A Seminar on Emotional Intelligence was organized by the Estonian Small Animal Veterinary Association in Pärnu, Estonia on 18 November. More than 60 veterinary business owners and their staff participated in this interactive seminar. The invited speaker was Elli Kalemtzaki, DVM, ICF Certified Coach, NLP Practitioner.

During the seminar we explored different aspects of Emotional Intelligence in the veterinary  practice and how we can use it for better communication with clients and team members, better service to clients and patients and improved job satisfaction.

The workshop consisted of the following 4 parts:

• Three most common mistakes in communication with the pet owner

Understanding how different communicating styles influence the way we interact with others and practical tips to improve communication with your team and clients. It is a fact that the way we receive, process and transmit information varies between individuals. In this very interactive session we explored common mistakes that we make when we communicate. Participants identified their  communicating style and how they can adapt effectively their message to different communicating styles.

• The opportunity behind the obstacle: Dealing with anger and complaints

As companion animal veterinary practitioners you will sooner or later be faced with pet owner complaints. How can you manage the complaints of pet owners, but more than that to use the complaint as an opportunity to increase loyalty? During this presentation we discussed potential obstacles in managing pet owner complaints.

• Crucial Conversations: How to deliver bad news

Rocky died during surgery. His owner is at the waiting room and you need to announce the news. Delivering bad news is never an easy task, in fact it is one of the most difficult conversations for any member of your team. Some clients may  react to bad news with anger or blame.  Participants learned how to deliver bad news skillfully and make sure that the pet owner’s concerns are addressed and emotions supported.

• Dealing with Stress in Clinical Practice

Do you feel you are caught in the busy trap? Maybe you are stressed and think that there are not enough hours in the day to complete your job duties? We can’t avoid long days, emotional clients, and the pressure of dealing with sick patients. The phenomenon of stress in the veterinary profession is recognized worldwide. During this session we explored the main stresors in the workplace and what changes we can make to increase our stress tolerance and develop coping strategies.

Miguel Angel Diaz Sanchez, Elli Kalemtzaki and Andrzej Miechowicz had the privilege to be the invited speakers.

During this event Miguel and Elli and Andrzej shared with the audience many of their best tips and tools:

How to charge higher fees and have clients wanting to pay for them (Miguel Angel Diaz Sanchez). Discover the most recent advances in neuroscience and start using the secrets to get your clients trust you and give you their YES.

5 traps to avoid when pricing your services (Elli Kalemtzaki). Find out how you can establish a strong link between your price and the value you deliver. Learn how to avoid common traps when evaluating and setting your fees so that you can maximize your profit and your income.

5 mistakes that stop you from attracting more clients (Elli Kalemtzaki). Identify and resolve the obstacles that prevent you from promoting your business more effectively, attracting more and better clients and increasing your income

Conflict: From Pain to Gain (Miguel Angel Diaz Sanchez). A proven 3 steps method to turn client complaints into a source of improvement and better relationships. Changing your mindset from problems to opportunities

Recent changes in veterinary medicine 2017 (Andrzej Miechowicz, owner of Klinika XP PMS). How you can leverage technology to better manage a veterinary practice