Top Rated Local® is pleased to announce that Old Shell Animal Hospital is a 2019 award winner for veterinarians in Alabama!
If you’re looking for compassionate, professional veterinary care for your pet, look no further than Old Shell Animal Hospital in Mobile.
Old Shell Animal Hospital has received hundreds of reviews on four verified sites with an average rating of 4.93 stars, earning them a stellar Rating Score™ of 97.26 and two 2019 Top Rated Local awards — one for ranking among the top 100 businesses in Alabama and one for ranking among the top 10 veterinarians in Alabama!
Here’s just one of their many five-star reviews:
“These folks really care about relationships and their customers. [They offer] integrity [and] genuine, expert vet care. This is a top-notch group run by a professional, caring and committed veterinarian. Five stars to Dr. Cross and her team!” – Kirsten R.
Not Your Average Veterinary Office
We sat down with Dr. Mary Katherine Cross, the owner of Old Shell Animal Hospital, to find out what sets Old Shell apart from other veterinary clinics in Mobile and in Alabama as a whole. Here’s what she had to say:
“I abhor a poorly run doctor’s office. It is rare to feel as though your time is valued at any point during the experience. Appointments can stretch on and on for no apparent reason, other than poor use of time. As a result, I instill into my staff that we must be efficient in all that we do, from scheduling to checking out.”
Dr. Cross says that her commitment to communicating with her clients also helps them to stand out:
“Communication, while a basic concept, seems to be very difficult for people in the medical field. I am fortunate that I like to explain diseases and treatments to my clients. I do not get bogged down in dazzling them with long words. Most things can be explained rather easily with the proper metaphor or anecdote. Fortunately, this is a skill that I have focused on developing throughout my entire professional career.”
We also asked Dr. Cross why she does what she does and how she works to make the world a better place. Here’s her reply:
“My mission is to help my patients have the best quality of life that they can. I accomplish this goal by building a strong relationship with their owners.”
Building Success by Focusing on Quality Care and Customer Service
Dr. Cross credits Old Shell Animal Hospital’s strong online reputation to their consistent focus on providing quality care and next-level customer service for their patients and clients:
“Our online reputation is a bi-product of our focus on not only quality medicine but also customer
service. We are also lucky to have such great clients in a wonderful and eclectic neighborhood. Our job is to educate our clients, so that they can make an informed decision for their pet. I see our relationship as a partnership. As a very small veterinary clinic, containing myself as the sole-practitioner and owner, we do not have the longest hours. However, we strive to know our clients and patients when they walk in the door or call us on the phone. We invest in our relationships. It is my hope that this coupling of current medicine and old-fashioned customer service outweighs the fact that I cannot be available 24/7. I believe that our reviews online reflect our pursuit of excellence.”
There are so many other business owners out there looking to grow their business and build their online reputation. Here’s Dr. Cross’s expert advice for those business owners:
“Online reviews can be simultaneously wonderful and terrible. It is always difficult to hear a critique from a dissatisfied customer. It is even more difficult when someone uses the threat of a bad review to extort a business. We have been very fortunate to have, thus far, very few incidents when a client has tried this game. Try to intervene in situations early so that they do not reach the negative review stage. While uncomfortable, a phone call and the ability to air their grievances is generally all that’s needed to diffuse the situation. I try to admit fault when it is ours, apologize and adjust policies/protocols where needed. However, I will not cave to blackmail. Most rational people can tell when a reviewer is irrational or unbalanced.”
Congratulations to the team at Old Shell Animal Hospital for being a 2019 Top Rated Local award winner, and thank you so much, Dr. Cross, for taking the time to speak with us!
For veterinary care you can rely on in Mobile, we highly recommend Old Shell Animal Hospital. Visit their website today!
