There’s no better way to celebrate Veterinary Receptionist Week than by learning what they truly want

Nobody is likely to argue that diagnosing and successfully treating a tricky case—like, for example, allergic dermatitis—isn’t challenging for the clinical team in a veterinary hospital. There’s no shortage of difficult duties our veterinarians and technicians handle every day.

However, the same is also true for those on the front line at the hospital. Veterinary receptionists hold a critically important role, but all too often, their role and responsibilities are minimized by colleagues and clients alike.

In a small, informal Trends survey, we asked a dozen veterinary receptionists to weigh in on what they love about their work, how their practices make them feel valued, what they think could be done better, and more. Their responses may not surprise you, but they may help you look at the work they do—and the way they’re treated—a little differently.

What do you love?

Respondents were given the opportunity to answer questions however they liked, with no multiple choice or prompting. When asked what they loved most about their work, the vast majority provided an answer that amounted to “connecting with clients.”

“What I love most about this role is the connection I get to build with our clients, said Sarah Dalton, who began as a client service representative (CSR) before becoming an office manager at Danville Family Vet in Danville, Virginia. “I’ve had the chance to form relationships with people during some of the best moments in their lives, like bringing home a new puppy, and also some of the hardest. Being able to comfort someone when they’re worried or going through something difficult, and help make that moment just a little easier, means everything to me.  I also really value being a voice and advocate for both the client and their pet, making sure they feel heard, supported, and genuinely cared for.”

“I love serving the client. When clients come to an emergency hospital, they are stressed, upset, experiencing guilt and fear,” said George Lenihan, a CSR at NorthStar VETS Veterinary Emergency, Trauma, and Specialty Centers in Robinsville, New Jersey “I love to be the person to give them hope and a warm, welcoming person to talk to and feel that they are heard, and they are going to be helped in the best possible way.”

And Kristi Harper, a CSR at Lenity Vet Specialists and Emergency Care in San Mateo, California, noted, “We can really make a difference in the way we carry each visit. We are the first and last people you see and interact with.”

Another anonymous responder working in an emergency setting agreed, saying they took pride in “being a calm, supportive presence, helping guide clients through stressful situations, and making them feel heard, understood, and cared for when they need it most.”

Others, including Kelly Kulhavy, VRCE, a client care specialist of 14 years at an undisclosed clinic, commented on the ability to be there for clients through all their pet’s life stages and building relationships—especially with those who they see most.

How does your practice make you feel valued?

Clearly, there’s a lot to love about this role, especially for folks who embrace the importance of relationship building. And while it’s important to find meaning in one’s own work, receiving recognition from managers, colleagues, and clients is also important.

Sadly, according to this survey, AAHA’s Stay, Please study, and anecdotal evidence we’ve gathered over the years, a lot of practices still struggle to do this well.

A number of respondents, many of whom opted to remain anonymous, said that their practices did not make them feel valued. Comments included:

“The front office team is often overlooked in veterinary medicine. They are constantly under scrutiny but rarely praised. The CSR team is the most undervalued and underpaid department in the hospital.”

“My clinic fails at this and does not make us feel important. We get our appreciation from the clients.”

“At this time, CSRs do not feel like valued or important members of the care team. There is a clear lack of consistent recognition, and over time, it has become increasingly discouraging. Previous forms of appreciation—such as bonuses and small gifts—have been removed without any meaningful replacement, which has further reinforced the feeling that our role is overlooked. We’re lucky if we get one day… forget about week of recognition.”

That being said, the practices getting it right are truly nailing it, and a common theme seemed to be trust and respect.

“I am always heard and there is a clear path for any issues I may need to discuss. Doctors are not in charge of staff,” Harper said.

“My doctors and medical team make it very clear, both in what they say and how they act, that receptionists are essential to keeping the clinic running, and they often remind us that without us, the hospital truly would not function, which means a lot,” said Dalton. “They show their trust in me every day by giving me the autonomy to schedule appointments based on what I know the client and patient need, and if I have to squeeze something in or the schedule gets a little heavy, they roll with it because they trust my judgment and know I would not overbook unless it was truly necessary. That level of trust and respect makes me feel like a true part of the care team, and at the end of the day, if we are not making the appointments and supporting our clients, there would not be patients for the doctors to see, and they genuinely recognize that.”

What would help veterinary receptionists feel valued?

Given the previous responses, it’s little wonder that the answers to this question largely reflected a desire to be heard, recognized, trusted, and thanked—and not overly scrutinized, especially by folks who’ve never done that type of work.

“Treat them with the same praise and dignity as the tech teams,” said George Lenihan, a CSR supervisor with NorthStar vets. “A CSR is the face of the practice. We are the first person a client speaks to and the last. Our contributions are just as important as the medicine we provide.”

Even so, one anonymous respondent commented on the fact that they often see a side of the clients the clinical team doesn’t—and that, in itself, deserves recognition: “Treat us with respect and understand that we are the first one dealing with emotional clients; we often bear the weight load of anger because no person would dare speak to a doctor or vet the way they do us.”

Kulhavy mentioned that, although she’s been in veterinary medicine for a decade, she’s only recently been thanked for her work. “Just a simple thank you and acknowledging they are in fact part of the team” would help, she said.

Beyond reception

Challenges in a veterinary hospital are relatable across roles—if you’re a technician and feel like you’re pulling more than your weight, that doesn’t mean the same isn’t true for the CSR crew. There are plenty enough challenges to go around; it’s not a competition.

The thing that makes those challenges bearable is teamwork. When staff works as a team, that improves the experience for every member. Teamwork can take many forms, but at its core, recognizing, respecting, and supporting every other member on the team is vital. Without that, the team falls apart.

So, the next time you see a veterinary receptionist, make sure to thank them—not just for answering the phone or for keeping the schedule moving (important though that is), but for being that point of connection for so many of the families who come to your clinic.

And if you’re in charge of a practice, Veterinary Receptionist Week is a great time to make sure everyone on your staff understands the value of that front-of-house crew—and knows how to show their appreciation. To ensure you’re providing the folks in this role with the kind of recognition that matters most to them, dig into our Stay, Please retention study, which shows that meaningful work, appreciation, and flexibility are key to happiness in the CSR role, while fair compensation and support for wellbeing are necessary to keep them from seeking other opportunities.

 

Photo credit: Robert Daly/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Disclaimer: Trends™ content is meant to inform, educate, and inspire by providing an array of diverse viewpoints. Any content published should not be viewed as an official stance, position, or endorsement by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.