Your poor girl must have felt miserable.
Yep, VCA (mars) is snapping them up as fast as possible.
One question about your decision is if they would even notice. Doesn’t sound like they are very tuned in to you or your animals as individuals. Just as part of the client base, receiving routine mass communications.
This is another relationship where clients tend to have one provider, but the provider has many clients. The client feels the relationship far more intensely than does the provider.
I agree that it isn’t worth burning a bridge over, in case you need them at some future time. Or just use them for routine stuff, and other practices for the real needs.
If they would even know you burned a bridge! They may get a handful of huffy messages "we are changing to a different practice because … " every week and just round-file them. If the client comes back, there is no common memory of the huffy-quit of some time ago. Possibly.
Just want to say as someone who used to be that front desk person, thanks for this attitude. It SUCKS and people can be SO MEAN. For sure one of the hardest jobs I’ve had.
FWIW, if they’re having such a hard time fitting people in, they’re probably super overwhelmed and already know it’s an issue. It’s no more fun for them to tell you no than it is for you to hear it. I would just say thanks for checking in, I’m going to be using other clinic for now, could you please forward. And leave it at that. They won’t be offended.
Not relevant to you necessarily, but as a general note- if you(g) have real negative feedback, call and ask to speak to the practice manager/owner. Taking that feedback is part of their job.