Sometimes you get those clients that give you a bad feeling right in your gut, right? This lady was one of those. After two grooms I finally felt comfortable around her. Unfortuneately for some reason I cannot remember, she had canceled her Nov apt. I found a spot where I could groom her two schnauzers the week of x-mas. She calls me yesterday to cancel that appointment due to a family member's death and the memorial service would be for that day (two weeks later, odd usually it would be the week of). She asked if I could help them out by grooming her dogs another day. I told her I couldn't until Jan. (I already am grooming dogs on my days off, plus making and selling gingerbread houses, I can't work myself 24/7).
So her reply, not word for word, was that she wishes she could support local business but it seems I can't work with her schedule so she will have to find someone else. (mind you this is the lady that was going to tell the vet, who referred her, I wasn't taking new clients because I book out 5-6 weeks in advance new client or current) So I lost her as a client yesterday.
Today, another client called me. He has two shih tzu pups, one is 10 mths and the other is 7 mths. I have been their only groomer. 10 mth old I have groomed 10 times, and a little more than half for the 7 mth old. I love these dogs, I love puppies. Anyway the dad called me to tell me that they want to cancel all future appointments and wished me a merry christmas. I was like what? what happened? he mention how they don't seem like they want to go for rides in the car, or when they said lets go for a ride they hid under the bed. So basically he is saying he feels that the pups are unhappy coming to me for grooming so they will go somewhere else. I was shocked to where my voice was shaking and dumbfounded basically. They always said they looked beautiful, that I do a great job etc. everytime I groom them. I asked them if there was anything that I can do to keep them as clients and he flat out said no. I told him if it made him feel more comfortable they can stay for the grooms, of which they are very good for, to know that nothing bad happens. Heck I was going to set up a webcam so clients can watch but I can't get it to work with my wireless internet. Anyways, it broke my heart because I did nothing to those puppies to cause concern and to loose them as clients I am very sad. I was referred to them by a Vet that has never referred groomers before, we share many clients and she has become confident in my work to refer me. I am just shocked to loose two clients, four pups in two days!
So her reply, not word for word, was that she wishes she could support local business but it seems I can't work with her schedule so she will have to find someone else. (mind you this is the lady that was going to tell the vet, who referred her, I wasn't taking new clients because I book out 5-6 weeks in advance new client or current) So I lost her as a client yesterday.
Today, another client called me. He has two shih tzu pups, one is 10 mths and the other is 7 mths. I have been their only groomer. 10 mth old I have groomed 10 times, and a little more than half for the 7 mth old. I love these dogs, I love puppies. Anyway the dad called me to tell me that they want to cancel all future appointments and wished me a merry christmas. I was like what? what happened? he mention how they don't seem like they want to go for rides in the car, or when they said lets go for a ride they hid under the bed. So basically he is saying he feels that the pups are unhappy coming to me for grooming so they will go somewhere else. I was shocked to where my voice was shaking and dumbfounded basically. They always said they looked beautiful, that I do a great job etc. everytime I groom them. I asked them if there was anything that I can do to keep them as clients and he flat out said no. I told him if it made him feel more comfortable they can stay for the grooms, of which they are very good for, to know that nothing bad happens. Heck I was going to set up a webcam so clients can watch but I can't get it to work with my wireless internet. Anyways, it broke my heart because I did nothing to those puppies to cause concern and to loose them as clients I am very sad. I was referred to them by a Vet that has never referred groomers before, we share many clients and she has become confident in my work to refer me. I am just shocked to loose two clients, four pups in two days!
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