Last week, a regular customer with an adorable Pomeranian arrived for her appointment. "Let me tell you what has been going on with my dog," she said. "She was limping, and it turned out she had Lyme disease. She's been treated and is better now, but I want to be able to find ticks on her. I want her to have a nice short haircut. I don't want her shaved, but much shorter all over." This dog is well-bred, with lovely conformation and a thick, correct coat. In the past, her grooming with us consisted of what I call a "tidy-up."
Recently, a groomer related a story about a customer complaining about her poodle/retriever mix looking "too poodlely" after her last groom. The groomer was frustrated because the pet owner could not describe what she meant. This story or similar scenarios are familiar in our industry. During an era where poodles make up part of many mixed breeds, it is confusing to us that people intentionally purchase a dog that is part poodle but steadfastly demand that their dog not look like a poodle.
It's a maddening conversation and happens far too often. It goes something like this, "Hello, Pet Owner! What did you have in mind for Mr. Fuzzypant's haircut today?" Pet Owner responds, "I want him short. But not too short." Or (a variation on the theme) "As short as you can make him, but not shaved."
Clear communication can make or break the relationship between groomers and customers. As a professional groomer, it pays to learn to read between the lines and ask questions to clarify the pet owners' desires. Developing this ability can be achieved through active listening.
A new photography app on the market is a massive hit with pet groomers. It is called PhotoRoom. You can take it for a test drive for free for a week; after that, it costs around one hundred dollars a year. This app enables groomers to snap a photo of a freshly groomed dog on their table or wherever convenient. The app then removes all the background clutter, including the grooming post and loop, the brush and piles of fur you forgot to remove from the table, your cup of coffee and half-eaten donut from the shelf behind your workstation. From there you can choose from an enormous variety of backdrops.
Think briefly about something you don't know much about, for example, the inner workings of automotive engines. If a mechanic starts telling you about something to do with a complex engine repair, chances are you will not be able to understand much of what they are telling you. For many pet owners, talking to a groomer is a similar experience.
If you work in a grooming business with other people, chances are that there will be some conflict between coworkers at some point. Conflict situations can affect people's productivity in the workplace and, if left unresolved, can cause permanent ill-will that may make one or more employees leave the business. It is difficult to find accomplished pet care professionals, so keeping harmony in the workplace is important.
You work hard and do your best, so finding that a customer has left a bad review of your business can be terribly disheartening. What is the best way to handle a review that poorly reflects your business?
Some groomers offer add-on services that customers can purchase in addition to their basic full grooming price. Add-ons are services or goods used in addition to a standard full-service groom.
There are a limited number of pets hardworking groomers can style in one day, but by selling a few retail items to your existing customers, you can quickly increase your income without adding a single pet to your busy schedule.
