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What do you do when you are so busy and you have no where to put them unless you work 10-12 hours a day? Do you start to raise prices to see who stays, or just whoever gets the spots gets them? How do you decide who you want to keep? Obviously you don't do the ones that your not crazy about or are too far away, I've done that already. I try to have clients book two to three appts out, but even now I am booked until mid july and have new clients booking for july, but I worry when I get there I'll be booked 6-8-10 weeks out and they can't get into a routine. The majority of my clients pay well and I work in one certain area. Any help is appreciated.
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Hi congradulations on staying busy.If you have not raised prices in a whiel than maybe a raise is due.I would not over work yourself stick to what you are confortable with.You don't want to burn yourself out.I found out that even if you do all the dogs on your waiting list someone will call again and you will be back at first step.I don't know if I'm making sense.Enjoy your work that you are able to do.Maybe add another groomer.I did now she's getting very full herself.Is'nt mobile great. -
When I got to the point where I started a waiting list, I scaled by my territory. That way I am able to groom more dogs and drive less n a daily basis. I wrote a letter to clients in the area I was not going to service (already had fewer customers in that area) and referred them to another groomer. That was I was able to be more efficient.Comment
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Just say no
You are booked, take a waiting list. Take only as many dogs as YOU want per day/week. Per business plan, what is needed for income. Do the best and most regular doggies. Say I'm so sorry, but I'm booked for weeks ahead. Only prebooked appointments that are already in place. Write in a day or afternoon or more off, you need it. You'll burn out. It is YOUR business.Money will buy you a pretty good dog but it won't buy the wag of it's tail.Comment
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Congratulations!!!!
You can work 10-12 hour days IF YOU WANT TO. The money is nice, but you won't be able to keep it up for long. I let myself get super busy now and again if I have a short term want (Big Screen Hi Def TV!!) and want to get some extra $$ fast. One extra dog per day for a month gets me about $1,500 - $2,000 extra.
You sound a bit overwhelmed, but this is success and this has been your goal. Always remember, YOU are the boss, you don't HAVE to accept every person who calls you to groom their dog. Be picky about location and about the dogs' dispositions.
So, here's what you can do --
Number one: you no longer do once a year dogs. You save your efforts, your energy and your equipment for regular clients or potential regular clients.
Next, review your list and pull in your service area as close to your house as possible. I seldom go more than 5-6 miles away, and as I am fully booked now new clients (replacements for people who relocate out of the area or ancient dogs passing on) are pretty much within 4-5 miles. I live in a densely populated, though suburban area and can really see the day when I am staying within 3-4 miles of home. (I have kept a small handful of farther away clients because I like them or their dogs, but I have a full day out there way and that's my own decision, and even then, my farthest is 8 miles.)
If you know of another mobile groomer in the area you can give them a call and ask if they'd like you to refer them when you drop your clients due to distance. It makes it easier for everyone if you can give your clients another option, but this is a business decision and you don't OWE them a new groomer. But it is nice all around if you can. If you do, passing along your grooming notes can be a nice gesture as well.
The next thing you can do if you are still swamped is drop your difficult dogs. If they bite, if they struggle, if you find yourself dreading the day their appointment comes up, drop them. If there is a new groomer in the area trying to build up his or her business you can give them a call and see if they want those clients. When I first started, one of the more established groomers passed along his problems to me. Many of them were not problems for me, several I then passed along to a newer person as I got fed up and more booked ;-)
You can also drop difficult clients if you want to. Bad tippers who ask for all sorts of special favors? See ya! Unreliable? Buh bye!
By the end of the summer you will have pleasantly full days with easy dogs and nice clients because you will have cherry picked your client list and will be very choosy accepting new clients.
And again -- CONGRATULATIONS on your success!!!!
MeeshComment
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