Table 1 Overview of the three communication types in veterinary advisory practice
Type of communication | Questions adressed | Objective | Time-character | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Person- orientated communication (POC) | Who are you? How are you? What role do you want to take? What role do you want me to take? | Development of personal relationship; building up mutual trust and understanding | Permanent | General product quality issues; Market situation; Discussions of general needs and wishes; Personal matters |
Problem- orientated communication (PrOC) | What is your problem? What do you want me to do? | Acute problem that needs attention and resolving | Momentary, transitory | Analysis and solution of a herd fertility problem. Application of "Blitz-Therapy" |
Solution- orientated communication (SOC) | What are our goals? How can we improve your performance? | Addressing longstanding problems; improving performance | Long-term | Installing a herd health scheme or a HACCP-like quality risk management approach. Constant monitoring of SCC with an intervention level |