Les Choristes

Sometimes things conspire to make customer service a thing of rarity
Mary's operation was cancelled this afternoon and the attention I received by the practice receptionist after I had driven 17 miles to collect her was so atrocious I almost lost my temper in a packed waiting room.
I am glad I didn't, but  after a calming journey through the Welsh countryside on the way home I was still icy cold with the practice manager when I phoned up to " discuss the cock up"

This piece of music by Bruno Coulais from the French film Les Choristes helped my blood pressure return to normal.........it's quite lovely


56 comments:

  1. Now you need to go through the angst again. That’s crappy. Was there a good reason or did the receptionist bungle that too.
    So sorry.

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    1. I should have known things were going to go tits up as when I took Mary early this morning the receptionist asked if I wanted Mary's ears to be looked at when she was under anaesthetic
      I reminded her that Mary was having an operation on her ears

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  2. Unfortunately empathy seems to be a dying trait nowadays. We were just talking about a similar situation with our doctors surgery. I'm not sure where the blame lies but its a worry indeed. Sorry you had to go through that as well as being stressed about your wee girl, and now you'll both have to go through it all again I presume? Write a letter and at least tonight is The Walking Dead night. x

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  3. Barbara Anne3:37 pm

    I'm so sorry that the surgery was canceled after Mary had spent hours at the vet's surgery, then to top it off, the receptionist's behavior was unacceptable. Inexcusable. Hope there was a good, logical reason for the cancellation and that Mary is no worse for the experience.

    You had a right to make your feelings known to the practice manager as they cannot fix the problem if no one tells them something is wrong.

    Lovely music to soothe and share. Ta.

    Big hugs for you and for Mary.

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  4. Oh FFS!
    All that worry for absolutely no reason, I'd have lost the plot!
    Complain and keep compaining until you get a grovelling apology, and a damn good explanation as to why Mary's op was cancelled, and even more, why the staff are so cavalier in their attitude!
    Anyway, for now, relax! X.

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  5. Well, I'm sorry Mary's operation was cancelled and you had to deal with all that. How annoying!

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  6. How frustrating and hard on the nerves to wait all day in anguish and then have that happen. Mary will be starving! I hope there was at least a good reason that was out of their control. I'm glad music helps you. We all need some way to decompress after something like that.

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  7. Margaret B4:06 pm

    What a nightmare - and how unprofessional in their dealings with you. Has Mary's op been rescheduled?

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  8. Such a shame. After the receptionist asked a silly question this morning I would have been tempted to have walked out and taken Mary home again. Tomorrow will be better I hope xx

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  9. Much better for her surgery to be cancelled than for it to have been done under less than ideal conditions. Perhaps the other surgeries took longer than anticipated or the vet was feeling ill. Of course the receptionist should have handled it much better; no excuse for that.

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  10. I've found in any medical/dental practice, both human and veterinary, the front desk people can make or break it. They are the gatekeepers and represent the face of the practice. It really doesn't give you much confidence in them when the receptionist is clueless about the procedure Mary was supposed to have. I would have been livid too.

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  11. Oh bloody hell, now as well as having to put up with such rudeness and unprofessional service, you have to go through all this trauma again.

    I hope you said something about the way you were treated ... even if it was through gritted teeth.

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  12. cocktail sausages all around!

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    1. I've just bought 70 from tesco

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    2. John.. sorry to hear you have to 'gird the loins' and front up with Mary again.. how disappointing.
      I am intrigued by your reference to cocktail sausages. Are they the small ones with the red skins (sometimes referred to as 'little boys... pardon the reference but its true here in Aus anyway) I believe they are made up with pork sausage filling and some dogs are allergic to pork - my Bella nearly died from a scrap of ham I gave her & I was told never to feed her pork of any sort.
      At dog training they used Cabanossi sausage (skinny preserved like salami) but then again it has pork in it so avoided it as well.
      Hard to find treats that aren't filled with preservatives!

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    3. These are the cheap ones from the supermarket , 1.75 for 40!!!!!!
      To me they taste bland , to the dogs
      Nectar

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  13. Dammit, I was looking forward to some good news, operation finished and you much relieved. The vet folks should know how we pet owners are about our charges and act accordingly! I award you a well-earned pat on the head for keeping it together in the waiting room though.

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  14. Cocktail sausages for all. So sorry you had the added stress of an ignorant receptionist to contend with. Compassion should be obligatory in their job.

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  15. I find it hard to excuse incompetence and bad service. My blood pressure would have gone through the roof.

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  16. Anonymous5:29 pm

    Beautiful calming video!

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  17. I am so sorry they let you down.

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  18. This kind of behaviour from a receptionist is unacceptable! Poor Mary, having to go through being apart from you all day unnecessarily, and poor you having to deal with the receptionist. I'd be inclined to make a complaint.

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  19. I kept checking back for the news on Mary, and now it all has to be repeated....*sigh*
    I've learned to ask many questions, and make sure everyone is on the same page.
    Lovely piece of music, so calming !
    ~Jo

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  20. Oh dear how unfortunate I would have lost it for sure especially as she did not even know that Mary was there for an operation on her ear, any way good on you that you kept it together, lovely music video.

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  21. They should have called you to pick her up early. That's very stressful for Mary and now she has to do it all again? There's no excuse for that.

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  22. How frustrating. All that worry and no further forward. I am so sorry for you having to go through that.

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  23. That is a beautiful calming piece of music, you had good reason to need soothing after all the earlier part of the day held.You should feel proud of yourself for having held your temper,that cannot have been easy to do what with all the anxiety and still nothing done to take care of Mary. Hopefully next time it will go smoothy. Cuddles to you and your sweet furry creatures, -Mary

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  24. Anonymous7:02 pm

    Humm, what with the surley service William received the other week now this....
    Is there another vet you might consider?
    Hope all is Going Gently with you and the family this cold evening.
    Love Tess xx

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  25. I kept checking back to see the news and now this !
    This treatment has brought tears to my eyes and I remember what happened to my Kirby.
    Hope you are all better tonight.

    cheers, parsnip and badger


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  26. So sorry, poor Mary, poor you! I once phoned the vet to make an appointment for my poodle and the girl on the phone asked me if my poodle was a dog or a cat....
    Hope Mary gets taken care of quickly and safely!

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  27. Cock up? I certainly don't think that should be happening in a vet's waiting room with other clients and their pets watching on.

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  28. Maybe it's just me but, when things go sideways, I take it as a sign from the Universe to go in a different direction. I'm not sure I'd trust this particular vet with Mary. Is there another vet from whom you can get a second opinion?

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    1. Anonymous9:16 pm

      I was thinking the same thing! I hope there´s a better vet out there!

      Just to think of the ordeal: an old, sick dog in an unfamiliar enviroment, no food since the night before, no water all day, waiting for hours to be prepped .. a concerned owner also waiting, who is informed BY THE END OF THE DAY to pick up his dog without surgery! Serously??!? Who does that??
      That´s beyond mismanagment! That´s outrageously unprofessional and cruel!

      So sorry you two had to go through this and I hope you will feel better really soon.
      Alexandra

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  29. Agree beautiful voices. So sorry about the op though - no excuse for that or for the treatment you got.

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  30. I feel sorry for you both. If the doctor messes up my appointment,I’m fine, but mess up my dog’s and stress him out more, and the wrath of hell will be felt by all.

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  31. I really do know the feeling. My cat Widdy suffered because the bleeding vet thought it was a bank holiday. I got some free home treatment as a result, after I told them that my cat went berserk in cars. That was Widdy's first and last car drive.

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  32. I would have complained, but I think I'm much more tactical than you.

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    1. I have complained to the senior vet on the phone

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  33. Thank you for your comments
    I haven't really had time to answer most of them
    The walking Dead kinda took over too....

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  34. John,
    Sorry about your problems at the vet. How frustrating that must have been. The benefit for me was you publishing this beautiful piece of music. You always post the best music on your blog; music I have not heard of before. I love this. Thank you. I watch the innocent kids singing this song so beautifully and I get a bit sad because of all of the injustice in the world. These children seem to make everything okay. Thanks.

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    1. Watch the film mick ....as a teacher I suspect you will see a great deal in it as it is set in a boy's school

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    2. Hopefully there are subtitles as my French is terribly rusty from not using it for so many years!

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  35. Anonymous12:01 am

    I would write a letter to the Vet and address the issues. You and Mary should not be treated in this manner. Demand a response. Hold these people accountable. Your choral selection is outstanding. Thank you for sharing. Take care. Susan

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  36. Lovely piece of music.

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  37. The last place I would think that would show no empathy is a vet's office. The receptionist is in the wrong job. However, she also might have been going through her own misery although that is no excuse.

    Music sooths the soul.

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  38. For sure, have a conversation with the vet.
    Customer service and empathy seemed to have vanished here as well!
    Thank you for the music . . .

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  39. That must have been frustrating for you, and hard that your girl had to starve all day.

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  40. Sometimes these things happen but should be treated with courtesy and compassion. My best friend works as a vet nurse and as an animal parent and owner herself would fully understand the stress and worry you would have experienced and empathised. When I told her of your experience she was as horrified as I.

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    1. How is the fair Mary today?

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    2. She's ok,VC was hungry xx

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    3. Bless her, pleased to hear she's not suffering too much.

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  41. It's a beautiful piece of music. I hadn't heard of the film but have ordered a copy (with subtitles) so thank you for posting the video.

    I hope you received a satisfactory explanation from the vet when you phoned in.

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    1. It's a lovely gentle film reviewed a few years ago here x

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  42. How annoying for you and Mary. I'm sure she didn't appreciate having to spend the day there for no reason.

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