Just wanna vent...

[henrythe8th]

I have this client who is a semi pita. Like a lot of them they started off being super nice and now they have just turned into somewhat demanding. Not on the groom, but how soon will they be finished when they bring them in. Prebooks the entire year, but there are days I am closed due to seminar, vacation, or whatever reason...this irritates her as well as she has to 'pick' a different day. She called the other day and a dog she brings in with the other 2 for nail trim is scooting...she calls the vet and they tell her anal's need to be done...well you all probably know what is coming next, lol....OF course, vet will charge her an office visit and whatever the charge is to do the glands...soooo... she calls me and asks if I will do them...throughout the course of the conversation I quickly figured out she expects that I will just do them with the nail trim and then she doesnt have to pay the OV at the vet....Honestly, this irritated the heck out of me. I do have a charge for doing them, but I know she is expecting me to do them for little or nothing. I get saving money when you can, but when I charge her my fee, she is going to be ****** about it.
I know it sounds trivial, guess you just have to know this woman and have had the conversation....
Oh I am gettin crabby in my old age, lol.

[ferretlov]

I would probaly charge her double the normal fee.
we charge a nominal fee WITH a groom or bath. 'JUST'the anals are double that.

[Makere]

ive had the same problem before with a client. She came in telling the techs that ive done nothing but glands on her dog before and never charged her a dime. Not only ws she a liar ( i would never not charge....at least for her) I had only groomed the dog twice. So when i got to the desk i flat out told her that i WOULD NOT do glands on a dog without bathing it afterwards. Im sorry i hate smelly butts lol. And the price of my baths was only a couple of bucks cheaper then a office visit so she needed to decide or leave. I cant stand people who lie or try to push their way into things.

[SwissNChow]

Now, why would you do anal glands only? You know they always get that smell into the coat, so I would think it would require a full bath after doing the anal glands in the tub. By the time she pays for the bath, nail trim, anal glands, and the emergency fee for fitting the dog into your schedule quickly, maybe she'll just decide to go to the vet...

Then again, if you really like the client, they are steady and you need the business and don't want to risk losing the client, you grin and bear it, do the anals, and send the stinky dog out the door.

[PetsRus]

THey have to have a bath at our place to get anals done.

[henrythe8th]

I know why I got so irritated. She was leaving huge 'holes' in the dialogue leading up to requesting me to do the glands. Near the end of the conversation I even said something about having the groomer do it because the vet charges on OV. She was trying to be deceptive, like I am too dumb or naive to figure it out.

[sheilabgroomer]

I know why I got so irritated. She was leaving huge 'holes' in the dialogue leading up to requesting me to do the glands. Near the end of the conversation I even said something about having the groomer do it because the vet charges on OV. She was trying to be deceptive, like I am too dumb or naive to figure it out.

Call the vet to find out what the charge for this service would be and charge the same....lol...she would looooove that!

I also wouldn't do the glands w/out bathing the dog. If you should happen to send the dog out w/a bit of gland matter on him and it gets on her car or couch you may be fighting not to pay for a cleaning bill.

If you haven't already done the glands, call her up and tell her that after thinking about it you won't do the glands w/out bathing the dog because of the mess and stink. Then tell her your price and leave it up to her if she wants you to do this for her.

[Hello Kitty FTW]

THey have to have a bath at our place to get anals done.

Same. It just wasn't worth the hassle otherwise.

[Beanermom]

I hate it when that happens!

I have clients like that- however, after so many years in business (so many, many years-lol!) I have to admit to myself that whenever I start to feel irritated and like they are going to take advantage, it's because I am considering LETTING them take advantage. Just because they expect things, doesn't mean they get them, (I tell my seven year old that all the time:0)and if I am matter of fact about it and true to what I need, then I won't feel taken advantage of, I will feel empowered. If they want to go somewhere else, so be it (they never do- they know where they've got it good!) and if they complain, I just smile, and repeat my policy/price/need to change a date they made a YEAR ago! :0)

Hope that helps.

[MydogMissy]

It's YOUR business. Do what you think is best for your business. You don't need her.