Rusty is available for adoption at the Elk County Humane Society in Saint Marys, PA.
In the animal sheltering world, good customer service saves lives. Last year Petfinder visitors were surveyed regarding their experiences adopting pets. While many visitors were committed to adopting no matter what, some reported less-than-stellar experiences. (Read more about our customer service survey here.) This prompted Maddie's Fund and the Petfinder.com Foundation to promote excellent customer service through the Put Your Best Face Forward grant. Here's a list of 2009 grant winners.
This year, we have once again joined Maddie's Fund to award Petfinder shelters and rescue groups a total of $51,000 for providing great customer service. By
sending the message that it's important to take care of adopters as well as animals, we can save lives.
The first step in good customer service is to capitalize on the public's
enthusiasm for adopting by responding right way. The second step is to
make a potential adopter's experience positive and helpful.
From July 19 to September 24, we will be awarding cash prizes to Petfinder shelters and rescue groups who demonstrate excellent customer service. It is our hope that the prizes will encourage shelters and rescues to assess their customer service and improve it if it is lacking.
Here's how the Put Your Best Face Forward grant program works:
Because both Maddie's Fund and the Petfinder.com Foundation support excellent customer service, all shelters and rescue groups that were contacted during the contest will be given copies of the book Animal Friendly-Customer Smart: People Skills for Animal Shelters by Jan Elster.
Do you know a shelter or rescue group with great customer service? Tell us below!
Learn more about the Maddie's Fund customer service awards program.
View our weekly winners here!
From July 19 to September 24, we will be awarding cash prizes to Petfinder shelters and rescue groups who demonstrate excellent customer service. It is our hope that the prizes will encourage shelters and rescues to assess their customer service and improve it if it is lacking.
Here's how the Put Your Best Face Forward grant program works:
- Rescue groups -- Check your e-mail!
Each week, an "adopter" (really a representative from the Petfinder.com Foundation!) will e-mail three randomly selected Petfinder member rescue groups with questions about an available dog or cat posted on Petfinder.com.
If helpful information is provided about that animal within 24 hours, the rescue group wins $500. - Shelters -- Answer the phone!
Each week, an "adopter" will call three randomly selected Petfinder member shelters with questions about an available cat or dog posted on Petfinder.com.
If a live person answers the phone and provides helpful information about that animal (or connects the caller to someone who does), the shelter wins $500. - Shelters -- Be there with a winning smile!
An "adopter" will visit one randomly selected shelter in a different state each week.
If the "adopter" reports that the experience at the shelter was positive, pleasant and helpful, the shelter wins $2,000.
Because both Maddie's Fund and the Petfinder.com Foundation support excellent customer service, all shelters and rescue groups that were contacted during the contest will be given copies of the book Animal Friendly-Customer Smart: People Skills for Animal Shelters by Jan Elster.
Do you know a shelter or rescue group with great customer service? Tell us below!
Learn more about the Maddie's Fund customer service awards program.
View our weekly winners here!
