For decades the grooming
industry has seen the majority of its business owners come from
working backgrounds where they were workers and military and their
grooming businesses were their first involvement in managing a
business. Many watched or worked under management, but not
everybody had supervisory and management responsibilities to a
strong degree. For this reason, it is suspect to think that they
could effectively manage any business without formal business
training. Indeed, we have worked with thousands of grooming
business owners since the late 1980's and profiles of our clients
clearly display a lack of formal management training, and perhaps
that explains some of the irksome chronic problems that
characterize most pet grooming businesses, and the entire
industry.
Today, large numbers of
groomers and grooming business owners are coming from business
backgrounds into pet grooming to both own their own business and
to enjoy working with pets. They know they need grooming
management training and they get it from lectures and books
written solely on the topic of grooming management, and often they
do quite well very quickly in establishing growing businesses with
average to above-average profit margins.
Now, a "management
system" is an organization of measurable business goals set
by the owner(s) under the guidance of a manager. The system
ensures that the daily operation of the managed business collects
data for management analysis in order to determine if the business
goals are being achieved, and as a result of analysis to tune the
business operation as needed. On monthly, quarterly and annual
bases the system also produces management reports covering these
periods to determine budgets, client satisfaction, marketing and
advertising response, financial goals and personnel goals. Every
service trade and the retail trades have their "management
system." Each owner may fine tune them, but a general version
exists for every service trade, including grooming if you know
where to look. Sometimes the "management systems" become
so well-organized and effective, they are the basis of
"franchise opportunities" like McDonalds, MailBox Etc.,
and Subway.
Overall, a management
system for a service trade organizes its goals into these
categories, 1) Operations, 2) Personnel, 3) Client Relations, 4)
Marketing and 5) Finance. Perhaps you can determine some
measurable goals for these categories. Here are some examples. One
Client Relations goal would be to achieve 500 clients in the first
year of business, and 1,000 by the end of the second year in
business. One marketing goal would be to get 50% of all clients to
enroll in a standing appointment program. One financial goal would
be to earn gross sales income of $100,000 a year, and another goal
would be to retain net profit of $40,000 from that sales income
after deducting operating expenses.
The Manager is at the
helm of management system guiding it to reach the goals of the
owner's business plan. No matter
how small or large the business, someone must organize a
management system to routinely operate the business, and fulfill
the goals of the management system on a regular basis in order to
grow the business and provide stable income for owner(s), and
employees if any. So many grooming business owners today invest
all of the training time in learning to groom so well, but invest
so little time in learning management. Yet it is management that
determines their income, not grooming, and so often so many
complain they don't make enough for the hard work of grooming. Is
it any wonder they don't when you consider they don't have a
formal management system?
Fortunately there are
management system resources easy enough to learn by any grooming
business owner. It has only been since 1990 that such resources
were ever able for an industry that has been grooming pets for
centuries. If you want to know why one grooming business you see
down the street has the nicer building, extra parking, modern
tools and equipment, and all the dreams, well, the owner probably
learned management as well as grooming. It really is that simple.
You have to respect the manager in you, and who is not the groomer
in you grooming 8+ hours a day. You can be both though, but you
need some specialized knowledge.
We will provide you with
leads to that information at the end of this Main Menu.
Managing
Client Satisfaction
Generally,
consumers migrate to well-managed businesses attracted by the
benefits they can derive. In pet care this includes a wide-range
of client services not common in ordinary pet grooming business.
Well-managed businesses typically offer a more ambient and
hygienic environment, a major concern for pet owners. These
businesses generally offer more for the dollar, and do NOT over
charge. They do not force excessive pricing schemes on clients,
and surcharges for pets left over 3-4 hours (as long as pets are
picked up before closing). Managing consumer demand means you
serve BOTH clients and pets, and not just pets. Too many pet
groomers manage with rules, not convenience. It's almost as if
some were saying, "You're lucky I will groom your pet."
Others admonish clients who have let their pet go too long between
groomings.
Managing
consumer demand means you "politely inform" the client
of the benefits of regular pet care and provide them with
appointment and reminder programs to HELP them. Managing consumer
demand means you never talk about clients behind their back, even
when they are out of line. Managing consumer demand means you put
yourself in the place of all types of customers, see their needs,
and fill them with a flexible program. We have a client that
didn't want to work Sundays, but clients wanted to have their pets
done on Sundays. Now she does 40 pets every Sunday, and takes
Monday off. You cannot serve the consumer without being a consumer
yourself and you know what you like when you spend your money. Is
your business doing the same for the broad spectrum of pet owners.
Can you serve that broad spectrum without judgment? Can you
maintain your cool when a heated customer comes in? You don't have
to be a martyr, but a manager never loses focus to manage every
situation, and often bonds a loyal client who appreciates in the
long run not be mirrored back with high emotion.
Managing
consumer demand means you magnetize more consumer demand. You
promote a professional reputation that attracts the lifeblood of
all pet grooming businesses, referrals. Unlike some service
trades, there are large numbers of pet owners willing to go many
extra miles to patronize a well-managed business that offers them
not only excellent pet care, but pet owner peace of mind, and
convenient client services for reasonable fees.
Wise
management also manages consumer demand with pet owner
information. The manager excels at taking time to provide plenty
of verbal and written pet care information. Use handouts that help
the pet owner to help their pets. They are important part of
becoming "full-service."
Every appointment is an
opportunity to impressively serve both client and pet. Remember, a
positive or negative experience with one client affects many, even
hundreds. The client mentions the experience to several people,
and those people carry it further to others. Don't overlook this
inverted pyramid. One highly-impressed client can bring you
several clients, and those bring you more. The same is true though
with negative events. You must always seek to avoid and resolve
negative events, and avoid battles with clients. One negative
event doesn't just risk the client involved, but your reputation
and loss of referrals. Imagine you lose a client that spends $200
a year at your business. You are really losing thousands that
trickle down from this client. Wise management looks the long-term
gain and loss, not just today's gain or loss value. It is very
important to note that dissatisfied clients do NOT commonly inform
the source business of their dissatisfaction, but instead do not
return and become "lost clients."
An effective manager
always asks for clients opinions and immediately resolves
differences. The manager greets clients by name, and reaches out
for a hand-shake, especially when bonding new customers. Study
your client profiles. How many own large pets, small pets,
bath-only pets and complete trim pets? This is vital information
to serve your native market.
Regularly imagine you
are on the other side of your business' front counter. What do you
see? hear? smell? fear? like? Then, react to work out any lacking
now. Were you asked for your opinion of the services received, or
were you taken for granted? Did anyone sincerely ask how your pet
has been, and consider that information in regards to your service
order? Were you offered a client questionnaire? Was the person
serving you anxious to get back to dog they were grooming? Were
they preoccupied with the telephone, and not you for even a few
moments? How does that make you feel. You see, people and pet
management makes money because it's been our experience that the
majority of clients will come back more often, and make more
referrals, when a dedicated manager and receptionist are present
and serve them.
People and pet
management means listening to clients. In many subtle ways they
are telling you what they need from a pet groomer, and then you
can take the town by providing them with their needs, and not just
what you say they need. Client trust is a valuable gift, and it is
earned. It means the client no doubt that their pet will be cared
for properly and that they will return to not only a beautiful
pet, but a happy and healthy pet. Client trust represents a strong
bond between owner and clients, and when it exists, it is very
difficult for competition to sever. It means repeat business.
Imagine just getting half your clients to book one extra
appointment each year. That means thousands of more dollars.
More grooming management
information continues on the next page.
