Reference: Straits Times Mar 20, 2011 "Click and
gripe" Hot 5
All Deals Leak, Redress.me and Boo-n-Bouquet (blog) champion
Singapore's consumer rights. The Consumer Association of Singapore
CASE is the main official channel for Singaporean complaints but it is
quite a hassle to write to them. Now with these online service and
product consumer rights websites that are not worried about being sued
by the affected parties as they permit two sides of the story and also
it is costly and impossible to get adverse posts removed, many service
providers will receive bad publicity for services not up to
expectations.
IMPLICATIONS FOR VETERINARIANS
I don't go around reading such websites and blogs although I have had
seen one or two bad reviews of services of Toa Payoh Vets in a pet
website called www.petschannel.com
This pet website just publishes all complaints and ratings.
Competitors could just publish with impunity. The website just publish
"Any opinions expressed are those of the individual reviewers. See
disclaimer statement."
RIGHT OF REPLY
However one of the 3 above online posts say they e-mail the affected
party and publish their replies. Most websites don't bother and they
still exist as it is very expensive to engage a lawyer to sue the
operators and ask them to remove the bad reviews.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Prevention is best and as a licensee of Toa Payoh Vets, I have to
ensure and check that my associate vets provide the standard of
services expected from a "reasonable" man. It is just too much time
consuming to surf the internet to read about complaints although they
are excellent feedback to improve my veterinary services and care.
ANONYMOUS POSTINGS. There is much more power to the online
consumer since the one posting the complaints usually are anonymous.
UPDATES AS AT MAR 28, 2011
I just log onto www.petschannel.com now at 3.46 am since I am writing
this article on consumer rights online. I had not been to this website
for several months. Some years ago, it publishes the good and bad
comments of going to various vet clinics listed in this website. Now,
it wants money from vet owners to write about the business and publish
all members' reviews without limit.
I don't subscribe to this service and I note most of my competitors
don't bother to do so.
As at Mar 28, 2011, Toa Payoh Vets has 15 reviews written.
I was surprised to read the latest two reviews (part published) by
jologflg on Jan 10, 2011 and by samanthayap on Nov 10, 2010.
1. For jologflg, I can see his photo and he is a genuine client. He
published in Jan 10, 2011 in Shoppe Place reviews as follows:
|
5 stars shown. Jan 10,
2011. Toa Payoh Vets>>Dr Sing-experienced, treats disease not
symptoms, good surgeon (2 ne... |
If you click on the hyperlink above, you will get no
more info as I don't pay to this website to get full reviews or
feature my practice.
2. For samanthayap, there is a graphic photo of a young lady. In the
Shoppe Place reviews, she wrote as follows:
|
4 stars shown. Nov 10,
2010. Toa Payoh Vets >>Dr Vanessa attended to me today and I
would say, she's friendly and ca... |
Well, since I didn't pay up, I can't read what the
lady who has a picture of Hammie born Oct 2010 say about Dr Vanessa!
It is just like reading the opening paragraph of a page-turning novel.
You got to buy it to know what is going to happen next! Well, I don't
know more as I don't subscribe to this website to get the good and the
bad reviews!
This website used to give marks using a formula for reliability,
frequency of postings etc. Since I don't pay, I don't get the grades.
It is just too time-consuming to surf to consumer rights websites
unless one has a lot of staff but they exist and so the vets must
provide the best service and be street-wise as well. I don't want to
end up with one comment about a competitor in this website. The
comment is as follows:
|
2.5 stars. Mar 2,
2011>>XXX (name listed)>>I urge all of you not to go to
thi... |
CONCLUSION
One brand-name vet practice had postings saying that
their vets are bad and that their dogs die during treatment or
anaesthesia there. Another reader would write to say he or she has
better not go to this practice. "What is the name of the vet or the
practice?" another writer would ask. One writer would say that the vet
of another practice was expensive but good. Another said the vet from
another practice was eye-candy and so all young ladies should consult
him!
Sometimes I wonder whether it is the work of the competitors to run
down the other party. So, it is best that the licensee or practice
manager be alert and proactive in making sure that the vets under his
or her licence be competent in addition to be an excellent
communicator. And that means the vet must deliver for the monies paid
by the client and not let the owner come back for a second time due to
mis-diagnosis. Fire the non-performers. It can't be helped as this
world is now much more competitive. There are now more than 45
veterinary clinics in Singapore in 2011 and pet owners have a lot of
choices!
The above "opening sentences of the Shoppe Review"
in www.petschannel.com
can be a lesson in good writing. When you write a resume or look for a
publisher, your cover letter should have a good "hook" to catch the
reader's attention and consider reading your letter or buy your book.
Your first 3 words should be the teaser so that the reader wants to
read further...
|
TOA
PAYOH VETS
