Regardless of the
industry, management is responsible to consistently supervise
established standards of operation. For example, you could hire a
highly-prized and certified pet groomer, and yet your operation
may provide less than humane pet care overall. Pet groomers expert
at humane pet care and styling must be supported by a well-managed
operation outside of the grooming services provided by the
groomers.
For example, does the
operation have an Emergency Plan? Is there an Evacuation Plan? Are
there adequate and well-maintained fire extinguishers. Does the
client intake system include asking pet owners about any health
conditions the business should know about? Are accurate service
and client histories being kept with vaccination and veterinarian
contact information, and emergency contact information for every
pet? How is the hygiene of the total environment being managed?
What is the supervisory program for employees? How are pet wastes
handled? We could go on and on with hundreds of management level
questions? Add them together and you see that not only must the
pet groomers provide humane pet care, but the overall operation
must support an operation serving the needs of humane pet care.
Where do you find such a
"management system?" We would like to say there are many
sources, but our industry has only one complete source book and
consultation firm, and they are now even the owner of this major
website. They are Find A Groomer, Inc., publishers of PetGroomer.com and From
Problems to Profits-The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming
Salons and Madson Business Forms. They also train their
management system at Madson's Pet Grooming Manager Workshops or by
private consultation.
In writing the pet
grooming business management manual based on one of the world's
most financially successful pet grooming business with over 5,000
loyal clients, Madeline Bright Ogle formulated a management system
that supported humane pet care standards. She relies on the reader
to understand and acquire excellence in master styling, and
instead focuses on an operation that serves the requirements of a
humane pet care operation. However, Madeline did share her famous
humane bath procedure, and has since made available a far more
detailed version now licensed by some pet grooming vocational
education schools. Humane pet care requires the commitment of a
business owner to support a well-managed and well-trained staff.
That's an investment of time and money, but it builds a large
business with a superior reputation, and likely a greater net
worth as a reward to the committed business owner.
Madson's
Humane Bath Procedure©
Madeline's famous
bathing procedure recognizes the care and concern needed by every
pet being bathed. It is available in the Appendix of From
Problems to Profits.
Madson's
Groom Alert Safety Program©
Madeline trains every
employee participating in the intake of pets to ask pet owners for
current information about the pet's behavior and condition. Then,
the business can better make decisions about the appropriate of
grooming service orders. When a pet needs special care, a
fluorescent-colored "Groom Alert" tag is affixed to the
pet's lodging space (cage) door as an extra reminder to pet
groomers that the pet requires extra special care. In addition, a
"Groom Alert" circular sticker is affixed to the pet's Madson
Client and Pet History Filecard to capture the attention of
pet groomers again, and to ensure they read the special care
instructions and health condition of the pet written on the
filecard. Now you can see how a Pet Grooming Manager can better
ensure that every pet receives the humane pet care it deserves.
Madson's
Pet Groomer's Report and Health Alert©
For every grooming
appointment, Madeline's has provided every pet with a form
commonly called a "report card" by some business form
vendors today. However, Madeline developed her original form all
the way back in 1961, and it is far more complete. In fact, she
credits the form in large with building her business to its record
size. She named it the "Pet Groomer's Report and Health
Alert" and it is illustrated in From
Problems to Profits. They cost about 4 cents each to make.
Madeline says many clients would not leave without their form, and
they save the forms for the complete lifetime of their pets. This
form alone set her apart from the "competition" and over
44 veterinarian clinics and hospitals referred their clients to
her salon, largely in part of this professional business form.
It takes a little
training to complete the form. Pet groomers record written
observations of each pet's behavior and conditions OBSERVED during
the visit. If there is a suspect condition or behavior, the
Manager activates a Medical Advisory box, and which advises the
pet owner to consult with their veterinarian. Of course,
veterinarians respect this level of humane pet care interest, and
send Madeline's thousands of referrals. New customers become loyal
clients when they see the extra level of concern this inexpensive,
but very important, communicates. We highly-recommend you use this
truly professional form.
Madson's
Safety and Supervision Program©
If you sat down to
write a safety and supervision program, it might take you days.
However, without a written one how can you communicate it to your
employees? Indeed, if you have a problematic employee not
following your standards of operation, how can you prove you
informed them properly if you do not provide a written program to
them, and provide adequate training in its policies and
procedures? You are liable in large part for the action of your
employees. In From Problems to Profits,
Madeline provides a very extensive safety and supervision program
based upon ensuring that all pets are provided humane pet care.
Madson's
Employee Handbook©
How you communicate
your standards of operation, including humane pet care, in written
form is an employee handbook. However, you must back it with
adequate training for all employees. Madeline provides you with a
employee handbook model in From Problems to Profits. You
supplement it with additional employer notice requirements, and
you quickly have a wondrous employee handbook that brings humane
pet care, and written policies and procedures to the attention of
the employee. Your employee cannot say they were not informed of
expected policies and procedures. Don't operate without an
employee handbook. It's much easier to have one now with From
Problems to Profits.
Our exploration of
humane pet care continues on the next page.
