I enjoy feeling comfortable in the place.”
For me, veterinary practice should be the same. But it is changing.
In the old days, clients stuck to a practice for similar reasons to my dad. Often, we saw generations of people with their pets.
We knew them, their children and their animals very well.
If someone was having a hard time, either emotionally or financially, we did what we could to help.
In short, there was loyalty on both sides.
The goal posts shifted, however, when businessmen started running veterinary surgeries.
They were aware that most clients were bonded to a particular traditional independent practice and so they went after new (dare I say naive?) pet owners.
This facilitated a number of changes.
Firstly, of course, these people had no idea what veterinary services normally cost, so price lists could be imaginative.
And second, there could be a gradual trend towards replacing vets with nurses to do jobs such as second vaccinations, post-operation checks and minor stitch-ups. All of which could still be charged at the veterinary rate. Next came various geriatric, arthritis and weight clinics, all run by nursing staff, with a list of products to sell.
And then there were the “special offers”, designed to drag clients away from their existing vet.
And so now much of the loyalty has gone and everyone is poorer for it.
“My dog just isn’t right.” said the worried owner. “I took her to Vet A for her vaccine because he was the cheapest.
“And Vet B had a deal on Groupon for neutering but I always come here when she is ill because I trust you.”
I look at the dog and realise I don’t know her at all. There is nothing in the clinical history that tells me what her heart rate, weight or temperature normally are. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you how her hair is usually cut.