You like people and you like animals. This phrase was probably on your job application, and it's what you tell people when they ask you why you chose to work at a veterinary practice. But is it true? Oh, I know you like pets, but what about people?

Here's the quick test: Do you get jazzed by offering out-of-this-world client service? It's easy to like our clients when they're nice. But your true worth as a client service professional is measured by how well you handle the grumpy, difficult, confused, and just plain bad-tempered ones.

Can you say no and deliver bad news gracefully? Great client service providers sail through these difficult conversations with the same ease and attitude they display with their favorite clients. It's easier than you think. Here are the tools you need to say no nicely.

Saying no is a lot easier once you accept that you can't accommodate everyone. The law may prevent you from meeting clients' requests or you may not have the product they wanted. Or perhaps there's no room in the schedule to meet clients' requests immediately. This really isn't a disaster.

No means no

When it comes to no, sometimes it's not what you say but how you say it. During these crucial discussions you need to understand clients' five basic needs:

• Friendliness. Stretch your mind back to those early lessons your parents taught you growing up—to treat people with courtesy, politeness, and respect. It's that easy. Friendliness at work is a choice. Bottom line: If you can't be friendly and you work in a service profession like veterinary medicine, you've chosen the wrong career!
• Understanding and empathy. Do you understand clients' expectations and communicate your empathy? This is a learned skill you develop through practice.
• Fairness. You may know you're 100 percent right, but arguing with clients only makes them feel ripped off. Instead, focus on fixing the problem. I'll often ask the client, "What can I do to make things right? Tell me what would be fair." Once a client alleged that we had mishandled a pet's ashes. When I asked how I could fix the problem, the client asked me to write an article in our newsletter that discussed the importance of communication when handling a pet's remains. And I did.
• Options and control. Clients need to feel like they're involved in the service you provide. Are you really listening when clients complain? Or do you feel your thoughts drifting as Mrs. Allen argues that she's been waiting forever and the doctor was supposed to see Fluffy 15 minutes ago? Offering Mrs. Allen alternatives satisfies her need for control. Remember, Fluffy is more than a pet—she's a family member, and Mrs. Allen wants to have some say in how you deliver Fluffy's care.
• Information. Clients need information to feel like you offer value. It's your job to educate them about their choices, your policies, and how the practice works. I recommend launching a client service training program to discuss the information clients need to know and practice delivering the news with care.