{"id":485,"date":"2017-08-01T00:00:31","date_gmt":"2017-08-01T06:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tvb.com.72-10-49-188.phoscreative.com\/?p=485"},"modified":"2022-03-04T17:59:31","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T17:59:31","slug":"ask-right-questions-right-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/ask-right-questions-right-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask the Right Questions at the Right Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine a 12-year-old pet diagnosed with an operable brain tumor. Most clients would struggle to decide whether to proceed with surgery. Now imagine having to make this decision twice.<\/p>\n

I know how hard these decisions are because I was that client in 2013. My beloved Papillon, Chloe, came through her first craniotomy with no complications. But 19 months later, the seizures recurred despite the use of anticonvulsant medication. I was facing another difficult choice when a family member asked, \u201cWhat will help you make the decision?\u201d It was the right question at the right time. I immediately responded that I needed to consult with Chloe\u2019s neurologist. I trusted she would help me make the best decision \u2014 and she did.<\/p>\n

For veterinary teams, asking questions is a valuable communication skill. It increases trust with pet owners and in turn builds stronger client relationships.<\/p>\n

The secret is to train team members to ask questions and know which ones to ask during different client interactions. Initial training should include teaching the difference between a closed-ended question and an open-ended question. Closed-ended questions can be answered with a \u201cno\u201d or \u201cyes\u201d or a single word. Open-ended questions invite an expanded response and tend to be a more effective way to build rapport and trust.<\/p>\n

Everyone on the team can help build trust if they ask the right questions at the right time. Here are four scenarios in which questions can improve client engagement, education, compliance and decision-making.<\/p>\n

Engagement<\/h3>\n

Client engagement refers to the relationship between the veterinary practice and its clients. If the level of client engagement is high, pet owners feel emotionally bonded to the practice. They are more likely to visit often, accept treatment recommendations and refer others to the business. One of the best ways to enhance client engagement is by using questions to make authentic connections.<\/p>\n

Questions demonstrate an interest in another person and tend to make the person a better listener. In veterinary medicine, teams pose many questions to gather relevant information but sometimes fail to build rapport, especially with new clients. While some team members have a natural ability to engage clients through questions, others need to be more mindful about developing this habit.<\/p>\n

Here are examples of questions designed to build relationships:<\/p>\n