I am really excited to welcome Carol Hurst, LVT CVPM, of Encore Vet Group to the podcast for this episode! Carol is the kind of person who brings twenty years of hands-on experience and a true passion for growing people and culture. We spend this episode discussing one of the trickiest parts of veterinary management: building and training your client service team. It's a topic that can definitely feel intimidating, especially when you're dealing with people coming from all kinds of backgrounds, levels of experience, and expectations, but Carol helps it seem a lot less so with her wonderful insight!

We kick things off talking about interviews and how to spot soft skills, what questions actually reveal how someone handles stress, and why that initial spark of engagement during an interview can tell you everything about a potential hire. Carol and I discuss why certain past experiences such as working in food service or with kids can actually be golden for client-facing roles, while others, like some banking or medical-office experience, may not translate as well. It's all about reading people, anticipating needs, and finding that warmth that makes clients feel truly cared for.

We also get into training strategies, with Carol sharing some practical ways to balance teaching the technical side of the job with the soft skills that really keep clients coming back - everything from how to handle phone calls and scheduling to creating authentic connections at the front desk. We explore the concept of accountability, team buy-in, and how to define what "unmatched" service looks like in your practice, and I even share some lessons that I have learned the hard way such as setting expectations clearly during onboarding and carving out small wins for new team members so that they can feel confident in hectic moments!

Listen in to hear Carol's insights into everything from rethinking your CSR workflow to using technology effectively so that your team can spend more time connecting with clients instead of just checking tasks off a list. If you have ever felt like client service is this mysterious puzzle, Carol's perspective will give you clarity and maybe even a little relief!

Show Notes:

[2:46] - I talk about my recent CSR hire and why I hired her. ​​[4:32] - For CSRs, Carol tends to prioritize soft skills over experience because people skills are so important. [7:23] - Carol asks situational questions to see how applicants handle stress. [9:55] - Carol discusses how food service builds quick connection skills, while bank teller experience sometimes lacks creative client service. [12:10] - Hear how I consider innate traits and past experiences when evaluating whether applicants fit the culture. [15:25] - Training can be difficult, so Carol therefore uses flexible methods such as regular check-ins. [18:46] - Carol integrates soft skills into training and encourages CSRs to bond with clients. [20:26] - Soft skills and warmth create returning clients beyond just checklists and tasks. [22:44] - Carol highlights the importance of giving CSRs ownership of the client experience to ensure consistent service. [25:37] - Carol encourages allowing the team to define "unmatched" service. [28:40] - Hear how Carol teaches CSRs compliance, appointment management, and confident communication with clients. [30:20] - Carol stresses simplifying appointments and responsiveness while ensuring that CSRs improve the overall client experience. [32:38] - Carol advises reviewing workflows in order to reduce task overload and boost CSRs' client connection. [35:41] - Carol recommends using technology for efficiency while preserving in-person interactions as much as possible. 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
• Carol Hurst on LinkedIn
• Encore Vet Group Web Page
• Encore Vet Group on LinkedIn
• Digitail Web Page