These 3 C's Help Us Through A Painful Personal Loss

Hello everyone.  This is a picture of Clifford, a beautiful West Highland Terrier.  He came to our family in 2000 when my son was 5 years old.

Sadly, we recently lost Clifford as the effects of aging and various ongoing illnesses took their toll. He was a member of our family for 14 years and will be dearly missed. As with the loss of any family member, we are coming to terms with the loss, believing that he is now in a "much better place."

So why all the sad background about our dog on a blog whose core subject is customer service?  The answer lies in the quality of individuals that cared for Clifford; both during his lifespan, as well as during the final hours when we made the painful decision to let him go.

Each of these individuals and their businesses helped us by practicing 3 key C's. These C's are interwoven and have universal application where the goal is to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

THE 3 C's:  COMPASSIONATE CUSTOMER CARE

For the majority of his life, Clifford's veterinarian needs were handled by the doctors and staff at  +Deshon Animal Hospital.

Dr. Jamal Toler and his staff's love for animals was always evident from our perspective.  It was manifest not only in the way they treated each pet, but also by their "Customer" focus. They ensured our needs and concerns, as the paying customer, were addressed.

The Deshon team understood owners seek assurance their pet will be treated with the same level of care they would receive at home.  Each of their interactions with Clifford gave us that assurance.  Furthermore, the Doctor and staff would contact us proactively to discuss Clifford's health and provide their perspective on treatment options. Even when we had questions or doubts about recommended courses of action, we always felt our position as the customer was being respected and took precedent over other considerations.

On his last day, Clifford grew increasingly weak and exhibited other symptoms that indicated his physical condition was quickly deteriorating.  We rushed him to +VCA Dekalb-Gwinnett Animal Emergency Hospital with hopes he could be treated and fully recover.

During our late night Sunday visit, Dr. Beverly Hughes and her assistant Stephanie Payne exhibited the utmost in customer (and patient) "Compassion".  The genuine empathy they exhibited for our situation, as well as their knowledge and counsel, were critical as we navigated through one of the most emotional periods of our lives.

Within the span of 90 minutes, the manner in which they handled all aspects of our customer experience left an impression that will last a lifetime.   While I hope no one we know has to endure what we did that night, if a reference is ever needed for an emergency animal hospital, our recommendation will be automatic.

Those who professionally cared for Clifford are primarily motivated and driven by their love of animals.  Our providers understand the "Care" they extend must encompass a strong relationship with the ultimate customer. They love what they do, ensuring they also care for the pet owners who make it possible to pursue their passion and mission.

We were blessed that those to whom we entrusted our Clifford "get it" when comes to the power of the 3 C's...."Compassionate Customer Care".

Rest In Peace Cliff.

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