Customer Service Awards Program Examples
2009
Unsuccessful Visits
Good Visits
Less than Perfect Emails
Excellent Emails
1) Although four staff/volunteers were behind the welcome desk, they were chatting amongst themselves and no one greeted/directed any visitors as we came thru the doors. I was never approached nor a hello by anyone there in the 40 minutes I roamed the shelter. The 3 attendants in the gift shop seemed to be the only staff assisting w/questions or animals shown, but one had to ask them for help. I was given the animal's folders when I asked to see my "potential" adoptee cat/dog from their Petfinder.com list. Folders contained all information on the animal including a copy of a relinquisher's driver's license. (I never had a folder handed to me whenever I've asked to see a pet at a shelter, I didn't know why he had handed me it.) I then had to ask if I could see the cat and interact with it. No staff or volunteers were found in the general cat/dog rooms for assistance. Volunteers were out walking the dogs and yet no interaction with the public seemed to be happening. The dog I was interested in had a large "Parvo titer" sign on the run. The dog was lying on his side and not responsive to my "hi, Tootie!" and trying to get a response. My experience was one of being ignored and not active in having their animals be adopted.
2) I arrived at the shelter at 10:10am, as I had misread the hours on the website (which were listed so far below the fold on the page, I had a difficult time finding them to begin with!). When I arrived at the shelter, there was one person at the desk with many other staffers milling about but seemingly not working. When my number was called, I enquired after a pug that I had seen on the website. She told me that I would be unable to see the dog until after noon ("more like 12:15, just to be safe... we open it late sometimes")When I asked if she could tell me whether the pug was still there, the staffer asked if I had the pet's number (I did not) and she told me that she could not look the pet up without his number (which is available on the website, so I'm not sure as to why she couldn't look it up in the office). When I asked if she happened to have seen him she said she had not as "she does not go back there".
3) Staff answered the questions politely and knowledgably. However, they didn't volunteer any additional information leading to a conversation or potential adoption. The volunteer was more friendly and approachable than the two staff people. Jane, in particular, seemed inconvenienced by Mary's questions.
Here's how our visit went: We were there right when the shelter opened with about six other people. The staff unlocked the doors and went back to their tasks - no real conversation or welcome to the shelter visitors. Mary browsed the cats until she found one she'd like to get to know better. She went to the front desk to ask to visit with the cat and Megan helped her. Megan took the cat and Mary to a get-to-know room and left them there. There are no windows into this room, so you can't see what is going on inside, and yet no one checked in on Mary and the cat.
After 20 minutes, Mary asked if she could brush the cat and was told no, only volunteers or staff can do that. So, Mary went to find a volunteer to brush the cat since she wanted to know how the (long-haired) cat would do being brushed. Karen, the volunteer, indicated this was an odd request - she was unaware that the shelter wouldn't allow a visitor to brush a cat, but she grabbed a brush and went back with Mary to the get-to-know room. The cat definitely does NOT like brushing, but that's hardly anyone's fault. However, Karen left the room and also never followed up with Mary.
At this point, no one has even brought up adoption to her, given her any information on their process or showed much interest in her. Again, Mary left the room to find a staff person - this time the nameless blonde at the front desk - to ask for some background on the cat. The staff person looked up the cat's history & read it off. Mary asked about the adoption process and was given the adoption application and a brief explanation.
While there is nothing obviously wrong with any part of this process, neither of us felt welcomed. I had been hanging around in the cat/rabbit room for 45 minutes and no one asked me if I needed anything, etc. The staff seemed more interested in other tasks than the visitors and the animals, and were definitely missing rather obvious opportunities to promote adoption.
1) Very helpful. I spent a lot of time asking Robin questions about bringing a new cat into my home with my existing two. She was very patient, answered all my questions, gave me extra info I wasn't aware of (e.g., cat fencing), and took me to see the cats available for adoption. When I said I didn't want to fill out a form until I knew if I wanted to adopt, she said that was fine. Overall, she was both very informative and pleasant. If I had really been planning to adopt, I would have been very happy to do so there.
2) Heather was very knowledgeable! Most importantly, she reached out to me and offered her assistance. She was so smart about cats - their health, behavior, care, etc. She also had all the info on the adoption process and fees. Loved how familiar she was with the cats available for adoption and that she pointed out specific cats that may be well-suited to me.
3) Susan was in the reception/office when I arrived. She accompanied me into the cat room, mentioned they had kittens, and when I said I was interested in an adult, steered me first toward the seniors and long-term cats (very wise!) and then toward others. She willingly answered all questions, did break off to answered the phone when it rang but returned to me (they can pick up the phone in the cat room as well as the office), and upon leaving me with an application, sent another person (Cindy) to attend to me. They were very low-key and polite about asking questions, reviewed the application with me, asked for my veterinarian's number (which I said I could only remember part of, so I could score some time while they looked it up).The animals were clearly well taken care of. All around it was a great experience. It helped of course that it was a new facility.
4) They brought me in and asked me what I was looking for (type, temperament, color, etc.) in a cat, then provided me with a tour. After that I sat down with the cats and volunteer and cat manager, who explained several things about adoption, their process, different types of cats. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. Friendly as well.
5) Once I was assigned to Alison, she not only personally escorted me to the animal of my request, stayed with me while I interacted with the pet, asked me questions about myself and my living situation (and pet history), she got treats to help with the interaction (the dog was extremely shy) and answered all of my questions.
1) There is no Freddy on our current list. Here is how our Rescue works. There is no facility. We are all volunteers. There are about 50 of us spread all over between PA and NJ and I am the only one in NY. There are 3 different kinds of dogs on the pet list.
2) Hello
Thank you for your inquiry on Georgie. We currently have two other applications on him. Our findings on each dog are noted in their bios. We update them as we get to know each dog better while in foster care. We start with the adoption application filled out in full, vet reference, personal references, phone interview with the applicant, home visit, and then meeting of the dog if all else has cleared. Our adoption fee is $200 which includes all their vetting, heartworm prevention for a month, a small bag of the food they are on, health records, and some other items.
3) We ask $100 for dogs over 4 months old and $125 for puppies 4 months and younger and we do not accept credit or debit cards, checks will be accepted, but cash is preferred. Appointments are available between 11 and 3 during the week and between 11 and 2 on Saturdays. Later hours, or Sunday appointments, are subject to availability of adoption counselors. Note we are an all-volunteer organization so our time must be respected. Once an appointment has been agreed upon, we do hold the dog(s) in question for that appointment. I will attach the application and the directions to our facility to this email. Reggie is a nice boy, a very large one. We think he is about 2 yrs. old and have found him to be very friendly with both other dogs and people alike. He does pull on the leash and will need more leash training. We do work with the dogs on a daily basis going to and from our play yards and back to their kennels, and he has been showing much improvement in his walking on the lead. Please let us know if you would like to come and see him.
4) Susan, I only have a brief moment - at work currently. Are you in our adoption area? If so, would you fill out an on-line application from our web site. Someone will then contact you about Sarah. Thank you for considering rescue.
5) Please check his posting, usually toward the top, of who his contact person is. I maintain the Rescue website and am located in MN so I know very little to nothing about the dogs posted throughout the country. The contact person is who has the dog and can tell you about him. Good luck.
1) Hi Susan. Thank you so much for asking about Jack. He is a very nice boy. He is about 18 months old, up to date on shots and neutered. Before he came to us his previous owner had kept him tied to an engine with a logging chain. The shelter is definitely the best home he has ever had.
He is an amazing boy. He sits for treats, minds very well, comes back when called and loves to play ball. Jack is great with kids and seems to love anyone that will just spend some time with him. The only thing negative I can say about this guy is he is not a kitty lover.
We are totally volunteer and work on donation only. The donations help us pay for the medical costs and care for the shelter kids. I do require a reference to adopt and a vet reference works great.
We are not an open shelter but take appointments at your convenience. You can call me anytime and I will meet you. We are located in... and if necessary, we try to meet our new families half way to make delivery a bit easier. If you are nearby, we would love for you to come visit Jack at the shelter where he feels safe.
Will you tell me a little bit about yourself? Where are you and do you have children or any other pets. We would like Jack to have a fenced yard and be part of the family. No more chains for this boy.
Thanks so much and I hope to hear from you soon. Please check out our website. We are very small but we take extra special care of all our shelter kids.
2) Susan, thanks for asking about our girl, and I appreciate your request for adoption advice; let's begin with a little info about Wilma. She's a mature Shar-pei mix, and very much a one person dog, she tolerates other dogs, but does not see herself as one of them. She has a low to 'middlin' energy level, unless it's time for dinner, then she really ramps it up. She enjoys walking on a leash, particularly if that involves hopping in the car and riding around. She loves riding a lot, and hates getting out of the car. Period. Wilma does not like to be separated from her person for extended periods of time, which is typical of most Shar-peis. Susan, you asked some excellent questions about adopting, and I would encourage you to research the breed or breed mixes you find desirable first of all. Estimates for annual feed and vet care for any dog usually run around 800.00 or more a year, and that needs to be taken into consideration. Adopting a pet should be the beginning of a lifelong relationship, I find owning and caring for dogs comparable to having and raising children. Would you be able and willing to budget your income and time for an animal? Are you currently in a stable situation? Have you owned dogs before? Wilma's adoption fee is 85.00, and for more information about her please email me at and thank you so much for your inquiry!
3) Hi Susan,
Thanks for your interest in Callie. She is a lovely cat. She is in foster care at my house so I know a lot about her nature. Most of it is written up on her web page already.
She is not high energy...she mostly likes to lay or sit around and watch the world go by. She likes to be near her "person" usually by their side but sometimes climbs on your lap. I have noticed that she stresses easily and will get cranky when things bother her...for example, although she gets along well with dogs...(mine do not pay much attention to her), I recently was caring for an active terrier who was obsessed with her and would chase her every time she came in sight and she became quite unhappy and kind of hid out and did not want to be petted much. I now have them in separate rooms and she has relaxed a lot. It seems to me that she will do best in a quiet household where the other pets leave her alone...or preferably with no other pets and no children unless they are extremely calm and easy with her. She co-exists in the same room with my own cat and 2 terrier dogs and they just do not pay attention to each other and that is how she likes it.
I have attached our info sheet and application form. Please read it carefully and if you wish to be considered to adopt her, open the form and enter your info on it and e-mail it back to me. I will then follow-up with you as soon as we have reviewed your application and will arrange for you to meet her.
4) Hi Susan and thank you so much for your e-mail! Wendy is a wonderful dog; approximately 11-12 months old, spayed, and current on all vaccinations. She is heartworm negative and on monthly preventative. Wendy loves other dogs and is very active. She most enjoys hiking and fetch. Her biggest area of work in her training, that she needs continued work on, is jumping up. We have been addressing this in her classes and with her foster parent. She has worked on the 10 skills of the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. She is close to earning this certificate.
Wendy is in a foster home currently and we would discuss with you further questions about what you are looking for in a dog and then arrange a meeting should you wish to meet her. Our adoption fee is $150; tax-deductible, as it is a donation to the next dog in the program, for its vet care.
Please let us know what you are looking for in a dog and if you have further specific questions about Wendy. She is a great dog that would love to have a forever home. We can discuss if her personality would be a good fit for you. You can send us your phone number if you would like someone to contact you.
5) Dear Susan,
First I would like to apologize for the delay in getting back to you today due to severe storms in our area. But I do want to thank you for contacting us regarding your interest in one of our kittens, Christie. As Christie and her litter mates were found at a local dumpster, she came into our rescue at the approximate age of 4 weeks. She is now approximately 3 months old and up to date on her immunizations. As kittens are generally high energy, she is evaluated at an average/normal activity level. She is gentle and loves to be held.
Below is the link to our adoption application for your review. As our organization strongly supports spaying and neutering before adoption, the fee for Christie would include her spay and current immunizations for $60.
As we do understand that it is important to have flexible hours to increase successful adoptions, we try hard to work with the potential adopter's available hours and can be available seven (7) days a week. We recommend that you contact us first to ensure that we can be available in off hours. Our address is: Christie and all of us on staff thank you for considering her for adoption!
6) Hi Susan,
Thanks for the email. We just got Joey several days ago so I will tell you all that I know now. He was sent to me as a "spooky" dog, one who is scared of things. However, he has blossomed from the moment he got here! He is sweet, loving, and curious. He is in the process of being housebroken, which he has almost completely achieved. He seems quite intelligent. He is a really black black, shiny, if you know what I mean! Physically his most outstanding quality is the color of his eyes.....absolutely golden. It is such a contrast to the darkness of his coat. He is 4 years old, which is an average age for greyhounds to become available for adoption. Greyhounds live 12-14 years. They are often described as big little dogs because they can curl up in a little ball and be very quiet. They can also do very well in smaller places to live, like apartments.
He gets along wonderfully with other dogs. He cat tested friendly before he came up here. He has had all his shots, has been neutered, and has had his teeth cleaned. He has tested negative for heartworm, lyme disease and erlichia (sp). He has also had a bordetella vaccination, which he would need if he ever needs to be boarded at a kennel. The adoption fee is $275.00, which is only a portion of the money we spend to get all the veterinary work done and to have them transported up here from (usually) Florida.
He seems to be laid back and calm. He is affectionate, and still a little stand-offish. That is to be expected since he has been in foster care for so little time. He is, as I said, making progress every day. It's actually fun to watch. He is also good in his crate, which he is in when I am gone. That will change too, as he earns my confidence.
We have the "no small children" note on him because we don't know how he is with children. Being shy, he is, at this time, less of a good choice for people with children. This, however, could easily change and he continues his blossoming. It is usually hard to say how far shy dogs will progress. However, judging from Joey's quick advances in behavior and confidence, I feel strongly that he is going to be a great pet. I have a little female who is REALLY shy. It will take a long time before she is ready.
I would give him a little more time before meeting him. If you would like to begin the adoption process, go to our web site, copy the application into an email, complete it and send it back to me. Once I receive your application, I do your reference checks, and then call you and talk about the application, any questions you may have, and about Joey and whether you think he might be the dog for you.
Please feel free to phone me anytime. My number is. I am always here for you for questions, or whatever you may want to discuss. Our hours are very flexible since I do this from my home. I am not working at the present time, so I can be very flexible.
