What would you say to this crazy lady?

[PAWS]

My last appointment of the day was a cute little yorkie mix, who I see about every 8 weeks. I inherited this client from another mobile groomer who had me fill in when she was unable to fit him into her schedule. I have done this from time to time for a few other mobiles around here, one of the perks of getting to be buddies with your competition. Anyhow, I fully expected her to use her usual gal afterward, but she called me up the next time the little man was due. I took her in, but made sure to let the other groomer know just because I felt kind of bad about it. So, I have now groomed this dog about 4 times total. His previous groomer also owns a while trailer, very similar to mine. We were almost done with his appt today, when a neighbor knocked on my trailer door. I grabbed a business card and opened the door to say hello, with the yorkie in my left arm football style. This woman says, "Hi. I live a few doors down. Will you come talk to me when you are done?" I told her I was in a rush, but could give her a card to chat sometime (i had a gut feeling i didn't want to just go to her house without talking with her first). I hold the card out to her and she backs up and says, "I have already called you SEVERAL times and you NEVER return my call! That is why I came to talk to you in person." Now, I have never met this woman before in my life, so thinking I somehow fudged up somewhere along the line I ask her name and what kind of dogs she has, and neither sound remotely familiar. I pride myself in returning each and every call asap. Even when I can't take a new client, or if they have a large dog, I still call them back and refer them to another mobile groomer that I trust, based on what they need and what the groomers offer. I wasn't going to be a kiss ass when I had done no wrong, so I said, "You must have me confused with another mobile groomer, I would never do such a thing. If you left me a message, I would have called you back." Then she asked my price, etc. and took the card. I told my client when we were done about the situation, concerned they might know each other and thinking this lady might spread some false words. Then, I was relieved when my client told me, "Oh THAT neighbor. Don't you worry about a thing, that whole family is NUTS." So, I feel better but not totally. If she is in fact getting me confused with the previous groomer, I still don't believe her because this groomer values her professionalism the same way I do and I wouldn't believe she would not return a phone call, even to a looney toon!

Boy that was a long post. If anyone actually read all of that, please feel free to give me some advice: If this type of situation happened to you, what do you feel is the most professional and appropriate response? I mean, I was ready to slam the door in her face, she creeped me out. If she does call me should I outright say I don't feel comfortable grooming your dogs? (cuz yer nuts and full of red flags?) LOL!

[4Sibes]

Well, depending on how badly I wanted her business.......I would price her TO the moon and tell her I was taking her on a "trial basis".

I have some whack jobs in my clientele that have been given the boot at other places, THEY know they are whack jobs, & they are willing to pay alot more for someone like me to groom their very normal pets. (Plus they feel understandably "at home" here. )
One chickie-chick pays me almost $100.00 every 4 weeks for a Mini Sch. AND brings me presents....NICE presents, everytime. And lunch. Everytime. Her dog has 8 hairs on it, and 4 are her eyebrows.
Sad thing is, over the years she's actually gotten more normal...so my dilemma is do I now DECREASE her price?

Anyway PAWS...price Alice "to the moon"...that may solve your quandary or... make it worth your while.

[k9cosmetologist]

I've ran into " her" before

I have had a simular situation myself. I keep a message book, just a notebook where I write the date then the messages and the out come, ie. made appointment, left message, found service else where... whatever.
So the lady says, you have come highly recommended but you have not returned my first 2 calls. I gather the basic info from her, leaf through the message book and find first time I returned the call I spoke to her partner who said they washed the dog themselves, second time I wrote inaudible number could not return call. I thought she was going to apologize, no such luck, did make a regular 5 week appointment, and has been well behaved.
I showed her I was organized, serious and I follow through. And the naughty in me was so happy to prove her anger was unfounded!

[kats_melody]

One of the wisest things my husband did was get a toll-free number for our business from Kall8. EVERY person who calls is automatically logged with calling number, date, and time. If they left a message, that is recorded. We save the logs for a year and the recordings for a month.

So when someone says "I called you" we can ask "When?" Then we tell the person about the calling log.

Computers do not have agendas. They only do what they are told.

[jeda]

Throughout 20+ years of mobile grooming, I have often found that some of my most annoying , kooky , wacky clients have become some of the best clients...eventually. I agree price it high to start and see how it goes

[PAWS]

K9cosmetologist: that is wise advice, and I do keep track of conversations in my calendar book on the 'notes' pages with dates, names, numbers and pet names/breeds,etc. best advice ever, though not as simple and handy as katsmelody! i had a woman once call, said i was too expensive. she called a YEAR later and i returned her call and said, oh yes you are so and so with Fifi the wheaton mix, right? i think it creeped her out because she ended that call fast!

Thank you sibes, i love reading what you have to say, you always make me smile : )

The fact is, i have my share of kooky clients. I am usually the one who will take them and you are right, they become some of the most loyal and well paying clients. I have no problem with crazy people. I can't explain why she got to me yesterday though. Here I sit reading after sleeping on it and I think that I would groom her dogs if she calls no problem. I just was not sure how to react professionally. I think that by asking 'when' she called and checking my notes would be a good way to professionally say, "nope. i don't have you down in my call log, but i would be happy to schedule something for your little babies."

Thanks for actually reading that looooooooong story, guys! Maybe today I will get a call and a new looney for life : )

Amberstarr, if you are reading: Elllllaaaaaaa! OMG Ellllllaaaaaaaaaaaa! I fricken love you Ella! (That is an inside joke for Amber regarding one of her looneys, that she has grown to love and appreciate).

[Jenneversage64]

If you ever hear from that woman

just tell her you aren't taking any new clients, but you can put her on a waiting list.....then never call her.

[PAWS]

For anyone watching this thread...

I went ahead and booked this crazy lady. First off, she called at a time when I didn't have my schedule in front of me, so I took her number down. I called her back a few hours later and she told me why are you calling? We already scheduled...OMG. So, I politely told her no, we had not and explained that I was calling her back to set something up. She was short with me, but was not mean and said thank you. I groomed both dogs, and she loved my work. Before starting, she treated me like she wasn't sure she trusted me. By the time all was said and done, she gave me high compliments, but just came across very rough and hard to read. So, I have to admit, so long as she doesn't go crazy from here, it is just her personality and she appears to be forgetful and then gets defensive about it. I can handle that!

[Smart-n-Pretty]

I would have told her to please look at the spot on the front porch JUST outside my front door...Get a GOOOOD look...bend WAYYYY over... Then [KANK! STRAIGHT to the curb!] Slamming the door after her and dusting off my hands.

[edderland]

I had a woman call the other day to groom her poodle. I explained that she lives outside my area.
I thought it over, and realized that Thursday I will actually be within 20 minutes or so; so called her to tell her that I Would be able to groom her dog. She was very excited, but my phone battery was low, so I asked her to call me back on my landline so I could get her information; I gave her the number.
Yup, no call back on either phone.
Guess she didn't really want me after all.

[edderland]

Okay, guess she did; going there tomorrow after my other 3 grooms.
Deidre

[Button]

I HATE it when lookie-loos knock and want a million questions answered. And they rarely book after hearing the price. It's disruptive to the pet and I need to focus 100% on what I'm doing. I have a Pet Pro and I'm thinking about putting up a sign on the side window "Help keep our pets safe. Please do not disturb. Groomer does not quote prices or make appointments. Please call the office." Of course when they leave a message I'm the one who calls back so the Groomer does make appointments and quote prices.

[amberstarr]

hahahhaaaaaaaa i love ya paws!!

[Smart-n-Pretty]

Paws, how old is the lady?

[Helly]

I'm a little confused as to why so many of you are so negative about this woman. She sounds a little excentric, but not really all that bad. Why so judgemental? Gee, aren't we all a little excentric?

Just because the neighbor said her whole family is nuts, that's no reason to condemn the poor woman. I can't tell you the things I've heard my neighbors say about each other, and none of it means anything except someone lost big time in last nights poker game, so they gotta get back.