Commission Groomers.......

[TawnyKitty]

If you are a commission paid groomer and you work for a shop thats open 8-4(not IC) do you stay until the shop closes at it posted time?

I own the shop so I like to keep it open 8-4 Tuesday thru Saturday. Sometimes I can't be there.... do I rely on my groomer to stay even though her dogs are done?

She says she doesn't mind but I feel bad. When I used to work at another shop we just closed when all the dogs were picked up. I didn't own that shop and that was the owners doing. I feel thats bad business. I don't want to miss that phone call or the customer walking just to check out the shop.

[royalfurfection]

When I was a commissioned groomer and i'm done grooming, then I left. I'm not paid to sit there. If you have an answering machine, they can leave a message, just put something nice like your hours are such and such, but if you get our machine, we are either w/a client or gone for the day. Maybe try to word it better but you get the jist. Also, you can put a sign on the door saying that all your clients have been picked up and please stop by again. I would give her the option of leaving.

[k2p1e]

I don't have very much retail (pretty bare right now) and i am the only one who works there, there i have decided I am by appt only from Tues to Sat. I will call people back and it has worked out fine. Now and then I get someone who is rude and they whine I am never in my shop. I tell yes I am, when I have appts I am there

[boxer_blues]

The store needs to have someone there the whole time that you have posted. Yes they are commissioned based but it is just as much there responsiability to answer the phone and talk to a customer that might come in with questions. It's there chance to build there own client base if your not there and there not there you have a lost oppertunity. I'm not saying to never let them go home early but some one should be there a good owner / manager knows to keep it fair between everyone but every one has to also do ther part

[Helly]

Commission is only a formula for determining how much one is paid. It isn't a definition of what one's job is. As a business owner, it's up to you to decide what your groomer's job is, put it in writing so both of you understand, then impliment it.

My pay is computed by commission. My job description includes all aspects of grooming, stocking my own supplies in the grooming room, making bows and bandannas, and time permitting, helping out with cleaning, laundry, retail sales, client counseling, and generally lending a hand wherever needed.

That said, I don't have to stay until closing. I'm only required to stay until noon if all my grooms are completed because we have a receptionist to handle check outs and phones. And I don't think of it as not getting paid for the time I'm sitting there if there's nothing to be done. I'm being paid my commission. It's just a way of figuring how much one is paid.

However, if it makes you feel better when you have to ask your groomer to stay, pay her a draw plus commission, or put her on the clock and pay her an hourly wage. It's your business. Run it the way YOU want to.

[TawnyKitty]

I have caller ID do you know 2 out of every 3 callers don't leave a message. Thats 2 potenial new clinet that are going to call the next name in the phonebook. She is a new right out of school groomer with no cliental. So when the phone rings she books them for herself.
I used to leave when I was done and my dogs went home.........I also had a cliental. I also didn't owned the place either.

[RoosMom]

When I had my shop, I paid hourly from the time the groomer who was staying to close was done grooming, ON TOP of their commission. Regardless of whether or not you think it's 'fair', it will make for a much happier employee. At my place, they would also be given different things to work on while waiting for clients to pick up or the phone to ring, such as extra cleaning, filing, making bows, etc. There is ALWAYS something to do at a grooming shop in the way of cleaning. :-) That way, I felt like I was getting my 'money's worth', and they were happy that they were being compensated.

[SwissNChow]

If your concern is missing the phone calls, why not forward the phone to your cell or home phone? Phones can be answered from anywhere and people don't have to know you are not in the shop.

[bullymom]

I am a commissioned groomer and I would not be happy to have to stay for hours when I am not grooming. I think if it's important to you to be open certain hours, you should be there or your groomer should be paid for the time she stays after her dogs go home.

[blhickson]

Everybody wants it both ways! Groomers on commission should be there to to check out their dogs and meet their customers, to make sure the customer is satisfied, to answer the phone and handle questions and get appointments, and build their clientele. At least IMHO.

Stephen: It so amazing this industry at times. Whether you get paid by commission or salary or hourly, you are still an employee, so why should the job description or expectations or duties or responsiblities of the employee change? It doesn't unless you agree to it. Commission is simply a way of figuring the wage, and NEVER the way of figuring responsiblities, etc ya da ya da. It is nothing more than a FORMULA and it behooves the employer in most cases, not the employee. And back to this statement, because you are on commission NEVER makes the clientele YOURS. OMG I have to straighten this out every week in consultations. Commission is NOTHING more than a FORMULA for paying an EMPLOYEE and only POSSIBLY and rarely for an IC, extremely rare when documented right. OMG so many of you as groomers PILE on stress to yourselves for commission, and I can understand why many times, but don't overlook the way the GOVERNMENT and SYSTEM look at it, and that counts, it is simply a FORMULA and NEVER a determination for your working status or YOUR DUTIES expected. OMG, if only this was understood by so many stressed groomers.

[amysue2638]

I'm a groomer who owns a shop and has 1 groomer employee who is paid commission. In addition to grooming she helps with laundry and other tasks necessary to operate throughout the day, such as refill shampoo bottles.

When she is done grooming and cleaning up her space for the day, I let her leave. I am the business owner and it is important to me to interact with my clients upon check-in and check-out. It is in my best interest to understand what my customers want and to make sure they are happy. They are my customers, not hers. Maybe someday if/when I have a shop manager who I am very comfortable with I will leave the majority of the communication to that person, but until then it is something I feel is my responsibility.

[TawnyKitty]

When I had my shop, I paid hourly from the time the groomer who was staying to close was done grooming, ON TOP of their commission. Regardless of whether or not you think it's 'fair', it will make for a much happier employee. At my place, they would also be given different things to work on while waiting for clients to pick up or the phone to ring, such as extra cleaning, filing, making bows, etc. There is ALWAYS something to do at a grooming shop in the way of cleaning. :-) That way, I felt like I was getting my 'money's worth', and they were happy that they were being compensated.

I planned on it your way. I will have a list of thing for her to do if she can't book any more grooms for the day. I also wanted to hear everyones opinion on the subject.