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Take a few minutes to dial up your behavioural science superpowers.

"It wasn’t that they got anything wrong. It’s just… I didn’t feel like they saw me."

That’s what a client of one practice told us recently. Her dog had recovered fine. The vet had explained everything clearly. The reception team were polite. But something didn’t land right.

The problem wasn’t obvious to her - just a vague sense of being on the outside of an efficient and yet impersonal process.

And that’s the thing about client experience. It’s not just about what happens. It’s about how people feel.

The journey is emotional, not just practical

For every clinical interaction, there’s an emotional undercurrent.

The worry that something’s wrong.

The guilt of not noticing it sooner.

The confusion about what treatment involves.

The anxiety about how much it will cost.

The hope that things will be OK.

But as professionals, we’re used to the rhythm of these visits. We know what’s routine, what’s urgent, what’s complex. We see hundreds of cases a week. The problem is, that familiarity can make it hard to notice how it feels for the person on the other side of the consult table.

They don’t see a “workflow”. They see a thousand micro-moments that subconsciously shape their trust, confidence, and choices.

A missed opportunity

Let’s imagine a client and a sliding doors moment. James notices his cat Molly is drinking more than usual. He’s not sure if it’s serious, but he decides to seek advice from his vet.

In one universe he calls his vet and waits on hold for three minutes. He is booked in efficiently but slightly curtly by the receptionist, who is clearly being pulled in several directions at once. He is told to make sure he arrives on time. He parks outside the clinic easily but when he enters the building he notices a faint, unpleasant smell. The vet is kind, but brisk – clearly under pressure. She explains it could be early kidney disease, but says they need to run some tests to confirm. James nods, says yes to the tests, and leaves feeling…unsure.

In another universe the experience is different. When James calls, the receptionist reassures him that the team will help him find out what’s going on with Molly. Ahead of his appointment he is emailed a link to an article on the practice website about increased thirst. The waiting room is bright and welcoming, and the receptionist chats to him about Molly. The vet picks up on his worry and takes a moment to chat through what’s on his mind. She explains what she thinks may be going on as well as explaining what the tests that she’s recommending  will tell them and how that’ll help them put together the right plan for Molly. James leaves feeling supported. He knows that whatever the tests show, the vet team will help him find the right path forward.

Same clinical case. Same recommendations made. But the experience? Miles apart.

Emotions drive action

People tend not to act on facts alone. They act on how they feel. Research shows that empathy, clarity and trust significantly increase treatment uptake and follow-through – especially when people are anxious or uncertain (which, let’s face it, is most of the time in veterinary care).

When the journey feels confusing or cold, clients are more likely to delay, to doubt, or to disengage. But when it feels human – when they feel seen – they’re more likely to act, return, and recommend.

The in-between bits matter

It’s tempting to focus only on the clinical encounter. But clients are having an experience before they step through your door and long after they leave. That experience is shaped by things we often don’t see:

  • The online reviews that they read
  • The ease of booking an appointment
  • The tone of reminder messages
  • What your website says (or doesn’t say)
  • How clean the toilets are

These might feel minor. But for the client, they are the practice.

Clients don’t necessarily remember (or notice) the clinical skill of the team that sees them. They simply expect that every veterinary team will be packed with clinical knowhow. What they do remember is how they were made to feel.

Were they reassured? Informed? Rushed? Embarrassed? Listened to?

Every point along the journey is a chance to build trust – or chip away at it.

In the end, a client’s experience of your practice is shaped not just by what you do, but by how you do it.

The client journey matters - not because it’s a management concept - but because it’s the lived experience of the humans we serve. If we want them to choose well, to come back, to follow advice - we need to walk that journey with them, not just lead the way.

Would you like to explore how you can optimise you client journey? Contact us to find out how we can help.

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