Raising the Bar
Someone I respect very musch once stated, "doing somethinhg to the best of your ability requires some humility." I thought about this quote and how it can be applied to those of us in the pet grooming industry. My interpretation is that you need to be open to constructive criticism and make changes if necessary, if it means taking your business and/or skills ton the next level.
Do you set guidelines and limits for yourself and your staff? Take a look around. Do you see gum chewing, eating ,texting, sitting around? Are you listening to gossip and foul language? Maybe you are guilty of some of these yourself? It is so important as an owner/manager to lead by example. You cannot expect others to to meet your standards if you will not meet them yourself. Even if you are a stylist within a group, being unprofessional just because others are is not acceptable. Hold yourselves to a higher standard! These higher standards will payoff and bring you quality referrals who are willing to pay for your quality customer service and work.
Some groomers brag, "I do 14-15 dogs a day!" It is my opinion that quality is far more important than quantity. Managers and salon owners need to moniter the quality of customer service and the work being sent out the door. Are the dogs being fluff dried properly? Are there armpit mats? Did all the services requested get done? To keep customers coming back and for them to give you referrals, this is non negotiable.Being rushed by booking too many dogs may force some to make shortcuts. Our customers are not stupid. They will see the inferior work and will not come back!
Conduct proper consultations. By doing so you will be able to listen to what the client wants and determine what services the pet needs. The pets' appearance is the key driver to customer satisfaction. It is important to listen to the customer. Arrive 15 minutes before your customer's appointment time. Review their history and be prepared. It also gives you the opportunity to explain to the customer why something might not be able to be done and offer alternatives. The customer should leave their pet having a good idea of what the pet will look like when done and how much it will cost.
Defining and identifying weaknesses will give you direction in seeking continuing education. Whether you need help perfecting customer service or improvement in your scissoring skills, there is an amazing amount of help available in the form of books, DVD's,and seminars. Finding breeders or competitive groomers, in your area, that would be willing to teach you knew skills is a great idea!
Take responsibilty for making yourself or your business a success! Look for opportunities to improve what you do. Don't make the mistake of becoming complacent and thinking you know it all. Get to know your clients. Be aware of their wants and needs.
Communication is the key component in setting expectations within a salon. Set up guidelines. Employees like rules and regulations...limits. All businesses should have a handbook outlining policies and procedures that set clear and concise expectations. Hold yourself and others accountable. Holding regular staff meetings gives everyone an opportunity to talk about challenges and celebrate successes. It will also develope comraderie and teamwork. You are only as good as your weakest team member. Sometimes this means making some difficult decisions or changes, if it means improving and growing your business.
Running any business is tough and the pet industry is becoming very competitive. Raise the bar. Make improvements on what you already do. Stay in the forefront of industry changes. Look at trends. Price correctly and get paid well for the hard work you do. Customers want value. They will pay more if they feel the service and care is top of the line.
Do you set guidelines and limits for yourself and your staff? Take a look around. Do you see gum chewing, eating ,texting, sitting around? Are you listening to gossip and foul language? Maybe you are guilty of some of these yourself? It is so important as an owner/manager to lead by example. You cannot expect others to to meet your standards if you will not meet them yourself. Even if you are a stylist within a group, being unprofessional just because others are is not acceptable. Hold yourselves to a higher standard! These higher standards will payoff and bring you quality referrals who are willing to pay for your quality customer service and work.
Some groomers brag, "I do 14-15 dogs a day!" It is my opinion that quality is far more important than quantity. Managers and salon owners need to moniter the quality of customer service and the work being sent out the door. Are the dogs being fluff dried properly? Are there armpit mats? Did all the services requested get done? To keep customers coming back and for them to give you referrals, this is non negotiable.Being rushed by booking too many dogs may force some to make shortcuts. Our customers are not stupid. They will see the inferior work and will not come back!
Conduct proper consultations. By doing so you will be able to listen to what the client wants and determine what services the pet needs. The pets' appearance is the key driver to customer satisfaction. It is important to listen to the customer. Arrive 15 minutes before your customer's appointment time. Review their history and be prepared. It also gives you the opportunity to explain to the customer why something might not be able to be done and offer alternatives. The customer should leave their pet having a good idea of what the pet will look like when done and how much it will cost.
Defining and identifying weaknesses will give you direction in seeking continuing education. Whether you need help perfecting customer service or improvement in your scissoring skills, there is an amazing amount of help available in the form of books, DVD's,and seminars. Finding breeders or competitive groomers, in your area, that would be willing to teach you knew skills is a great idea!
Take responsibilty for making yourself or your business a success! Look for opportunities to improve what you do. Don't make the mistake of becoming complacent and thinking you know it all. Get to know your clients. Be aware of their wants and needs.
Communication is the key component in setting expectations within a salon. Set up guidelines. Employees like rules and regulations...limits. All businesses should have a handbook outlining policies and procedures that set clear and concise expectations. Hold yourself and others accountable. Holding regular staff meetings gives everyone an opportunity to talk about challenges and celebrate successes. It will also develope comraderie and teamwork. You are only as good as your weakest team member. Sometimes this means making some difficult decisions or changes, if it means improving and growing your business.
Running any business is tough and the pet industry is becoming very competitive. Raise the bar. Make improvements on what you already do. Stay in the forefront of industry changes. Look at trends. Price correctly and get paid well for the hard work you do. Customers want value. They will pay more if they feel the service and care is top of the line.
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