How have you weeded out any clients?

[whitedog]

What's your methods?

[HoneyandChewiespal]

Sometimes I’m just not available when they need me, or the more direct approach to let them know that I think they’d be happier with a different groomer. I remember one client with a Std Poo and very very very very very exacting requirements that I encouraged to find a groomer that ‘could give their baby the devoted attention they were looking for ‘.

[IrishSetterTom]

I make my wife do the dirty work. A dog bites or tries to, they are gone. Client doesn’t keep to a schedule and calls 2x year, nope can’t groom for you anymore. Gave you a chance to get onboard.

[Emma123]

I suggest they look for a groomer who is a better match.
I do a lot of screening before visiting a client. Easier to do it before the visit than after. The change that made a huge difference was requiring all my client contact to be done by email. No calls. For some reason, all the grouchies disappeared.

[dogma]

I do as Emma and Honey suggest. Perhaps I’m not the groomer for them.

Whitedog…but is your question more to weed out specific clients, or that you are fully booked and need to weed out the more difficult dogs/clients?

[cockerlvr]

I make my wife do the dirty work. A dog bites or tries to, they are gone. Client doesn’t keep to a schedule and calls 2x year, nope can’t groom for you anymore. Gave you a chance to get onboard.

Does she hire out!?

[cockerlvr]

When I got to the point I couldn't take new people, I started weeding out dogs and/or owners I didn't want to see anymore. I used different reasons as the situation saw fit.

Nervous dog who fought me on everything? He needed a shop experience where he could have breaks plus my elbow situation just wouldn't allow all the fighting I had to go through to get him to do anything. All true

Some people didn't want to lose me and upped their appointments to my newly required minimum schedule (eight weeks).

Back problems, can't do big dogs anymore. Bye.

Now I can't wait to drop the biters. My business just isn't growing fast enough for me to do that now. I've been bit more in the last six months than I have in my entire career.

Anyway bottom line is I tailor the reason to the situations.

[IrishSetterTom]

Does she hire out!?

Funny. She from day 1 handled the client calls and schedule. At one time 8 employees 8 schedules and all day on the phone. Now it’s just me and 1 van in Vegas. I’m getting the itch to build another employee van.

[poodlefeet]

Exactly the same as cockerlvr, except shoulder pain.

[Moochie]

Does she hire out!?

LOL

[violet2]

Does she hire out!?

What a great service!!!

[10muddypaws]

I have mostly weeded out large dogs or behavioral dogs, so it was fairly easy to explain.

[Heidiho]

I have only stopped grooming over 100 pounds and helped them find another groomer.