I Thought Three Months Was A bit Long

That is the kind of reply I like. the first ones just kind of hurt my feelings.

Why? and How?

Y'all chill. Poodle is new to our site and I don't see anything meant to be mean.

Jenn,

Have you thought of giving your clients a small calendar and have them go through and mark dates for the year? Maybe this will subtly hint to them to prebook.

If not, how about being truthful- this always works. Tell them, "I understand you are busy and may not be able to prebook but I love Fifi so much and will always try to fit her in if I can".

How? By grooming the dog better than anyone else

Tammy in Utah

Tammy, you were joking weren't you? It sounds a little condescending.

[Starshan]

Christmas-time? Write clients a "Happy Holidays" thank-you note with a picture of their freshly-groomed pet attached. Those were my client gifts this years and they were a SMASH hit.

I did this, this yr but so far no one has mentioned they liked the Christmas picture of their pups. Ok well one did but she's on facebook & she made a comment on her pups picture when I put it up there. Each client was sent a card with their dog's picture with a Christmas background. Not sure if I will do it again. But if I do I will start taking pictures in Nov & not Dec.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Harley was 10 weeks and I gave him his first groom. I was chosen by his owners because I am known for doing good terrier trims....yet I lose some money too when they get a quickie at the time of vaccinations.

Sorry Jenneversage! No condescending tone intended, I promise.

I read your original post thoroughly, and the main question I got from it was this direct quote: "How can you get them to be faithful, prebook and not assume I am too busy?"

So I gave you the advice I would have given myself if I had the same question.

I knew nothing about you specializing or being famous (ha) for your terrier grooms. I've been on this website for 6 years now, and unfortunately, I can't keep everybody straight except the oldies.

So now that I have ALL of the information, I can see your question a little clearer. I think you want to now how to keep them loyal---good customers, 'what the heck are they going to another groomer for?' Right?

Like the others that followed me, that IS a tough one. I, too, have clients that have gone to Petsomethings, and maybe it just works for them. It's ok. They're "mostly" loyal, but not 100%. I just let them go, and they'll come back. Or, maybe they wont. But that leaves room for a truly loyal client, I guess. It also leaves room for the occasional new client, to keep me from getting board! I get burned out with the same old dogs getting the same old cuts. New blood is good for me on occasion.

But that still doesn't solve your problem, does it? HMMMM...

Oh, I know what has helped me! More education. I take seminars through ISCC, and I can talk in depth about their dogs skin, or coat type, and tell them about how hard water can have a negative effect if you're not careful to condition, etc. or about de-shedding, and we "deshed like no other" (and it's true, nobody does the de-shedding method here that I learned from Jodi Murphy's DVD). I focus on what "I" do differenlty than those around me. I tell each terrier client that I card their dog's coat, and why, and what it does...

Yes, friend, that is my "key," telling them what they didn't already know, and what apparently nobody else around you knows either!

I hope this helps. If not, I am sorry! I know what a bummer it is when they go "to the other guys," I really do.

Tammy in Utah

[Jenneversage64]

Thanks Lefty

your avatar cracks me up BTW. I choose to only groom small dogs now. I have quite a few new pups and Harley is one of them. He has attitude and it bothered me that Pet*** swept him up on his shots day, and then he got a new unexperienced groomer and set him back in trust. I am very gentle but firm and poor Harley met with a male new student and got several cuts as a result. Now I can barley shave his natural floppy ears. I use thinners between his nose and head where he flinches too much. I have a good memory and sometimes people just call saying they want to make an appt as if they are new. They tell me their name and address, and dog ,and I remember I have groomed them before maybe two years ago. Some people shop around. People have husbands who loose jobs, go away get another job and call me again. I also have a file for past dogs I don't want to groom again. On the back of each file card I write notes and each date the grooms were done.

[lefty]

That is the kind of reply I like. the first ones just kind of hurt my feelings. Yes, I do those things and it is good to read them and recheck to see if I did miss somethig. I also mention especially for a new pup that having the same groomer and experience being groomed is beneficial. Make it focused about the dog, not me.

THANKS ALL

>>>>>>>

My experience has been that there are some clients that are fickle. No matter what you do, no matter how you treat them, they will go to whoever they think might offer a better deal or the new shop. And some clients will be loyal through everything. I'd honesly chalk it up to the clients flakiness rather than your grooming skills. You sound like you are covering all the bases, and that you really love your job.

[louie]

i don't stress prebooking
when someone does go somewhere else..I LOVE it when they call me again they are always sorry they went somewhere else. you knida have them wrapped around your finger when they DO stray LOL

don't sweat it and one can be the most adorable person ever and a client STILL strays!

[furrybestjob]

I was just wondering when Harley went to the other shop. Was it before Christmas or Thanksgiving? If so, I can definitley understand where they're coming from. There are people that want to make sure they get clean before the holidays, and might have thought they were doing you a favor by making things a little less stressful for you. I actually have a couple of clients with dogs that don't have ambitious haircuts that will take them for a bath and tidy up at Pet&& because they know how busy I am. I actually refer them to a groomer that I know that works there. They book their next appointment ahead with me and on to the rest of the year we go.

I would just let them know that occassionally you have customers that need to postpone their appointments (I don't use the word cancel), and that they just may luck out and get a spot with you, so always be sure to call.

It can be frustrating when you work with a puppy to get it comfortable with your procedures, because then you fear that what you have done will be undone.

The bottom line...they came back to you, and you know that they want you to groom their dog first, so I'd feel pretty good about that if I were you.

[mortie]

Jane, sometimes your initial posts are hard to understand. Once you edit them they become clearer. Just saying...

[sheilabgroomer]

Jen, I think you maybe misread or misunderstood where Tammy was coming from. I think she gave really good testimony of what she does in business to ensure loyalty in her clients and also to keep herself happy w/her own work. I don't think she was suggesting that you DON'T do those things, because she probabaly doesn't know if you do or not. She was just saying what she does that works for her.

Tammy, hope you don't mind that I spoke for you ;-)

I like all of the advice that was posted here. I used to have my feelings really hurt if a client that I thought of as loyal went somewhere else for "whatever" reason. I made myself get over that though because after a bad or less than stellar grooming experience elsewhere they DEFINATELY become loyal to me.....lol... I have also found that most of the time a client gets their pet groomed or kenneled somewhere else it is either on a spur of the moment whim, or they got a gift certificate from someone, or it's on the urging of a friend or family member to try "their" place. I make myself content w/the fact that they have come back to ME.

I know there have been times that I have gotten my hair done by someone else besides my usual stylist or gone to a different massage therapast and usually regret it. Looking back my reasons were always a spontanious decision and weren't meant to be a insult at my usual professionals.

It sounds like you are doing a great job in managing your business and customer service but if you continue to take things like this so personally you will give yourself sleepless nights and stomach pains. Been there, done that!

[Jenneversage64]

Thanks Windy, My lady, Kitty

That is the kind of reply I like. the first ones just kind of hurt my feelings. Yes, I do those things and it is good to read them and recheck to see if I did miss somethig. I also mention especially for a new pup that having the same groomer and experience being groomed is beneficial. Make it focused about the dog, not me. I have been doing this a while and there are patterns people seem to have;even for you folks out there. It is as if we have had the same clients tho' we may live states and many miles apart. We all eventually as groomers experience similar client/business experiences. Good reminders however. Think I will make a list and check it monthly. I have a beautiful leather appt book with places to list such things to refer to. It never hurts to review how we can be the BEST we can be. So please don't be turned off by what I commented.....it just hit a sensitive spot. I do enjoy my job and especially cute feisty pups and I like to see how I progress and gain their trust. I think I really do have a kind of gift of service for lack of a better description. I enjoy helping others.

THANKS ALL

[Hello Kitty FTW]

For my clients, I always let them know, from their very first appointment, that if anything comes up---a skunking, flea/tick problem, a troublesome mat, or a quick neat and tidy before company arrives, you can ALWAYS call. I will do my best to accommodate them.

However, if it's a regular groom, I prefer they pre-book so my schedule stays consistent, and that way I can serve everyone better. It lets them know that I'm always there for them, but not to walk all over me when I prefer consistency.

[windywaycavaliers]

This can be tough. I no longer have a Pet-something near me at my home since I moved, and now the nearest groomer now is only 4 miles away- so occasionally I will notice a client's been gone for awhile before they return,,,,but they always return! My point is that when I was near to a Corp. store, I would occasionally have clients who wanted in the same day and there was just no way, or clients who would price shop, or clients who felt that they might inconvenience me by wanting to get in the same day (how ultra-polite is that!!). And they'd occasionally go to a Corp. store or elsewhere once in awhile,,but I think this could happen with clients going to any other groomer from time to time for most groomers- Corp. or not. When they did return, I impressed upon them to please always give me a call because I missed them when they were gone!
It seems that we can only hold so tight to them, and in the end, even the greatest of care we give could still mean they might visit another salon from time to time. But if they are going because they think we might be busy, all we can do is to try to get them to pre-book, and if they can't, the only other thing I can think of is maybe letting them know with a 5 week reminder postcard, or a reminder call or email, etc. in regular rotation for those who you know never pre-book, that way they can still hopefully get in within their 6 to 8 week rotation. But some are just too busy to do this, and that's understandable, too. For those who are at 4-6 weeks, it seems most of mine always want to schedule in advance,,its always the ones at 7+ weeks who linger 'til the last minute or price shop--so they seem the greatest risk of salon hopping.
Some competition is healthy and actually benefits businesses, especially from Corp. stores--not because of quality,,but because of price. Most chain stores are less expensive than independent salons- at least they are around here anyway. So,,if they come to us who are near a chain store,,we can be sure they are doing so because of the quality they get in comparison to the big box places. If they come & go,,then you know its more about $$ or time, and there's little we can do about that. But still, there are some times when no matter what we do, we may lose some income from clients going elsewhere. And I should also add that some big box places do have some very talented groomers, and some independent groomers might need to do better in the quality area,,so there's lots of factors in any equation irregardless of talent. I don't want any Corp. groomers getting their feelings hurt--some of them are some of the hardest working groomers in our industry,,believe me!
The good thing is that they always will likely come back if we are covering all of our bases. And all we can do is what it seems you are doing--let them know they are valued, be available as much as possible, politely remind them if you have the time (but sometimes we can only do so much), and give them quality care and services. There's really nothing else we can do except our best right!? I don't think you are missing anything from what you've posted,,some people just come & go...

[mylady]

Hmm, that's a tough one. You want people to at least call you before assuming you're booked but you don't want people to think they can always get in last minute. Maybe in these instances you can politely say something like "Oh you should have called, I ended up with a cancellation that day..." or something so at least next time they think to at least try calling you first. Right now my issue is that I am now booking out a bit and all of my clients had gotten used to getting in whenever they needed to because I was new and still building. Some have opted to book with my other groomer and some have opted to wait. Wish I had better suggestions for you.

[bulldogmom]

I agree with everything Spikey said! I've had a dozen or so clients not be able to get in and end up at another salon, and they only make that mistake once, lol! It truly is about getting across to the clients that you are someone who cares about them and their pet!

Mr. Smith tells you his daughter just got accepted into college? Make a note on his grooming file, next time he's in, bring it up! People love to be remembered! I know I do!

Christmas-time? Write clients a "Happy Holidays" thank-you note with a picture of their freshly-groomed pet attached. Those were my client gifts this years and they were a SMASH hit.

It's all about establishing a relationship. Picture yourself as a client, what would really make you think, "this is a person who loves her job and cares."?