Nothing is worse than reaching for a gallon of your favorite shampoo or conditioner to replace the one you just finished and realizing you are out of it. Except for going for the de-matting spray that never lets you down and finding the bottle is putting out nothing but fumes, and the backupyou were sure you had stashed is missing in action.
I have two tricks to offer to help avoid situations like this. The first is to gather up a few grooming bows that are a little too ugly to put on a pet. You know, the ones... you buy a selection of bows, and most of them are great, but there are one or two that are a weird color or pattern,and you pass them over in favor of the prettier ones for months. Grab those and slip the rubber band over the lid of each of your favorite products. Save that item to open last if you have duplicates. When you grab one of those beribboned bottles, you know it is your last one, so order new supplies RIGHT NOW. (If you don’t appreciate the whimsey of ugly grooming bows, you can use rubber bands, stickers, twine, yarn, or anything that will make that last item of your stash stand out and remind you to get to the business of ordering.)
Now, when it comes to placing an order, there are a few ways to approach the task. One is to quickly order what you know you need and then realize you forgot some important stuff. Another way is to ask all your employees if they can think of anything they need and make a list. Also, you can look in all your storage spots to see what is lacking. These methods are not terribly effective and take valuable time, too. So, what is a busy groomer to do?
Create a master supply list! You can do this on paper and photocopy duplicates or slide one into a protective sleeve and use a dry-erase marker, or you can use any one of several free list-making apps available for both Apple and Android users. Just type “best list-making apps” into your search engine and choose one that appeals to you.
The next step will take a little effort, but it will save you time and money in the future. Walk through grooming a pet from the moment they enter your business until they step out the door and jot down every product you use. Then, go through every cabinet and drawer and list all the supplies you keep in them. Make a crazy, messy giant list; just get it all down. Make a note of everything from tiny hair bands and replacement clipper parts to gallons of ear cleaner and shampoo.
Your next step is to organize categories. I tend to copy the layout of the place I order from, for instance, clippers/blades, tools/equipment, shampoo/finishing, grooming apparel, and health/safety. Under each category, I list which products I commonly buy. I also leave a place for quantity. Since I know I go through “x” gallons of shampoo a month, I order what I need to keep me going for an allotted amount of time. Since many products come with a case discount, I stock up for that.
Once the master list is assembled, it is a quick task to put a checkmark next to each item as I run low, and ordering is a breeze.
Once in a while, I sit down with a favorite beverage and a snack and pretend I am at a trade show. I go through the website I order grooming supplies from, starting at page one and stopping at the end, looking for new items I have never tried and choosing one to add to my next order. Trying new things keeps work interesting, and sometimes, I find a tool that I am glad I don’t have to live without.
