Omg!! Groomer Opened Next Door!!

[hairdevil]

NOW WHAT TO DO? ok, some background here. I used to groom at a vets office for 8 years. It was a horrible 8 years I can tell you. He called me while I was working at another vets office, offering me to rent space from him. On his third offer, I took him up on it. 8 years later and many arguements in between, I moved out on my own, next door in a brand new 1000 sq ft condo office, the end one too so I have grass! yeah...I've been there exactly 1 year now. I looked out the back door today, and to my disbelief, he had a sign out front reading,"WE WELCOME OUR NEW GROOMER!!" I was soooo shocked!! We parted on bad terms, as I called him greedy! lol but it was true and worse than that, hes a deacon in a church, the biggest one in town! anyway, thats another story....we have also had 2 new shops to open in town,. Im located a mile outside the city limits...business has slowed since these opened also. the shops opened by the mall, which is nice. As my clients have to drive out of town a couple of miles to get to me, but they do. now with this groomer next door, what do I do? lower prices to compete? I have a great salon, hydrosurge bathing, now Im offering the spa packages, what to do????? help anybody????

[Gracy Rose]

I am working on some ideas for you :-) will e-mail you!

[Dawn125]

ok, gotta say it...you had to know this was going to happen. It was your choice to open your shop next to a vet that has previously had a groomer. If you groomed there for 8 years, I'm surprised it took him this long to get another groomer. I absolutely wouldn't lower your prices though. I would just focus on your customer service and the "salon" type atmosphere of your shop. You may lose some people but lowering your prices will hurt your income even more. Make sure you welcome every dog by name. Keep your place nice smelling and clean. I know I would prefer a salon setting over a vet office if given the choice.

[bubbaleahia]

next door

DO NOT LOWER YOUR PRICES. do you give referral discounts to your customers?? I just offer those, but to be more aggressive about it, give each customer a business card, write THEIR name on the back and 15% discount, tell them every time one of their cards come back to you they will get a discount at their next appointment.
Don't panic, if this vet is as big of a jerk as you say he is (and I've been there) this groomer won't last long, and then maybe you can offer her a job, lol.
Good luck

[poodlemania]

Find your niche or specialty and capitalize on it. Sounds like you are well on your way with this with the spa treatments. Don't panic. Competition isnt always a bad thing, think how good you will feel as customers choose to walk into your shop rather than the other guy's.

Offer a service and skills above the rest, and they will come to you. I wouldn't lower my prices, you don't really want the price-shopping customers anyway, do you? Leave the oay and nasties to the vet shop, keep the prime customers for yourself, they know they get what they pay for.

[hairdevil]

no I didn't see it coming because he told me when I left that it wasn't worth it to him to have a groomer...now he might have hired her in as an employee instead of renting the space? more than likely so. My shop is very nice and everyone loves it...I put ceramic tile floors all the way through, light peach and tan walls, border is in bathroom theme, soap salts, perfume bottles on it...I have a clean air purifier machine going all the time! its very nice, as one of my clients put it,"gee, this is nicer in here than my living room!" ... I have a banner to put out front with my business name and phone number on it, but was thinking about getting a new one that says the business name and number and MOVED from dr. XXXX lol and we recommend DR. so n so! another vet of course! lol it did tick me off to say the least...
thanks ya'll, keep em coming! gracy you are so sweet!!! thanks so much!!

[baddog]

You could always get very spiteful and say "you don't want your dog around all those sick dogs at the vet's office"......but it may work to your advantage, maybe the new groomer will suck and lose clients to you!!!!!!

[mustluvdogs1]

So sorry to hear this!

I didn't realize you had this problem when I PMed you with mine. I would NOT put the other business down, that is not good advice she gave you. Not professional and it would make you look bad. You probably know that. Instead, just be the best you can be, which is stay the good groomer you are. Trust from above. If you are supposed to relocate, it will be revealed to you. Everything happens for a reason, tho sometimes we don't know why. Maybe, as someone said, you will gain a new groomer employee when she sees she is walking thru the wrong door each morning. We have had our trials lately eh?

[JJk]

Poor you, I feel for you as I just had the same. Another grooming shop opened right cross street from me eight months ago, I can see their door from my window. It was hard for me to take, too. Plus I am from Asia and English isn't my native language....
But you know what, I am doing all right after eight months. I higher my price too, and I never was the cheapest groomer already. If that wasn't enough, there were at least three shops opened in the past six months in the 30 mins driving range from my shop.
So far, I am concentrating on my specialities and making my services more valuable. I also working on my appearance, (this one is actually learn from you , he, he ) and everything seems to work out.
I won't say that I overcome my challenge already, but I believe I'll be all right and I am going to do better. I focus on my job and I don't worry about other things, that is what take me so far, and this spirit will keep me going.

Go to bed, have a good sleep and tomorrow you will feel better.

[sheilabgroomer]

Okay, I know this was a shock to you, but it can work to your advantage. It is proven that if comparable businesses are close to each other it bumps up the business for both of them. Look at any fast food restraunt of gas station. You rarely see one standing by it's self, they pop up right next to each other and they all stay busy...usually.

Like others have mentioned, just keep your salon as clean and friendly and pretty as you can.......maybe you and the other groomer could become friendly and referr to each other if you are busy and have a walk-in or what-have-you. That way when she realizes what a jerk the vet is and quits maybe she will come and work for you....lol...JK. I like the referral ideas and maybe do a little extra doggie decorating. We hot glue flowers and feathers to our bandanna's and bows. It doesn't take long and it's cheap, but the clients go crazy for it! Good luck to ya!

[gally22]

If you are renting - I am surprised that the landlord is allowing this. There is no way that two of the same businesses would open in a strip mall here. In fact, I remember one of my friends having trouble finding space because there were shops too close to her areas. Landlords don't want to go through the trouble of businesses failing and closing because of this type of situation. Geez.

[SiotehCat]

If you are renting - I am surprised that the landlord is allowing this. There is no way that two of the same businesses would open in a strip mall here. In fact, I remember one of my friends having trouble finding space because there were shops too close to her areas. Landlords don't want to go through the trouble of businesses failing and closing because of this type of situation. Geez.

I dont think this would qualify. She has her grooming business and the other business is a vet clinic that happens to have a groomer now.

[Dexy]

Capitalism at its finest

Take a breath. Hold it. Now blow out hard.

Work on yourself. Your good at what you do - your already running a shop and I assume(there I go again LOL) that the vet's shop doesn't have the tools that you do.

Don't go negative about the new groomer or the vet. Never.

Don't drop your prices. That will only hurt you in the long run and is the wrong way to compete in any business.


You worked at the vet's - you know the facilities, can it compete with what your offering? I doubt it. You have said that<<I have a great salon, hydrosurge bathing, now Im offering the spa packages,>

Take a day off and use your imagination.

If clients like and feel that your service is quality service and that you care for them and their dogs they won't leave, no matter what the price differences.

"There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity" - Gen MacArthur

Look for the opportunities that this new situation will give you.

I'm getting excited for you just writing this!

[Jengroomer]

Never lower prices to compete, Heck I might raise them!
Like everyone says, give your clients the royal treatment, spa, catered too, the best in customer service. Your clients come to you for a reason and they will stay. The stragglers are stragglers anyway and will always try someone new or cheaper. Only to return to you and appreciate you more.

There are 10 grooming shops in the town I have my salon in, and it doesn't hurt me one bit, business is always booming.

keep your chin up!

[Gracy Rose]

Hey friend,

Do not lower prices instead PROMOTE your business as an "upscale" salon.

In school my professor once said: "If you want to open a succesful fast food restaraunt then open next to McDonalds".

Be better then them- think of it this way... "Free advertising :-) If the client isn't happy then they will come to you".

Lastly, use my saying "you can't steal my clients, I can only give them away". Do good work, keep them happy and you will not be phased.