Delivering a five-star service
Tracy Israel from the Celtic Manor Hotel, which plays host to the VPMA/SPVS Congress.
Tracy Israel from the Celtic Manor Hotel, which plays host to the VPMA/SPVS Congress, talked to delegates about how the hotel provided a five-star service for its guests.
She explained that it's all about attitude. If a potential member of staff's attitude is right then they can be trained for the skills they need but the opposite does not apply. A good attitude needs to be ingrained into everyone working in a service industry where they are dealing with the public.
So what is attitude? It's the way we respond or react to people and issues, it's how we express our state of mind seen through our body language and it's a mirror of the mind.
Behaviour is the visible manifestation of attitude, but our attitude and beliefs are the submerged part of the metaphorical iceberg - while our behaviour is just the tip.
Tracy also talked about moments of magic which make all the difference to the client and she explained that to achieve this you need both service - which, to put it simply is just a series of tasks done well - and customer care, which is the ability to make an emotional connection with the client.
It is these emotional connections that create the magic and, in order to do this, an organisation must have the right staff with the right attitude towards the job they are doing.
Celtic Manor staff are rewarded financially if they are specifically praised by guests and they also have the opportunity to be employee of the month - an award given internally for really good service.
Attitude means doing something because you want to rather than because you have to and it plays a vital part in recruitment if a business is to provide the best kind of client care.
Qualifications and experience are of course important but if the wrong attitude is present, the rest means nothing in terms of good service for clients.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
