On particular mornings, the sun beams, a choir of birds serenade, and my soul is full of boundless optimism and goodwill toward my fellow earthly inhabitants. Then there are those mornings. Those mornings, which more often than not, fall on Saturdays. Mornings where I emerge already depleted over a work week and just pray to get through this last day as smoothly as possible.
It takes more than great service to retain clients in today’s competitive pet grooming industry. More than ever, it’s important to build credibility and trust with your own client base so they know that not only are you a grooming expert, but that you care about your customers, too. Email Marketing Campaigns are the easiest ways to keep your business in front of your customers and ensure they continue to use your services rather than a competitor’s.
How to Retain More Clients with an Email Marketing Campaign Read More
Have you ever gone to your dentist for a filling, an extraction, or a root canal and when the dentist entered the exam room you notice that he is wearing stained, tattered jeans and a shirt that looks like he slept in it? As he begins to work on you, he says, “I’m just going to hold an ice cube on your tooth to numb it…It works almost as well as a shot of Novocain.”
Look at Yourself Through Your Client’s Eyes Read More
Check-in, wash, dry, clip, check-out. Seems like every work day can be a fast-paced and hectic experience for you and your grooming pets. Many times it can even be difficult to remember the exact interaction with each pet because you are in such a hurry. Trends have changed though, many of our grooming clients are expecting their pet to receive a full-on spa experience, the same as what they would get when visiting a human spa.
How to Build a Loving Bond Read More
Back when I was a baby groomer, a client walked into the shop where I was working with her two dogs. I had the client cards already out and knew what to do!
Client: You’re new. Is Katie here?
Me: No, unfortunately she is no longer working here.
Client: Ok, do the same thing as last time.
Setting Client Expectations Read More
More Important Than You Think
Almost everyone has a favorite restaurant. A place you love to visit and tell your friends about. Of course, that restaurant has to serve great food, but a lot of restaurants out there sell wonderful food. To become your favorite, and to win your loyalty as a patron – they have to do more.
It is a sad fact that many hurt feelings are caused by very simple miscommunications. One person says something, believing that they are being crystal clear with their words. The person they are talking to misunderstands what was said and feels unhappy. In our line of work, misunderstandings can carry additional emotional weight because people love their pets very much, and can become very sensitive if they believe their pet care professional harbors negative feelings about their dog or cat.
What You Said. What They Heard. Read More
After 30 plus years of grooming you would think that I’ve pretty much seen it all as far as unwilling grooming customers. I’ve certainly had my share of dog owners who don’t want to give up their precious pet for an hour or two as they get groomed. Honestly, you’d think they were sacrificing their first born when they have to leave them with me for a bath and haircut.
“My groomer hates me, she told me so!” This was the introduction I received as a man, his wife and their dog barreled through my salon door one morning. I blinked at them, surprised, so many thoughts racing through my head at once. Why did their groomer hate them? Who was their groomer?
The Client from Yelp! Read More
How do you get new grooming clients? Most of mine have either come from seeing a dog I groomed and talking with the owner, or often something I’ve said to a dog owner who repeated it to another dog owner. For example, as I get to know my clients, I always ask how the dog is at home, and, in so many words, if the owner is happy with the dog’s behavior.
Stuff I Tell My Clients Read More
It’s the second Friday of the month. The second one always starts out pretty much the same as the one two weeks later. You see, twice each month on Fridays I have a lady who brings in her Terrier mix for his appointment. Along with the dog comes a bag of treats. Not for the dog, but rather for me.
Have I Got a Gift for You! Read More
Sometimes a customer is unhappy with your grooming. In my experience, a huge percentage of the time this is due to the pet owner having an expectation of what the end result of the groom is going to look like, which is different from what the experienced groomer knows the pet will look like. Here is an example: A customer comes in with a 9 month old Shih Tzu puppy for its first groom. The dog has not been brushed or combed since birth and is encased in some very impressive matts and tangles.
The Art of Setting Expectations Read More