suitable equipment?????

[doggystyle1]

i just started a new grooming position at a vet clinic and well i am not so sure i know what to do about the EQIPMENT situation they have horrble dryers one very low air volume stand dryer and no drying room or tables for drying they dry everything in the tub and then put the dogs in a crate with a dryer no hand drying!!!!! you can imagine the outcome!!!! well how do i go about explaining to them the proper things i need to for a flawless finish ? they keep saying there a vet clinic first and provide grooming as a service to there customers, well im a groomer first and this is my proffesion . how do i go about getting the things i need to make them realize the potential of the salon ps other girl that works there has quite a few complaints can you guess why??? help!

[HoundLover]

do YOU bathe and dry the dogs yourself or are they washed for you and you just groom them? also...are you renting space from them or did they hire you for a grooming posistion?
Hound

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

This is a hard one, as vets can be (understandably) hard headed in this situation. I say this because EVERY groomer this animal hospital I work at has had have caused them a lot of grief. They were not reliable, they left early and just wanted to get in and get out, and finally they stole the client list. The last groomer was known as "a very nice guy" but he had more complaints than any other groomer I've ever met.

So then they hire me. = : O Yikes! There were two commander dryers, and these LOUSY cages that were wire all the way around so the dogs could fight amongst each other, as well as lean back against the back of the cage and the grate would slide forward, making it the lower kennel accessable to them! It was BAD!

I worked with what I had (and thankfully NO St. Bernards, newfies, Great Pyr. etc!!!), but I did groom one Bernese Mt. Dog that was so well taken care of that the commander worked just fine. I worked with what I had and proved myself, and then I went to my boss.

I told her I cannot do big dogs without a more powerful dryer. I just can't do it, my back will give out. And I'd have to charge a fortune for doing all the brushing that the dryer would normally be doing for me. Members of this forum suggested making a list of reason why I needed the dryer (ie: Efficiency = more money in their pockets too, not just mine). I wrote the lowest price I could find on a Metro Master Blaster and presented it to my boss to show the owner of the animal hospital. He caved. Of course, I had her (practice manager) to back me up.

The cages? Well, I told the head doctor about my former boss selling VERY nice fiberglass cages for $500 (regularly $2159!), but he didn't bother to tell the owner of the animal hospital. FINE. I saved my own tips and bought them and now they're MINE!!! Here they are (enter your zip code): http://www.petedge.com/shopping/prod...iProductID=980

The shampoos? I make it simple and tell them I'll order all my supplies (ear cleaner, shampoos, including some for RETAIL so they can make money off of the professional stuff) from the same company.

If this doesn't work, save your tips and buy your own dryer first and foremost. You can't work without a good dryer. Actually, after re-reading your post, I'd say get a dryer NOW if they refuse, because you can't do quality work without a good dryer. Good grief, how ridiculous.

For now though, do the best you can with the stand dryer and fans. Take a dog out, brush it from head to toe real quick, particularly the head and feet and then put it back in the kennel to finish drying. This will help separate the hair.

I'm sorry your vet doesn't understand. Tell him "Yes, you're right. It IS a service. It's BAD Service, the customers are the ones being cheated."

Tammy in Utah

[pamperedpups]

Edited.

[Pixie]

All I can say is good luck. I have never been in that kind of a situation. When I worked for a vet (not a groomer yet, just B&B) they had some nice equipment. Stainless steel cages, nice dryers and the other things I needed to use just to do a good bath, nothing fancy.

Follow Tammy's suggestions and maybe you'll come out ahead.

[Helly]

As already mentioned, address the bottom line. A more poweful dryer or two will decrease drying time, which results in the ability to do more dogs in a day. More dogs groomed equals more money. A good way to present this is to suggest that one extra dog a day equals $$$ more a week. Subtract out your commission (if you're paid commission). In XX weeks, the dryer has paid for itself.

Another point to make is that their clients have come to expect a certain level of service from their vet. They'll expect the same level of service from the vet's groomer. Suggest that the vet is providing a highly competent medical service, and the grooming service provided should be equally competent and of the highest quality. If the groomer cannot provide that level of service due to lack of good equipment, it will eventually reflect poorly on the entire practice.

Then head back to the bottom line. High quality service should be priced accordingly, and that increases the bottom line.

Always keep that bottom line in the front of their mind.