My name is Shelton Snow and I am the Owner of Snowstorm Bullies. For the last several years Snowstorm Bullies has been widely known as one of the most successful American Bully breeders in the country. We have opened seven (7) locations across the United States and two (2) additional camps in the United Kingdom. Our headquarters is based out of Long Island, NY, where we professionally train and breed more than 20 Champion-bred American Bullies. I have been a registered breeder since 1997, but I have been working with K-9’s since 1984.
On June 7, 2021, one of our adult males developed a cut on his front paw. His injury concerned us to the point that we sought medical attention from our “preferred” animal hospital, which was Bellport Animal Hospital, located at 250 Sunrise Hwy, East Patchogue, NY 11772. With 18 veterinarian services within a 5 miles radius, I decided to make Bellport Animal Hospital our dogs’ emergency/first-aid clinic for the last 5 years. The following day (June 8th) we were able to land an appointment for our injured male, whose name is Junior. At Bellport Animal Hospital, Junior was seen by Dr. Nana Kramer. Dr. Kramer conducted an Aerobic Culture and Sensitivity procedure ($195), treated Junior’s wounds ($25), and prescribed twenty 500-milligram pills of Keflix ($19). The office visit was $65. I had a credit balance of $10, therefore my total bill was $294. On June 11th Junior had a follow up appointment where she prescribed 16 more pills ($16.00), conducted a recheck exam ($50), and changed his wounds ($25). My total bill for this appointment was $91.
On June 14, 2021, at 10:22 AM, I received a call from Dr. Kramer (while I was attending a business meeting) informing me that Junior’s test results were in. She informed me that 3 different types of infections were found. As a remedy, she instructed us to discard the Keflix because 2 of the 3 infections found would be unresponsive to it. She proceeded to advise me that twenty-one 100-milligram pills of Zeniquin was the medicine needed to cure the infection and that Keflix is futile. She further advised me that Junior’s new prescription would be ready for pickup in approximately 1 hour after our call. I advised my Kennel Master, Ms. Watkins, of this change and later that day she picked up the Zeniquin. I was charged $210 for twenty-one 100-milligram pills of the Zeniquin.
As I tallied up the bills incurred over a 6-day period, I became increasingly unhappy about the $595 I spent to finally receive a viable cure. I understand office visits and the charge of treating wounds as they relate to animal emergency services in my local area. However, I was not happy that I purchased 2 separate bottles of Keflix and then being told to discard it the next business day. Keep in mind that the total charges for the Keflix was only $35 of the $595 spent, which is less than 6% of my total bill. The $35 spent was not the greater of my concern, but it was the principle of being stuck with any amount of unnecessary charges. Again, the office visits, the cost per hour spent bandaging and rebadging Junior’s wounds, and the biopsy was an unavoidable charge because it comes with the territory; but I wanted a credit for the Keflix in the amount of $35. As you will read below, I didn’t get a chance to make that request because I was highly disrespected and belittled by Dr. Nana Kramer at Bellport Animal Hospital.
After my business meeting, at 1:57 PM I called to have a clear understanding as to why Junior was prematurely prescribed antibiotics that was purposeless to his condition. I spoke to a receptionist who refused to allow me the courtesy of speaking to Dr. Kramer (for whatever reason), so I requested to speak to someone in billing. Again, it was apparently her job to screen my call and/or to assist me with my concern, so I stated my concern directly and firmly. Because of my consistent and long-lasting relationship with Bellport Animal Hospital, I was cognitive of my tone, yet I intended to tactfully and respectfully address my concern. After stressing my concern to the receptionist, I asked her to have Dr. Kramer contact me regarding these prescriptions and charges. I was passionate, straightforward, and direct while speaking with the receptionist, but she identified me as being rude and obnoxious to Dr. Kramer.
At 8:09 PM Dr. Kramer returned my call. From a very soft position, I begin stating that I do not understand why we were prescribed Keflix and then asked to discard it because it turned out to be unnecessary, but Dr. Kramer rudely cut me off. With an extremely discourteous tone, she asked me “How much do you know about microbiology and virology” (something of the sort) and I replied, “I know a little.” Then she replied “Well apparently not so let me explain it to you”. She then proceeded to throw a list of standard practices from the canine and human medical field regarding procedures and medical testing in the obvious attempt to belittle my intelligence. Then, she asked me if I understood, and I replied “I understand a little” after which she replied rudely to basically insinuate that I didn’t know anything. I asked Dr. Kramer, “Why are you so defensive and rude?” She said, “Because you went off on my receptionist and you were very rude to her.” She then began to elevate her tone and relay to me that her receptionist thought I was rude and too direct. She indicated that she did not appreciate how I spoke to her receptionist.
Dr. Kramer raised her voice at me and constantly spoke over me as I attempted to enter a peaceful and respectful exchange with her. She seemed very irritated, short-tempered, and short-fused. She lacked professionalism and proper customer service skills when dealing with my concerns as a reoccurring customer. During the exchange, I informed her that I have 23 years of experience professionally breeding and training canines, so I am thoroughly aware of veterinarian services. She responded, “Well I have 25 years of being a doctor!” I found myself stuttering to stress my grievances because she kept cutting me off! I was appalled. Her aggressive reprisal towards me stressing my concerns was unethical as a doctor and as an agent in the customer service industry. Had I known that the receptionist would be this sensitive and Dr. Kramer would be this rude towards a loyal customer who had dumped tens of thousands of dollars a year into their business, then I would have chosen one of the other 18 animal clinics within a 5-mile radius of my breeding facility. Had I known that I could not freely inquire about the services and fees of Bellport Animal Hospital, then I would have sought services elsewhere.
At the height of her crude and temperamental acknowledgements to my partial responses, I plainly asked her, “Would you like to have this conversation tomorrow when the tension between us has subsided?” I asked her this on 2 separate occasions, and she furiously replied, “No-- I’m fine talking about it now.” I literally tried to end this unprofessional exchange, affording the opportunity for Bellport Animal Hospital to avoid a complete and utter service failure by restoring my confidence in them, but she insisted that we continue this argumentative path, which led to no resolution. I have decided to leave Bellport Animal Hospital with no intentions of ever returning or recommending them to the hundreds of customers I serve (in just Suffolk County alone). Why? Over a bad-mannered and condescending doctor and $35, which was less than 6% of my total bill.
Nana Kramer, as a customer service agent in an industry with a long list of options, you really should have handled me differently. You called me with a high level of hostility, and you lashed out insults towards me because of how your receptionist perceived me. You were very rude and condescending towards me (as a reoccurring customer with a credit card on file) as you offered giving me a lesson in microbiology and virology. Therefore, allow me to kindly give you a lesson on customer service from a leadership standpoint. Even if I was rude, obnoxious, loud, aggressive, and disrespectful to your receptionist, then it is your job as a LEADER and a Doctor to listen to MY concerns, strengthen our rapport through empathy, lower your voice, respond as if all of your customers were watching, know when to give in, remain calm, avoid taking anything personal, and remember that you are interacting with a human. As a leader and/or a stakeholder at Bellport Animal Hospital, you failed to realize that your receptionist costs you money, but I (a reoccurring customer) bring you money. You failed Bellport Animal Hospital. You failed the customer service industry. You failed at having any respect on your name. You failed at retaining my business at Bellport Animal Hospital or any hospital that you are staffed at as a doctor. You were only successful in causing me to regret placing confidence in any business, such as Bellport Animal Hospital, that does not highlight customer service as the strongest ingredient of their brand.
by Shelton G Snow
xxx.xxx.211.64
June 16, 2021
