Scheduling Appointments

[fifi]

How do you have your appointment scheduling set up as far as drop offs and pick ups?

I am currently scheduling a dog in every hour. Owners must plan to leave the dog a minimum of 2 hours up to 4 depending on the breed and condition, unless I call them sooner to pickup. I also allow them to drop off early if they have to go to work and they can leave them all day if necessary.

[sheilabgroomer]

The way I normally do it is to have them drop off between 7:45 and 9:00 a.m. and pick up sometime after noon. We do of course have exceptions. Those that are sick, old, very nervous....etc we will schedule a special appt to work them through in about 1 1/2 hrs. This works well for us because so we don't have to keep stopping to care for customers, and then we "see what we have" and who gets which groom and what order we need to do them etc...

[Boxerfan]

We usually schedule dogs in groups, AM and PM. AM dogs are scheduled for either 8 or 9 and PM dogs are scheduled at 12 or 1. We don't have a receptionist so this way we have to stop less often to talk to someone or check them in or out. Dogs are left for 4 hours unless someone has made other arrangements, if someone really wants us to we'll call when the dog is ready instead of the 4 hours but most don't really mind to leave them that long. It also leaves us a variety of dogs to choose from and the bather can get them all done quicker this way.

[milhasavilla]

I don't really have a scheduling system, but I should! I am left waiting in between or after grooms sometimes. But I rarely have any dog there for more than a few hours - if the owners work I try to groom their dog on their days off or after hours. I like to get them in and out - But I also just have a small home biz, makes a big difference what your set up is.

[lbboop99]

I have everyone drop off between 9 and 10:30. And they can expect their dog to be here about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. I call if they are done sooner. I do make exceptions if someone has to work or whatever. But I do this part time and try to be done by 2 pm.

[Plexi]

I have them come and go within an hour. I do 3 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon.
Got to have 2hrs for a nice long lunch hour to relax, eat a lunch and most important.....play with my dog!! She loves it that I have a home shop!

[amysue2638]

I book based on appointment usually about 1 hour apart, and like you I tell them their dog will be here at least 2 hours and that I will call them as soon as the dog is done. Of course some need to leave the dog all day (which is fine with me because then I can squeeze them in throughout the day when I have time). By the time the first dog is well into their grooming, the next dog is here and can be bathed by the bather while I'm finishing up with the first dog, and so on. The process works well because there are 2 of us here, but would be very disruptive if it was just me.

[Fluffy Puppy]

I kinda have a scheduling. I take dogs every half hour from 9-11:30, but some time slots I will have 2 or 3 (sometimes more) come in. They are with me an average of 3 hours...rarely less than an hour, but no more than 4 hours.
I call the owner when I am almost done with the dog, so they can come and get them.
I leave when I am done..usually between 1 and 3pm depending on the day.

[abandk03]

I book an hour apart, I usally have them in and out in 2 hours or less. I also let them drop off before work and pick up after work. I do not get many of them. Most the clients I have is becasue they do not want their dog in a salon all day.

[PetsRus]

Just like Plexi, 3 and 3 and a 2 hour lunch but mine is incase I need to go somewhere or am running behind which happens often. Yesterday and today I did 8 each day and it is alot without a bather which I don't have all the time. Half my dogs are bath dogs and half are hair cuts.

[mary1982]

scheduling

i take 3 at 9am, 3 at 12pm, and 2 or 3 at 3pm and im usually done by 6 or 7 o clock

[plushpuppy]

OK I'm wierd, I only do one families dog at a time, so I book every hour and a half unless they have multiple pets or it's a big hairy. Part of the draw of my shop is that there is only the dog that I'm working on in the shop. The only time this does not happen is when customers are late picking up or they cross coming and going. It really works well for me since I'm a one man show

[pamperedpups]

I try to keep it to one family's dog(s) at a time like plushpuppy. Another of my unique selling points is that I don't crate dogs often and that's because I don't keep a bunch of dogs around waiting around to be groomed.

[fifi]

i take 3 at 9am, 3 at 12pm, and 2 or 3 at 3pm and im usually done by 6 or 7 o clock

Your hours sound more like mine, Mary, except I start at 8:00 and ususally finish by 5:00 if my day is full. I have several regulars who work the same days that I do so I will come in earlier if they need to get to work. I try to do 6 grooms and a couple of baths or 7grooms with no baths. I count large dogs as 2 grooms. I don't have a bather.

[Mo-N-Me]

I have tried many methods.

I prefer booking time slots, every hour and a half. I try to do each dog start to finish. It cuts down on kennel time, dogs are in and out quickly, and its less stress not having the next one waiting. Also, if you finish early there is time to clean up between grooms. It's not so rushed in this manner.

However, I am going between two shops at this point...so I'm stock piling every half hour, 8:30, 9, 9:30...finishing then heading to the next store...where again there is the 1:30, 2, 2:30 or more.

The other girls that work in my first location like them scheduled an hour apart.