Client satisfaction in equine veterinary practice: A structured review and qualitative synthesis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The pressure on equine veterinarians to provide services that meet with a client's demands, that is, realizing client satisfaction, is considerable. AIM: The aim of this paper is to analyze existing literature, with a view to distill the most relevant components for client satisfaction in equine veterinary practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A structured literature search was conducted. Included papers were systematically organised and analysed using an inductive approach. RESULTS: Seven components relevant to client satisfaction in equine veterinary practice were identified: quality of care, quality of service, horsemanship of the veterinarian, costs of service, interpersonal skills, professional attitude and transfer of knowledge. DISCUSSION: The limited amount and variable quality of available records regarding client satisfaction in equine veterinary practice are the main limitations of this study. CONCLUSION: The seven categories identified are likely to play a fundamental role in achieving client satisfaction in equine veterinary practice. Additional research is required to validate these categories and relate them to different types of clients as well as map their needs and expectations, so that they can be used to assist equine veterinary professionals in tailoring customer experience to the individual client.