Among the veterinarians someone searching in Oakland, CA is shown, the median listing we read carries 256 reviews, and the most-reviewed carries 1495. That listing belongs to OakVet Animal Specialty Hospital, which answered 7 of its last 10 reviews. East Bay Veterinary Clinic, on a listing of 492 reviews, answered 10 of its last 10, and VCA Broadway Animal Hospital, on 391, answered 6 of 10. The median veterinarian we read is rated 4.5.
Pet boarding reads differently. The median boarding business we read carries 46.5 reviews and a 4.9 rating, and the three most-reviewed boarding listings carry 777, 473 and 287. Among the boarding businesses, The Pack, Fruitvale answered 10 of its last 10 on a listing of 163 reviews. Happy Hound Play & Daycare, Inc. answered 9 of its last 10 on 473, and Citizen Canine answered 2 of its last 10 on 287.
Among the pet groomers we read, the median listing carries 87 reviews and a 4.6 rating, and the three most-reviewed carry 777, 473 and 133. Happy Hound Play & Daycare, Inc. appears among both the groomers and the boarding businesses named here, with the same 9 of its last 10 answered. We can name no other groomer answering, which is not the same as saying none did: we read 20 groomers, and we can't say how many of them could be measured.
For comparison, the benchmark measured here is 68: a typical measured business answered 68% of its recent reviews. That figure comes from 35 businesses across all trades together, not pet businesses alone. The reply figures on this page describe each owner's most recent handful of reviews; the review counts and ratings describe each listing's whole history, and the two should be read separately.
What to do about it
Open your own listing and count how many of your last 10 reviews carry a reply from you. That is the same measure behind every reply figure above, so you can set your number directly beside East Bay Veterinary Clinic or The Pack, Fruitvale at 10 of 10, Happy Hound Play & Daycare, Inc. at 9, and the benchmark measured here of 68%.
If the count is low, start with the next review that comes in and answer it, then keep answering each one after it. Thank the person by what they said, not with a stock line, and keep it to a few sentences. A reply is the one part of that exchange you write. If a review is critical, answer it calmly and plainly, without arguing the details in public; the reply sits on your listing under your name.
Pet grooming
| # | Business | Answered | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happy Hound Play & Daycare, Inc. | 9 of 10 | 473 | 4.7 |
Pet boarding
| # | Business | Answered | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Pack, Fruitvale | 10 of 10 | 163 | 4.9 |
| 2 | Happy Hound Play & Daycare, Inc. | 9 of 10 | 473 | 4.7 |
| 3 | Citizen Canine | 2 of 10 | 287 | 4.9 |
Veterinarians
| # | Business | Answered | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bay Veterinary Clinic | 10 of 10 | 492 | 4.2 |
| 2 | OakVet Animal Specialty Hospital | 7 of 10 | 1495 | 4.6 |
| 3 | VCA Broadway Animal Hospital | 6 of 10 | 391 | 4.5 |