Anonymous Complaint letters

[specs4you]

I would like to know how your practice handles annonomous complains to the Dr. From time to time all practices get them regarding any random employee or just service issues. Sometimes these are generated from within the practice and delivered to the Dr by leaving it at the front door as if from a patient.

Any comments on how your Office Manger or Dr. handles these? Do they give them any attention if not signed or do they always take the author's side and bash and destroy morale with the employee/s involved?

Do any Opticians feel that sometimes they are the brunt of the complaints because we are the last person the patient deals with after waiting for hours to be seen, and going through so many employees, being exhausted and dialated and sick of it all?

[Chris Ryser]

I would like to know how your practice handles anonomous complains to the Dr.

Anonymous complaints..............anywhere, has nothing to do with optical or any other trade, are poison, that should be discarded without passing it along because they create bad blood among the staff.

If somebody can not put his name behind his comments he or her is not totally sure of what they are saying and dint want anybody proof them otherwise. :finger:

[Fezz]

If somebody can not put his name behind his comments he or her is not totally sure of what they are saying and dint want anybody proof them otherwise. :finger:

I agree.


If the letter is signed, consider the source. Who is the individual who sent it? What is the real motive? If it is from a known, lucid individual and may have some validity: address it, discuss it, and remedy it if needed...go on and don't dwell on it.

[cocoisland58]

Not once in 30 years have I ever recieved an anonymous complaint letter. Our customers if they have a complaint are quite willing to be verbal in the store.

[Johns]

If I were to get a letter (We haven't in 18 yrs.), I'd read it and see if the issues they brought up are valid issues, and address them. The only reason I would care if it was signed would be to thank the sender for the input.

[Mr_Mitchell]

Like others, I've only gotten "good" letters. If someone's angry enough to write a letter, I'd take it seriously whether they sign it or not...at least until I figure out it's one of the weirdos we encounter now and then.

[specs4you]

Poor business management. You never address anything anonymous in my opinion. Should be tossed in the can. Not worth ruining the morale or what is left of it in your office. I am sure that our management is doing this in the first place. Sad eh?

I just want to add, I never encountered this in my first profession, Accounting. Is it just a sign of the times, cultural, or what? Why when Opticians are usually the last of the actual customer service left in this sad world....are we prone to be treated so poorly? Never heard of this in the first 4 yrs I worked at another big office. If it happened it never was brought to anyone's attention. I think that is a very wise way to manage a business. If there is a patient we can contact that is different, then it is real and can be discussed. I spoke to my Dentist once in 20 yrs about one of his staff that just wasn't getting her job done and was mean to my family....he addressed it right away with me personally. I appreciated it and finally that girl left his practice....which I hear pleased more than me.
But you should have the guts if you plan to complain to step up and be known. If you are management trying to vent your jealousy on an employee, grow up and get over yourself.

Fezz....you always crack me up.

[victor]

If it isn't signed, it was never sent. It doesn't exist.

[HarryChiling]

If it isn't signed, it was never sent. It doesn't exist.

I agree that it takes a special kind of person to leave an anonymous letter, but would you rather not address a very real issue and have other customers leave as a result. I guess it's really a catch 22 situation, if your office has regular staff meetings the issue can be touched on without addressing any one person, but just as a general issue without to much attention being given to it. If your office doesn't have regular meetings you will risk alientanting a hard working employee to address a issue brought forward by a coward.

I would ignore the letter as mentioned but watch for the issue. Or bring it up in a regular staff meeting and see if anyone recognizes the patient. Of course no consequences can come of an anonymous letter, but the issue may help improve the office and in some ways this type of letter is better than a letter you do have to address with repercusions.