I have the Pickiest customer on the planet!

[goldiphlox]

I have been grooming Lucy (little toy poodle) for 5 1/2 years now. Everytime the mom comes in she complains about something. She used to really annoy me sometimes. But other then the fact that she is soooo picky, she is otherwise very nice. So one day she came in and she said, "Laura".....in her usual tone, and I said, "What now miss picky" she started to laugh, so I told her jokingly that she was the pickiest customer that I have ever had. She says to me, (keep in mind here that she is a petite, soft voiced 84 year old woman) " I know I'm anal Laura, but Lucy's all I have and I want her to be perfect. And you know we love you." So what do you say to that. So I continue to listen to her complaints, and groom Lucy.

Today she comes in, "Laura".........."yes" I say. "Lucy was scooting her but around yesterday. Have you been doing her glands?" I said yes of course, you know I do her glands for you everytime. Maybe she just had an itch on her butt and she couldn't reach it. Haven't you ever had an itch on your butt? She says, "Now that you mention it I guess I have." and it wasn't the end of the world right?just an itch on your butt! "Yes Laura, I guess your right. Well, I can't pass her off on anyone, she won't even let anyone else take her precious Lucy in, so I guess I'm stuck with her. But at least now we can laugh about her pickiness.Do you have a particular customer that just drives you crazy?

[scullysmom]

OMGosh yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! very much familiar.

[Fur Elite]

Yes, I have an obsessive retiree with a yorkie. Same story. Every time I show up, she has a sticky note with at least 5 items on it that I did not do right the last time. Often it just changes one thing back and forth. Whatever I do, it isn't right. One time I arrived and she told me the last time I groomed fifi i cut her "WAY too short" what was I thinking and all that. Then she proceeds to tell me that this time she only wants an inch off. I had only seen the dog 6 weeks ago...so...if last time was WAY too short....how did it grow enough to merit taking an inch off in 6 weeks? I finally just started doing the same thing to the dog every time I groomed her, and each week the list was still there...always different but I noticed it didn't matter what I did, so I just do the same thing every time. About every 5 grooms she absolutely loves what I do and wants me to do the same thing EVERY time because it was "just perfect". Of course, I do the same thing... I always do the same thing, but I never say a word. Of course, she is sorely disappointed when I bring fifi back that I did NOT do the same thing as last time (she absolutely looooved it last time you know). I can see her face fall as I walk in with the dog and I think "here we go again" Whatever. Every now and then I tell her that I am tired of her complaints and that maybe she should take the dog somewhere else. Oh no, that won't do! She could never do that! She loves me. Then here comes the list.

[Helly]

Some of these people, especially the elderly, aren't really complaining. They just want someone to talk to, some human contact. It's unfortunate that they've fallen into the habit of complaining in order to get it, but I suppose a lot of people just blow them off if they aren't complaining about something, if you know what I mean.

I did recently have a chronic complainer (remember the free standard poodle groom?) that I got rid of. Some things are not worth the time, and she was one of them. I don't miss her a bit. I don't even miss her dog.

[scrubapup]

I've only had one... so far. I knew she was going to be a problem when she started bartering the price of the groom over the phone the first time I talked to her. I only groomed her dog 3 or 4 times, but every time she would call about 2 or 3 weeks later and tell me her dog was scratching itself raw. Of course, every time I groomed the dog it was loaded with fleas, and I'm quite sure the fleas were the problem, but the woman refused to believe it. The last time she called me she said the dog was scratching again and I must have burned her with my dryer. I laughed at her, because the day her dog was at my shop it was a very busy (and hot) day and her dog had been cage dried with a box fan. I think it was the laughing that pissed her off enough to never call me back. I thought about losing sleep over it but that's as far as it went.

[goldiphlox]

Some of these people, especially the elderly, aren't really complaining. They just want someone to talk to, some human contact. It's unfortunate that they've fallen into the habit of complaining in order to get it, but I suppose a lot of people just blow them off if they aren't complaining about something, if you know what I mean.

I did recently have a chronic complainer (remember the free standard poodle groom?) that I got rid of. Some things are not worth the time, and she was one of them. I don't miss her a bit. I don't even miss her dog.

This is kind of sad. But yes I think your right. It's just a way for her to get my attention and spend more time talking with her. I really do like her, like I said, in spite of all her comments.

[neanea]

We have one regular client (although she only brings her dog about every 3 months as she can't drive herself anymore) who INSISTS that my boss do her dog, as she is the only one who can do Benji correctly. Well, I just say, "OK, Mrs. Mc" Well, I don't have the heart to tell her that I have been doing her dog for the past year. She is such a sweet 90'ish woman, but she does have her times! She really beats up the other groomer that used to do her dog every time she comes in. She couldn't do his feet right, he was always too short, his TK was to long/lopsided, the ears weren't right, etc. We just smile and nod and tell her that we'll take care of him. When she calls to make his appointment, you can't get off the phone, but that ok, I enjoy talking to her. I just try to keep it as timely as I can.
Helly is correct about having no one to talk to! I've found that if you bring up other topics to them before they get a chance to start nit-picking the grooming, they seem so pleased that you WANT to have a conversation with them. The seniors in this world have become burdens on their children and their spouses pass and they have no one. It's so sad Their dogs ARE all they have and they were brought up in a frugel world and you should get what you pay for. I really don't see their pickiness as a problem. I just agree to do it their way and go on about my day.

[NUNGUIS]

yes we all have them i groomed 2 shih tzu's for 3 yrs once a month and every time i would show up she had a little list for me that said: check anal glands,pluck ears,trim nails,clean ears etc it really bothered me that she had to do this every single time i was there, i already knew the list by heart,and i hated having to deal with her because she was soooo.. annoying it was that type of person you can't please no matter what you do i felt terrible having to deal with her and her dogs and it would ruin my day; so around three months ago i cut her loose and i don't miss her at all, i think that we don't have to deal with people that makes us feel like that, if we can't please them then go somewhere else.

[Luvkitties]

Fur Elite---that is a hilarious story!!!!

[PAWS]

I had a client with a long haired chihuahua. I only groomed this dog 2 times, and finally recommended she call another mobile groomer (who specialized in pomeranians--just thought she'd have some good tricks that I did not know of.) The first time, she asked me to bathe, dry, brush, clip nails and clean ears, trim feet, etc. I was to trim the sanitary area, and thin out her mane stragglies, even the pants/feathers and thin this rough patch of fur above her tail-head. I used thinners to trim along the bottom of her ears into the mane, to even up the feathers and round the pants after trimming the sani with clippers. I used a coat rake and a furminator above the tail head. When I brought her back, she put the dog on the kitchen counter to inspect her and said she was happy and gave me a tip. The next time I came, she said I didn't "fix" the rough patch correctly. She said her last groomer did a great job. I asked what happened to her last groomer and what did she use on the rough patch. She said she was no longer grooming for the mobile franchise and she didn't know what she used. So, I used thinning shears which worked great, but lightened the hair color because I cut/thinned the darker ends (she was a sable color). She again seemed happy and tipped me, but made me feel sooooo uncomfortable and examined the dog on the counter again! She also didn't like how long it took me, because it only took her last groomer 40 mins. (I took an hour the first groom and 45 mins the next groom. The dog screams if you comb a tangle, so I was being gentle!) Anyhoo, I mailed along with her price increase (everyone got one) that I understood she was not completely satisfied with my work and might I recommend a colleague who may have some better tricks she could try. She did schedule with the other groomer, and boy am I glad!

[baddog]

OMG I have a toy poodle lady like this...she wants the muzzle short with a tiny moustache, I 30 the face and use a 10 on the moustache, she always calls to say I left the moustache too long!! What???? There is nothing there, nothing!!! I just take it as it comes, she tips well and grooms every 3 weeks....no one ever said we had to like our clients, just provide the bst service we can.

[petgroomaustralia]

I have one of these customers but I can do no wrong, she gives the vet nurses a hard time!!! I dont usually put bows on dogs, but last time I put one on each of her dogs and she was so delighted that she forgot to be nasty to the nurses...so bows for her...lol. She also has a list of things to do not do (her dogs are kept in full coat), such as dont clip eyes...I just do it anyway. Its my way or the highway.

[misscatahoula]

My worst customer was not even a customer, but the mother of a customer. Also elderly, but I suspect she's been nasty her whole life! She'd drop off the dog and complain about my location, my shop setup, hours, time it took to do the dog, etc. She kept telling me gets her dog groomed somewhere else, even though my place is closer, and she keeps telling her daughter she should really go to her instead. I actually had to walk her out my door and lock it behind me saying, okay, bye! when she started yelling her beefs at me. I didnt want to groom this dog again if she was picking him up, but since then it's been the daughter, whose of course very nice, dealing with me. But I will have to tell them to leave mom at home if it happens again.

[bitty]

I have a client who has a bichon who tells me everytime he comes in "to not trim the hair on the top of the tail". The hair at the base of the tail where the butt and tail meet. He tells me the last groomer (not me) shaved it and they don't like it that way. I've been grooming the dog for 3 years now and haven't clippped the hair there. BUT I know why the other groomer did, it's always matted there. Go figure!! Have a great day everyone.

[HoundLover]

we had one customer...she didnt complain...BUT she would ALWAYS come in with papers...she had 3 shelties...BARKLEY is a runner...SNOWBALL is blah blah...and skooter is blah blah...okay...weve done your dogs for the past 4 months...WE KNOWS THIS ALREADY! lol! yet EVERYTIME she would come in...OUT comes the paper...BARKLEY IS A RUNNER...okay! well we had finally found out the reason WHY barkley (not his real name btw) had such a low hoarse bark...SHE had the poor guy debarked! the vet recommended it! she was such a sweet lady...but i feel bad for the poor dog! i guess he barked all day when they were at work or whatever...well...some dogs do that LOL!
Hound