How important are past or current client relationships(or confidentiality) to you?

[Babyblue5290]

No, definitely wouldn't want to go to either of those people.

I had something similair happen recently. There is only one cable company that will service my area, and they are a small company. So I went there and when I was there I had to call my boyfriend to confirm something and a technician and receptionish where sitting there badmouthing customers calling them F'ing Idiots and the such. All I could think was "do I want to deal with that?" Um....NO! I was outta there fast. As far as I'm concerned, if a customer is present you need to be polite and professional. period.

[Fran101]

Like friends who gossip about other friends, like significant others who rag on their exes... with that kind of behavior, you KNOW that if they are doing it around you, they are doing it about you. Same goes for businesses, actually even worse because that is a professional environment
and that right there is enough for me to not go to that kind of place.

My boss has a strict confidentiality policy. As a store that also does dog walking (has access to people's homes etc...) it is INCREDIBLY important to use discretion. We are NEVER allowed to talk about clients to other customers/people.

Having a shared joke among co-workers "Oh god Fluffy's mom left her vibrator in the dog leash drawer!" (yes, this has happened) is one thing. That is among co-workers and in the safety of the break room. Anybody in the dog business who says they don't talk about the people whose dogs they work with with their co-workers is very likely LYING. Dog people are strange and funny lol and yea, especially in a retail/training/close work environment, these topics come up.

Everyone has to vent and we love to dish and talk about our jobs but anonymity and discretion is PARAMOUNT. Like when I talk about my dog walking adventures to people other than my co-workers.... No real names, no location, dog's names etc.. just in case.

To start talking to other people connected to the business (customers etc..) about this stuff would send the message that we speak ill of the people we work for and that their home lives and habits will soon be the town gossip. Which is NOT a good policy.

[Shai]

Originally Posted by Fran101

Everyone has to vent and we love to dish and talk about our jobs but anonymity and discretion is PARAMOUNT.

^Exactly.

Venting in an vague anonymous way or telling a funny but non-specific story from work... hey everyone needs that.

Getting on Facebook and calling a client who came to you for help an asshat or some such thing? No. Complete lack of manners and professionalism.

You can express frustration without resorting to name-calling and ridicule. It might take a little extra effort, but it's a habit worth developing.

[Fran101]

Also, when it comes to more "personal" businesses.. like breeders.
The same rules apply IMO

Of course they have the right to be frustrated and vent about puppy buyers.
But to call a puppy buyer an idiot? to get down and dirty with mud slinging and accusations?
It's unprofessional. Totally and completely. I don't care who is at fault but I would NOT buy from a breeder who participated in that kind of personal drama crap.

Appropriate facebook status: "Reminder to all puppy owners. In section 12B of your contract it states that you WILL spay/neuter your dog before 12 months of age and that you will feed appropriate grain free dog kibble. We have had a recent incident with a puppy from one of my litters and it is both frustrating and heartbreaking to see a pet puppy I have bred go on to possibly reproduce and not getting the proper diet and healthy care he/she needs. As a breeder, this is one of the worst things to deal with. By selling you a puppy, I am TRUSTING you to uphold the contract you signed. Remember, I can only uphold my commitment/health guarantees if you do your part in daily care. "

Inappropriate: "UGH!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!! SOME IRRESPONSIBLE LIAR I SOLD A PUPPY TO HASN'T SPAYED THEIR DOG AND IS FEEDING HER KIBBLES AND BITS!!!! I WISH I COULD GO PICK UP POOKIE AND BRING HER BACK HERE WHERE SHE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF! UGH SOME PEOPLE JUST CAN'T BE TRUSTED! "

A breeding program, like it or not, is a business. and i would NEVER buy anything from a business who, regardless of issue, called someone they sold something to an idiot or get down to personal attacks via the internet.

[Lyzelle]

Originally Posted by Fran101

Also, when it comes to more "personal" businesses.. like breeders.
The same rules apply IMO

Of course they have the right to be frustrated and vent about puppy buyers.
But to call a puppy buyer an idiot? to get down and dirty with mud slinging and accusations?
It's unprofessional. Totally and completely. I don't care who is at fault but I would NOT buy from a breeder who participated in that kind of personal drama crap.

Appropriate facebook status: "Reminder to all puppy owners. In section 12B of your contract it states that you WILL spay/neuter your dog before 12 months of age and that you will feed appropriate grain free dog kibble. We have had a recent incident with a puppy from one of my litters and it is both frustrating and heartbreaking to see a pet puppy I have bred go on to possibly reproduce and not getting the proper diet and healthy care he/she needs. As a breeder, this is one of the worst things to deal with. By selling you a puppy, I am TRUSTING you to uphold the contract you signed. Remember, I can only uphold my commitment/health guarantees if you do your part in daily care. "

Inappropriate: "UGH!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!! SOME IRRESPONSIBLE LIAR I SOLD A PUPPY TO HASN'T SPAYED THEIR DOG AND IS FEEDING HER KIBBLES AND BITS!!!! I WISH I COULD GO PICK UP POOKIE AND BRING HER BACK HERE WHERE SHE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF! UGH SOME PEOPLE JUST CAN'T BE TRUSTED! "

A breeding program, like it or not, is a business. and i would NEVER buy anything from a business who, regardless of issue, called someone they sold something to an idiot or get down to personal attacks via the internet.

Yep. ALLLLLLL of this.

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by Shai

Venting in an vague anonymous way or telling a funny but non-specific story from work... hey everyone needs that.

A thousand times yes. Venting with coworkers happens, but even when I vent to my husband in the privacy of my own home I usually keep things vague unless it's something that's really stressing me out and I need to give some details for it to make sense. To be honest, though, I rarely talk about work with my husband. I don't even really like to tell stories to my friends unless it's something along the lines of "I saw the cutest breed X puppy today."

[Red Chrome]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Thanks all, I was starting to feel like I was the only one who remembered how to keep a good face.

I would never buy from said breeder, utilize said trainer, or ask said groomer to touch my dogs. I don't trust people who so freely (Facebook & public blogs) throw around client names and insults.

Stardogs, btw your version that I have seen has been harmless.

Venting here and there is expected, general and anonymous is normal. However, I think a lot I people have forgotten plain old respect, not to mention they work in the public service industry.

I do vent about grooming clients on my facebook, never has a name been mentioned. Ever. I have vented about other dog related things, I don't think I have ever used names. I may have once or twice but I can't recall. I try to keep statuses general.

As far as the breeder thing goes, I have no problem outing a bad breeder or a bad buyer as long as I have hard cold evidence about them, pictures, vet reports etc. But I'm not a nice person and don't pretend to be.