All too often client wastes my time.

[mustluvdogs1]

I just don't knoiw how to be diplomatic,so I don't say anything. Often when I take trhe dog back, they are on a cell phione business or not. I want tro get paid and go. I don't know how to interrupt. I could piont to my watch...but have not yet. Today, the two had not been done in a long time. Rear nails bled two on one foot one one the other. They had stipped but they ran around and then as I said not on the couch! They ran up and scruffed around causing the nails to open and bleed. She was ok w/ it as I said peroxide will getr it out. I sat outside in the heat for the longest 10 -15 mins. while she got the blood out. She worked at home today at her own insurance co. She should know I need to go. I was finished for the day but I got there early before 3pm and at 5PM I am waiting for her to clean the couch.Then she said she trimmed them last week, they are always long. Other groomer used a grinder. I said, so do I, but the quick still bled and I barely trimmed them. I kept my cool, but geesh, I wanted to leave so badly. The traffic is awful at 5PM. I told her I usually stop at 3pm...this was an exception. She was home from the office and Hey, I could use the $...I didn't tell her i could use the extra $. The dogs didn't take long....she would disappear, and I would wait. She wasted my time inbetween dogs too. Later said she went to the bathroom.What can ya do?Itold her Halle probaly distroyed my kitchen by now...hint ,hint.

[sim groomer]

I just don't knoiw how to be diplomatic,so I don't say anything. Often when I take trhe dog back, they are on a cell phione business or not. I want tro get paid and go. I don't know how to interrupt. I could piont to my watch...but have not yet. Today, the two had not been done in a long time. Rear nails bled two on one foot one one the other. They had stipped but they ran around and then as I said not on the couch! They ran up and scruffed around causing the nails to open and bleed. She was ok w/ it as I said peroxide will getr it out. I sat outside in the heat for the longest 10 -15 mins. while she got the blood out. She worked at home today at her own insurance co. She should know I need to go. I was finished for the day but I got there early before 3pm and at 5PM I am waiting for her to clean the couch.Then she said she trimmed them last week, they are always long. Other groomer used a grinder. I said, so do I, but the quick still bled and I barely trimmed them. I kept my cool, but geesh, I wanted to leave so badly. The traffic is awful at 5PM. I told her I usually stop at 3pm...this was an exception. She was home from the office and Hey, I could use the $...I didn't tell her i could use the extra $. The dogs didn't take long....she would disappear, and I would wait. She wasted my time inbetween dogs too. Later said she went to the bathroom.What can ya do?Itold her Halle probaly distroyed my kitchen by now...hint ,hint.

Regarding the nails if they are at the quick, you can try just rounding them, I won't bleed nails, if they are that long recommend the vet to clip. Sometimes there is nothing to take off. Pointing to your watch is not a great idea. If you have a cell phone that has a alarm clock set it to go off in 4 minutes. answer it like a calll and say you are on your way. make sure she hears that you are on your way, to another stop.

Take all the animals at the same time, be brave. Yesterday I had 5 dogs in the van at the same time only because I hate walking up the driveway. (2 jack russels, Lab, Rott, Shep) we all had a great time.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Mustluv,

Two things: Yes, peroxide does get blood off of dog hair, but it also bleaches out/discolors furniture!!! I tried to use it once on something that wasn't a dog and the color was washed out! EEEEK.

The other thing is tell this client in advance that you've GOT to be out of there by _ _ p.m. and that she can write the check out now if you know the amount.

It is hard when someone says they were in the bathroom---lol, what DO you do, "Get out of that bathroom, I need my money!!!" LOL, I don't think so!!

Tammy in Utah

[Crystal]

The talkers get me.

I always end up with lonely people who want to talk all day. I have learned to wrap up the conversation and limit it, but there are still some that I'd interrupt and say ok it was nice talkin to you, gotta get to my next appointment and it's like they didn't even hear me.

I once had an 82 year old man that I think had a little dimentia maybe starting because he would just talk at the wall, acting like I wasn't even there. I tried several times to interrupt, finally I just walked out saying Bye!!! See you next time.

There are also the one's that act like your there for their sake until when they don't need you anymore.

I have said to a lady who would love on her dog for so long after the groom that she would take forever to write out her check. I finally just said to her that I love her dog too, but I have another dog scheduled and I'm going to be late.

The phone talkers are just rude sometimes. I've waited before for them to put the phone down or say I'll call you back, I'm patient for a minute or two, but that's enough.

[baddog]

You should never suggest peroxide for cleaning a couch!!!!! Get yourself a bottle of simple solution, it removes blood w/o peroxide, esp from car interiors.

Quite frankly, I have no idea what your post was about, but, if your in a hurry, tell her you need to go, another call just came in.

[pawsforthought]

Liquid Styptic helps.

I put a drop of liquid styptic on before I take the dog into the house just for good measure.
I put the stand dryer on the dog while I write out the reciept and then fill out the client card. When I take the dog in I open my appointment book and pull out the reciept that is paperclipped to the page. I have pointed to the reciept while my only customer who is always on the phone. She will then give me that one minute finger. Aauugghh! I will wait another minute and then show her the reciept again and close the book. She will then tell the caller to hold or that she will call them back.
I do spend a little too much time talking with my customers but I am pretty fortunate since they are pretty nice folks and for the most part pretty interesting.

[bow_wow_wheels]

Let her go!!

I just recently fired a client like this because she managed to turn a simple 35-40 minute grooming appointment every 2 weeks into a Drama Fest lasting an hour or more!! She'd be outside in her large yard blowing leaves and I'd have to walk down and out to get her attention, she's be upstairs and not hear the doorbell, she couldn't find her checkbook, she had to let the dog out and stand there to watch him to make sure he did his business, she left her personal checkbook upstairs AFTER I called her to let her know I was done because she couldn't hear the doorbell upstairs, a friend was there and she'd insist that they turn around and drive out of her driveway instead of backing down it and it was a very narrow driveway and I couldn't get out around them and the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on.... I simply got tired of it and after raising her price by 10 bux in a few short months realized that she'd never respect my time so I let her go. My stress level would shoot up along with my blood pressure and I simply decided I would no longer put up with her. No big loss on my part because I don't have to worry about how long she'll keep me THIS time before paying me. I just don't miss her at all. And her pet was always tangled-she never did find that darn comb and fussed when I charged her extra for extra time. IMO a two-week client should be able to at least find the comb once a week especially if they want a longer trim!! ACK!!!!!!!! My head is pounding just thinking of her