Trying new sign for closing time

[Boxerfan]

We're trying a little experiment at our shop. There are so many days that folks don't come back for Fluffy or Fido at the appointed time and leaving us waiting around when we could be going home, I know customers are probably confused when one day we close at 4 pm another at 5 pm but essentially we don't have set 'hours' since we work by appointment only. I can tell a client 4 and maybe they won't show up until after 5:00 it's very frustrating, they could at least say that it's not convenient for them and we can make other arrangement but they never do. Anyhow we bought a small dry erase board and placed it on our interior door that everyone sees. The sign says 'Closing Time Today Is....' Now hopefully there will be less wasted time and more time at home!

[eli]

could you put it on your voice mail too?

You could tell them to just call, say before 2pm, in case they forget to read the sign.

If you have a cell and a shop number maybe you could use one or the other just for that purpose in the afternoon.

Erica

[baddog]

I charge for "late pick ups", just like daycare! I remind people when they d/o and when I call to tell them their dog is finished I remind them again!

[neanea]

Well, our situation is bit different. We have set hours, but do have the occasional "late" p/u, which has made us consider charging a "late" fee. For example, the first 15 minutes late would be, say, $10 and then $5 extra each additional 5 minutes. I know that sounds steep, but we are having to pay wages to the employee that stays late and usually the clients that are late are chronically late. I believe if they thought they would have to pay more, they would make picking up their dog a priority.

As far as "closing time today is...", that seems a bit confusing to me. Since you work by appointment, maybe you could tell them to please pick up their pet by.... and let them know that any time past that would be an extra charge. Maybe use your white board for posting your extra charges for late p/u's. Bet that would get their attention

[Cosette]

At Office Max, I bought one of those signs that looks like a clock and says "Will Return." I changed the "Will Return" to "Today's Closing Time." I too hung the sign on my door so clients can see it as they exit. Above the clock sign is the following note, "Please be available to pick up your pet(s) within 1/2 hour of finish time. A late fee will be charged for pets not picked up by today's closing time."
Sheri

[Raggs]

At the shop I started to groom in, we closed at 2pm. My boss was strict on telling people this. The regulars were always there before 2. One day a guy didn't come to get his dog or call and I was standing right next to my boss when she told him the closing time. He said he'd be back before then. Long story short, I took the dog home with me and I think 8 or 9 pm the guy finally came to get his dog. After he saw my note and called me at 6. I lived 20 minutes from the shop.

Least to say, my boss charged him out his butt.

[PnC_GA]

My late policy

It seems to be I am not the only one with this problem. Here is how I fixed it:

"All pets must be picked up within an hour of being called Unless other arrangements are made in advance. Otherwise you will be charged $5 for every 15 minutes late. Thank you in advance. company policy 2007"

that is posted really big behind my desk where I check in. seems to work so far.

[bell]

closing time

When customers drop off the dogs, we usually give them approximately time to pick up and told them we will call them once the dogs are done. When i call, I always let them know what time we close that day.(We close different time everyday) I give customers the time half hour earlier than the actual closing time. Like we close at 7pm, I would tell them we close at 6:30pm. Just to avoid someone would show up at the last min before we leave.

[Groominator]

We close at 3pm except Saturdays which are 12pm. We have had the same problems. So our receptionist is really helping. She asks the client when they drop off if there is going to be anybody available to pick up before 3 because that is when we close. Then when she calls to tell them their dog is ready she again says you can pick up between now and 3. So it has been repeated and it is working very well. If they tell us someone else will be picking up we get very firm about them relaying the closing time to whoever is picking up. We also have a $5 every 15 minutes late policy which we do enforce.

[luckydog]

The only way I solved this problem was to buy a van and go mobile