20 minutes late.....

[mustluvdogs1]

As mobile, I have no control over slow traffic due to cops ticketing , or an accident, or construction, which is everywhere. I called saying I was stuck in traffic...the man said, it was too late, they had an appointment to go to. If I had been there, the dog would be either getting the trim, or wet in the tub!I thinbk they couod have given me some lee-way. Had I been an electrician or a needed plumber...they would havw waited, I bet. I lost the money. Now, I feel, if they call to reschedule, I won't want to call them back. Poodle I was going to do a Bichohn on. First and only time was Nov! Claim she isn't matted...sure. Not a big loss huh?Can't count your groos til they are done, and you get cash or check clears.

[Gracy Rose]

Do you give a time window? IE, if the appointment is at 10 say between 9and 11.

[mustluvdogs1]

Time window?

No, Not often enough,but I say within the hour, and depending on traffic. i also told them I was coming from across town way south west of them 25 miles or so. I guess I will have to speel everything out to everyone and a time window too! Geesh.

[diamienono]

Do you give a time window? IE, if the appointment is at 10 say between 9and 11.

Do people mind a 2 hour window? I usually give like a 15 minute window, and if I am late or early, I call.

[stacie-gotg]

Yes give 1/2 or full hour timeframe. I am never on time and dont want my clients to expect me to be.

[PAWS]

I do the same as Damienono, 15 min before or after. If I am ahead or behind that 15 mins, I call ahead and they know this the first time we schedule together. That way, I don't find myself panicking to make an appt on time! I would loooove to give larger blocks of time, but I feel I would lose some clients that way. They don't mind the cable guy being that way, but they use us so frequently, it would get to be a problem after awhile I think.

[syphol]

I give one half to one hour times. My clients have never said anything, but I don't want to be resented like the cable guy giving anything over that!
I know I hate it personally.

I've only a handful of times in two years had to call and say I was going to be over that time frame. In every case but one they were understanding, that client got dropped!

[PetsRus]

I thought of you guys yesterday. I was running an hour behind all afternoon due to a new dog that took way longer than expected. By the end of the day (4 dogs later) the last appointment I did catch up to only being 15 minutes behind starting the last appointment but how do you guys ever do it. At least with me when I check the next dog in I can give myself a bigger window and tell them to pick up later. I was stressed yesterday and I hate that. It hardly ever happens but still. Do you guys have to call everyone and put their times back?

[Aussheplady]

I give my clients a specific appointment time but they are all told to allow for 1 hour earlier or 1 hour later than that time. I am rarely ever later than the actual time and when I am it has never been more than 15 min. I am early fairly often though thus the allowance for the hour leeway.

I book 1 hour appointment times and unless very regular to where I am totally positive how long it takes me for that pet and how long it will take me to get to the next one, I allow a 30 min window between appointments. That 30 min allows for going over 15 min if needed on a pet without throwing me off schedule as well as allowing for drive time to the next appointment. (reason I am often early) I always call though if I am going to be more than 30 min early just as a courtesy or if I think I will be more than 15 min late.

I will only wait up to 15 min after their appointment time if the client is not at home before I leave a invoice for a no show.

[Kim in SD]

I set my appointments for every 2 - 2.5 hours, for a one pet family. I give my clients a 1 hr. time window. No complaints. I always call if I'm running late.

[Meesh]

I give an hour window, but it doesn't sound so long because I say "your appointment is at 11:00, give or take 30 minutes." I also will call, cell reception permitting, if I am running significantly early or late. If I am running early and they aren't there, I will wait until 10 minutes into the earliest part of the window, then move on. (Leaving an invoice for the missed appointment)

I also have numerous clients who are not home and I have keys or otherwise can access the dog. If I am running late, I can always skip ahead to the client who's time is getting close and go on to the ones who aren't home anyway later.

Most people understand the unpredictability of dogs and traffic, and if they are that harsh, well, soon you won't need them. When I realized I was growing quite a little waiting list I got very good at shedding the clients I did not "feel the love" from.

I am just over 2 1/2 years mobile and I have been fully booked for much of that time and am pretty much within 6 miles of my house for the majority of grooms. For those I go a little farther, they are mostly from when I was just starting out and I really love the client, the dog, or both (and they know I don't take new clients in their area so they tend to tip well to keep me happy and coming back!)

Yes, I have become a Diva Mobile Groomer.

Okay, the grooms are done, my dogs are walked, the e-mail is checked, I can't put off cleaning out the van a second longer.....

[MissKitty]

I give a 30min window, with the exception of the very first appointment.
In the busy summertime I give an hour window and everyone understands that logic. I can leave early enough but who knows what is out there.

I had never had anyone do that to me. If that man called again I don't think I would rebook him only because he wasn't going to give me the time to really groom the dog anyway. If the owner was that rushed, he should have told you and you would have scheduled the dog earlier I am sure. That way there wouldn't be any time restraints.

Those are the type of people that are really better off not doing a mobile grooming.

[baddog]

Mustluv....you seem to have a lot of communication problems with clients. Perhaps you need to "script" your appt policy and read it to clients over the phone.

[Crystal]

Look at it like this: If you were unable to call, these people would have been a no-show probably. It sounds like if you got there on time they would've had to leave anyway for some other appointment.

Let them go! Sounds like they are idiots anyway.

Window time frame or not, they should've been a little more forgiving over a few minutes.

[mustluvdogs1]

Actually, you misunderstood me....

I was talking about two separate situations years apart. I rarely get stood up. We have road constructiion going on all over due to building increases in the east Valley. I remind people that most roads are( keep left keep right), driving on oposite side of road cuz of another new housing development or fitness center. The first yr, I got refs from a mobile groomer who gave me her rejects. i saw thru that pretty quick. They were the no-shows or biters etc. So far only one new lady with a do not knock...flu ,note on the door. I can't sit in the heat without A/C and gen on...that is costly. Sometimes, I wait and they drive up....ahhhhh. I always say, I can be half hr,early or late. I will call if more than half hr. late. I don't worry or waste time with snowbirds. Now that it is nearly April, they would only be a one timer, like today,because they are leaving here before next groom.I was mobile in SF bay area for many yrs and 7 here. I usually have them pegged. I also have a good memory. Sometimes after 2-3 yrs they call. I remember usually. Last year, a man called with 2 yrs between. I recognized the house...guess what.he wasn't home. Bad check ist time. They go round and play the game, my name came up again.I was just giving examples, even way back in SF. I forget to say....years ago, before I knew better.Tax time, and knock on wood no bad checks in 2006 none for years!~I did Roslyn. Her mom is a dingbat, and signed the check on the memo side. She made good on it Thanks Tho, for the suggestion. Guess communicatuion here isn't right sometimes. I am writing full sentences, and correcting most typos.