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Veterinary Practice News Editorial Blog:
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Buying the Experience
By Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR
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Although perhaps I should be, I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a Starbucks junkie. When I made the move to this smallish town years ago, it might have been this comment that sealed the deal, “well, we’re big enough to have three Starbucks!” So I make the trip to one of those three locations quite often. As I made my way through the drive-in of the nearest Starbucks to my home yet again, I noticed something on the ledge of the service window that suddenly struck me as odd…a tip jar.
Now, for those of you who distaste Starbucks, it probably has something to do with the fact that the best drinks they make are fancy coffees that are $4.00-$4.50 a piece. This is a ridiculous price to pay for a cup of coffee, yet I do it as often as I can…and try not to feel guilty for spending the money. So why, after people way overpay for a cup of coffee, would they be inclined to leave behind more money in a tip jar? It boggles the mind. There has to be a reason people pay this much for coffee, and it’s because they aren’t just buying a cup of coffee…they are buying an experience.
It begins when you catch site of the Starbucks Green on the awning or logo, and realize that relief is right around the corner. It deeply intensifies when you get within range for a whiff of that wonderful coffee smell. It continues when the barista smiles at you, and maybe she even knows you well enough that she gets your “usual” ready without you even being asked. I clearly remember the day when a barista at this particular corner location finally knew my drink, isn’t that silly? Yet for some reason, I felt like I was now part of a special club. That feeling continued as I carried around that branded paper cup that told the world I recently visited Starbucks. I was buying the complete experience, from the first sip to the last.
This is the experience we need to try to reproduce in the veterinary practice. No, we don’t have to brew coffee, but it never hurts to have free refreshments waiting in our lobbies. No, we don’t have to diffuse the air with coffee scent, but we should be paying particular attention to the way our practice smells nonetheless. No, we don’t have to remember our clients’ names and pets’ names, but it sure does make them feel special. No, we don’t have to charge the prices we do, but if we’ve created the right experience, our clients will pay it regardless of the fact that we’re the most expensive in town. Not only that, but if we had a tip jar on the counter, they might even feel so good that they would be inclined to drop something in…but for our profession, the best tip is a smile from a thankful client, because that’s worth more than any tip jar can hold. If they’re proud to tell their friends where they take their beloved pet, then you’ve created the perfect experience!
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