get the dog on the table ASAP she says... oh man !

[resident_hector]

So today I had a situation.
Had a dog on my table. Hadn't been in since JANUARY and it's a
Labradoodle !! Well, It's nearing 3:30pm and i'm running half an hour behind schedule. My 3:30 walks in and I tell her that it will be about 30 minutes until I start on her dogs and not to worry, they will be fine here and I will have them done in due time. Well, that's just not good enough for her.
She just stands there and says "this happened last time. you really have to get things straightened out. i could have left later instead of having my dogs wait around to be groomed. i'll be back later then."
So I tell her okay and that 4pm to come back then.
Meanwhile, it's 90 or so degrees out there and in the store it's easily
20 degrees cooler. She knows that when I crate dogs that are waiting they have fresh water bowls, toys, nice clean fluffy blankets, and the radio is on and the crates are right there by my table ( small shop ).
Well, 4pm comes around... no dogs...4:30 comes around... a store employee comes back to tell me that she cancelled her appointment and won't ever be back.

My question is... when you all have people come in for a set time, do you honor that time and promptly get them up on the table, or is it a "groomer's common way" of things that sure, we run behind sometimes, but take in the dog, be polite about it, and hasten your pace to get closer to their actual appointment time. I do exactly that, but I have a few people, like this woman, that want the table cleared and ready to go for her.

Problem is... my boss is NOT a groomer and he really doesn't see things the way that I do. I just KNOW he's going to want to "talk" to me and that he'll probably offer the woman free grooming services to get her back.
I don't feel that's fair at all. I did NOTHING wrong !

Am I looking at this all wrong? Am I doing something wrong?
Every shop, even grooming school... a dog waits to be groomed
is fairly normal. I don't take them all in in the morning then call them all in the evening, I do appointments.

Comments?

Michelle in NJ

[Jersey]

I wish I got into my doctor's at the appointed time but that doesn't happen either. Dogs don't always coporate and get you off schedule. Sometimes dogs take longer then you first thought. I probably wouldn't have said anything about running late unless I was very behind schedule. Plus I never give someone a definite time that their pet will be done unliss I tell them you may pick up your Baby anytime after a certain time and if I get done before thet I will call. Hope your boss understands the diffculity in being right on time.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

The more I read these horror stories from you, the more I feel you need to WALK OUT.

WHAT is holding you back? They are walking on you like you're lower than dog poo, and they haven't a clue about grooming, and you're really not doing anything about it but asking us "is this right or wrong?" OF COURSE IT'S WRONG!! You are a human being and only capable of so much. Aren't you the one that bathes dogs at floor level? You're overbooked and over worked and you have mental stress from ...not the dogs, but the SHOP OWNERS? Good grief you need to find another place of employment. Again, WHAT is holding you back?

NO, of course you can't start each appointment EXACTLY on the dog, not every time anyway. As for me, I take in 3 dogs at a time so I can over lap them. I have no qualms with those who like to do them one at a time, but when those shops have REGULAR clients in GREAT shape, the dogs are predictable, yada yada yada. But a Labradoodle who hasn't been in for 5 months is supposed to be done by a specific time? Not only do you have more coat to deal with but the dog was probably a handful due to not being used to having a groom.

If I sound like I'm coming down hard on you it's because I am. You need to take care of YOURSELF and do something about these nut jobs you work for, no SLAVE for, go work at Kmart, do anything, but stop working for these low-lifes. I need to stop reading your threads because they get me fuming at your bosses! LOL Find a new place to work. It should NOT be that hard to groom! EVER! Grooming should be enjoyable, and you should have the power to tell the owner how it is, and if you say it politely and professionally and they react like the lady you talked about , then you dont' need them as clients. As soon as you start growing a spine, you'll be much happier. No wonder you need a vacation, girl!

Tammy in Utah

[RoosMom]

I NEVER put a dog straight on the table, unless it's a very elderly/medical case where the owner stands there and waits. Those also don't get a bath.
What this woman is demanding is a service that a mobile groomer could easily provide. Very few shops operate the way she thinks they do.

[GriffonsMOM]

you probably just hit that woman on a bad day. Don't stress over it. Can't say as I've ever had that happen to me but i've definatley caught people on bad days. you could call her and try to calmly explain how the way you set your schedule is to have dogs overlapping, And offer to schedule a different day when there is no chance of overlaps, if it's a worry for you. Otherwise you can let your boss handle it. but it might be more professional comming from you. and if she's still not happy , so be it , not a client you really would have wanted any how is it??

[goldiphlox]

she needs a mobile groomer. and she is being very unrealistic. and you should not have to deal with that in a grooming shop environment. that's ridiculous. there are way too many variables to be expected to be done and table ready and waiting for someone to come in with their dog. and then what happens when people don't show for their appointment. do you lose all that time in pay and wait till the next appointment arrives. this is not a very efficient way to run a grooming business. we do offer express service. if someone wants to pay me the fee that we charge, i will stop what i'm doing and take that dog. but i have a bather. so it first goes to bather, then to me and gets finished straight thru without ever going in a crate. we do have a few people that do this, but not many....and i can tell you that their grooming fee is double.

[Doggone]

Shoot ,I cant even remember the last time I made an apt.to get my own hair done that i didnt have to wait;and the doctors are even worse! I am always feeling they double book.Like Tammy said either grow a spine,or grow a new job.Good luck,and let us know how things go.

[sheilabgroomer]

you probably just hit that woman on a bad day. Don't stress over it. Can't say as I've ever had that happen to me but i've definatley caught people on bad days. you could call her and try to calmly explain how the way you set your schedule is to have dogs overlapping, And offer to schedule a different day when there is no chance of overlaps, if it's a worry for you. Otherwise you can let your boss handle it. but it might be more professional comming from you. and if she's still not happy , so be it , not a client you really would have wanted any how is it??

Oh NO!!! Not ever, not any way would I call this jerk back and grovel to groom her every 5 mo Labradoodle. I would send her a thank you card...lol... I agree w/Tammy and the others. Quit being a door mat and stand up for yourself to these employeers of yours before you are burned out and crippled!

And stop beating yourself up for not being ready for that dog right on time. In a perfect world working on stuffed animals, maybe you would run exactly on time. Not always going to happen when we are working on living, breathing creatures who sometimes have different agenda than ours!!! lol

[Helly]

Well, I wish the woman luck in finding a shop that can cater to her the way she expects. She was totallly unreasonable. I think I'd be dancing a little jig that she's gone. If she doesn't want to have to wait, ever, she needs to have the first appointment of the day, not one that's' late afternoon.

Now, if the boss wants to have a discussion, I'd suggest you use my favorite line for these situations. "I can't move at the speed of light and I can't stop the passage of time." We work with equipment that can malfunction, animals that have a mind of their own, and some things, like the condition the animal is in, are out of our control.

I'd also suggest you mention waiting in the doctor's office, dentist's office and the hair salon. And I'd be sure the boss understands that if a free groom is offered, he can take the hit if he wants, but if he doesn't intend to pay ME, he'll be doing it himself, because I'm not working for free. Especially in a situation like this. Again, the doctor, dentist or hair stylist doesn't give you a free appointment because you think you're so entitled you don't have to wait.

[amysue2638]

I always give my customers a range on when their dog will be done...regardless of whether I'm going to get them done right away or not. Usually I tell them 2-3 hours for small dogs and 3-4 for bigger ones. This gives me leeway if I'm running behind. It was tough to implement initially because when I first opened (and I wasn't busy) I was able to get them in and out quickly every time, and I think people still expected that once business picked up. But most are reasonable about it. It's not like we're asking them to sit there and wait for the dog like you would have to wait at the hairdresser or doctor. Most of the time they just go home or run errands while the dog is here. No big deal.

[resident_hector]

Thanks, Spikey.
You are right, through and through.
To everyone that commented on my post,
the dog that hadn't come in in five months... the labradoodle...
she has ( thank goodness !! ) the wirey-type hair but with a wave to it.
It really wasn't that difficult. The most matting was around the neck,
and i'm a BIG FAN of the wet shave. Ended up taking a #5 to the big "clump" of a mat behind her neck and a bit around to the front.
Her coat was actually in good condition, besides the fact that I did a
1 1/2 snap comb on her body... her body was fine.
She's actually a really good dog considering I have quite a few BAD
Doodle dogs.
Just the fact that there was SO MUCH hair to take down and getting through that big "clump" behind and around her neck... took a little longer.
I was running about 45 minutes behind when she came in.
In total it really only took me 2 1/2 hours to finish, which i'd like to think
is pretty good.
Oh, and she's a combination of Chocolate Lab and a Chocolate Poodle.
BEAUTIFUL dog with human-like eyes.
A real treat to groom, actually.

But, as you all said, we don't know what to expect when a dog comes in.
Appointmenst don't always run EXACTLY on time.

I'm actually thinking of printing out this thread and showing it to my boss.

See... the place I work, the clients I have, they won't be following me.
They like that i'm where I am because the only thing that's even close is a few Petsomethings and they have said that they don't groom so well so that's why they come to me.

I guess you have to think of yourself first and put the animals second in this respect, right? I really, really don't want to lose my client base, but I will if I leave.

Oh, and yes, Spikey, I am the one with the tub that's at floor level.
I know, I know... get a spine, right?
Well, just have to get through this weekend... have a Bath Dog Weekend coming up and i'm not overscheduled for that so that's good.
Still, it's just me for the whole thing.
Man, when will I see the light?
Well, i'll keep you all posted.

Michelle in NJ

BTW... if anyone needs a groomer that can groom difficult dogs ( temperament and behaviour wise ) and cats ( I LOVE doing cats ) then let me know !

[sheilabgroomer]

So when did you groom the dog? I thought she was "never coming back". Guess she changed her mind....poor you. At least the dog is a good one.

[resident_hector]

So when did you groom the dog? I thought she was "never coming back". Guess she changed her mind....poor you. At least the dog is a good one.

No no... she didn't come back. She called to cancel her appointment an hour later. Like I may have said before, she's probably going to complain to my boss then he will offer free grooming. Let me tell you all... i'm NOT going to groom her dogs for free and I can almost guarantee you that my boss will NOT pay me for doing the dogs. He will think it's my fault, i'm almost sure of it.
As Spikey said, I have to get a spine.

[RoosMom]

So when did you groom the dog? I thought she was "never coming back". Guess she changed her mind....poor you. At least the dog is a good one.

I think you misunderstood- she was working on the doodle when the demanding woman showed up with her dogs, and got mad because she couldn't put her dogs straight on the table. It was the doodle that put her a little behind.

[sanchiarose1]

in my opinion the most important thing is to be finished with the dog by the time you told the client. i have been through this with clients and the issue is they show up early/ late and expect a quick turnaround. they do not consider the other clients or my time.