# Groomers - how to handle this?



## GroovyGroomer777 (Aug 21, 2008)

Hello fellow groomers and anyone else who may read this - 

I work 4 days a week, by myself grooming in a vet's hospital. I do everything - check in/outs, bathe, dry, nails/ears/anals, haircuts, schedule appointments, charge fees, ect.....basically I run my own grooming shop inside the vet's.

Right now I am fully booked 5 weeks in advance for a full grooming. I live in SW FL and we have what we call "season", all the northeners come down to live in the nice weather for the winter. Not to mention that everyone wants their dog to look nice for the holidays. 

I had one of my clients, who is seasonal Oct-April, call me today. This woman is quite abrasive. She complains about the nails after every groom, saying they need to cut shorter and filed down, but refuses to pay for the filing. (Just an example so you get an idea of the personality.) 

Anyway, she called to schedule an appointment for her dog, who had been groomed 3 weeks earlier. I offered her my first available, which would make it 8 weeks between her grooming appointment (not ideal, but this is a min schnauzer whose feathering is kept very short)

She interrupted me and said "What are you trying to tell me?" I was confused, and repeated the date I offered.
"Are you trying to tell me you want me to go somewhere else?"
I explained that no, I was not, but that I was very busy being that it was the holiday season. 

She then told me that her dog already had an appointment, but she had forgotten the date. I told her I did not have her date either, that after her last grooming she had said she would call ASAP because she knew how busy I was getting.

She then proceeded to tell me that she is a "preferred customer" and "You HAVE to squeeze her in" 

I continued to explain that I was very busy, and worked alone with no assistance, and that I would be happy to call if I had a cancellation. She said she did not "do things that way" and continued to call herself a "preferred customer" (BTW, wouldn't _I_ be the one to decide who was my preferred client?)

Anyway, this continued for a while and I apologized but did not back down. She ended up hanging up on me abruptly.

Groomers - how would YOU handle this? How do you handle it when you are fully booked and clients get upset?
Was there something I should have said to calm her down?


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Luckily, I don't have many clients like that, and I don't usually book out that far, as I cut off new clients when I am booked out for 2 weeks or longer, and only take on newbies when its slower. That helps with regular clients getting locked out. However, her behavior and tone was completely inappropriate, and good for you for not backing down. I would have said the same things you did..You can only SAFELY groom so many per day, etc, and I would have probably mentioned that to her as well. I may have offered her an "after hours" appt. for an increased fee, and found a place to squeeze her in at the end of a day or something like that. That would be a one time deal, and she would have to prebook her next appt. I may have also found somewhere to squeeze in the dog, and just told her that I would be working her in somewhere, and that it would take me longer to have her ready for her, and she would have to be at the salon for along time, etc..That sometimes calms them down, and sometimes they book for it anyway and I work a bit later, and make a bit more money. Unfortunately, things like that happen when you are so booked out..Its good for you, steady income, but bad for clients. I know, myself, if my hairdresser was booked out that many weeks, I would find another one, cause I just can't plan that far ahead..lol By cutting out new clients, and raising prices on the existing clients, I can do a reasonable amount of pets per day, without rushing and killing myself and without being booked out so far, which I do think is a big downside for the clients.


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## PugChick (Nov 5, 2007)

GroovyGroomer777 said:


> She interrupted me and said "What are you trying to tell me?" I was confused, and repeated the date I offered.
> "Are you trying to tell me you want me to go somewhere else?"
> I explained that no, I was not, but that I was very busy being that it was the holiday season.


Oh, _hell _no. I would have said that yes, I did want her to go somewhere else and to please take her entitled attitude with her. She knows how you run but she thinks she's too important for rules. 

The stress caused by customers like that is not worth the extra bit of cash. 

I will go the extra mile for the good people, but anyone who comes in thinking that the sun shines out of their butt and that I am just a lowly peon who should be grateful to bask in their imperial presence can turn around and march right back out.

One of the worst things about my job at the big box store is that you have to be nice to everyone. One of the best things about my other business is telling the abusive toxic people to go get lost.


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

WoW! I wish you could send the over flow up to Nebraska!
We don't do that much business here, & I sure can't afford to lose any paying customers right now, the competition here is really fierce. While we do get swamped at times, we can usually find time to fit the good, regular customers in somewhere. Actually, it would be GREAT for us to get to the point where you are now!
But, I think Graco came up with a good way to handle it, 

"_may have also found somewhere to squeeze in the dog, and just told her that I would be working her in somewhere, and that it would take me longer to have her ready for her, and she would have to be at the salon for along time, etc..That sometimes calms them down, and sometimes they book for it anyway and I work a bit later, and make a bit more money_"

that's probably the way I would handle it, but I am a real suck up to the customers.


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## GroovyGroomer777 (Aug 21, 2008)

Thank you for your replies. So I have two groomers that would have worked her in, and one who would have told her to stick it where the sun don't shine

I think the reason I made no effort to squeeze her in was because this is not an isolated incident...the woman has made me cry before.

Another thing is, I feel like I would be rewarding her for being so rude to me. Most of my clients pre-book, but the ones who forget or wait until the last minute always seem to understand, and happily wait for the 2-3 weeks - That's what I am normally booked, it's the combo of season and X-MAS/holidays that has me out so far. So, I tell the nice ones to wait and tell the beast she can come in whenever she yells at me?

ETA: I re-read your post, Graco, and see you said a "one-time deal". This is not the first time, so seems as though she would be out of luck at your place too.


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

No, you're right, you can't make the other customers suffer becuz of her. I can understand that.
I'm coming to realize that there are those customers that it's just not worth bending over backward for. And honestly, you just can not please everyone.


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## bizzy (Apr 4, 2007)

I think you handled it properly. Good job standing up for your self. Think of acting that way trying to get a doctors apt. You are not obligated to work anyone in at any time just becaues they want you to. You are running a business. If you are booked that far out year round then you can afford to start cerry picking you client. Get rid of the one who treat you like this lady and keep the ones that respect you for the job you do. If it were me I would politely refuse to book this customer in the future if she decides to call and try and get in again.
One of the unfortinate aspect of running a business no matter how good you are is you will never make everyone happy. There will always be sour apples to spoil things. I think you did the right thing.


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## echo8287 (Jul 5, 2007)

I think you handled things rather well. I have been in business for myself(not the grooming business)for the past 25 years. You run into all kinds. I've had em tell me they weren't going to pay when they owed $6000 or $7000 dollars. I am usually nice and explain that I have several lawyers in my family and one that works for the federal government, unfortunately for the IRS. I will be receiving their payment shortly, in one way or another and a hefty attorney's fee will also be applied. It will also cost me nothing for their services, because I have always taken care of them in my business. The bill has always been paid before litigation, except for one which decided to pay the hefty attorney fee and may have been audited. David


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

If she's made you cry before, I would refuse her business. Some people seem to thrive on being abusive to service people, and enjoy how they feel they have immunity under the 'customer is always right' tradition. 

I would not let her get away with it, myself.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Dear Mrs. X,

I am writing to thank you for your years of loyal business. I have been happy to serve you and your Fifi. However, due to recent circumstances, I cannot continue to provide your grooming services. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. I am recommending a few salons that I feel can better serve you and Fifi's needs. 

Sincerely, 

Current groomer



How would sending a letter like that to her make you feel? Relieved? Then do it. If you are booked out that far, and as busy as you want to be, then start weeding out the rude, the neglectful, and the demeaning clients that you DON'T NEED. Its simple...you mail it, and you are done. For every one of those clients you keep putting up with, you are losing a spot for a well manners, appreciating client. If for some reason she calls you to discuss the letter, then you just stand your ground like you already did. Let her learn that you don't need her business, and won't put up with being treated like you are a peon in her world. You are a professional, and should be treated as one.


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## GroovyGroomer777 (Aug 21, 2008)

I really appreciate all the input! I feel much better about the situation now.

Graco, that is a good letter to write, and I will keep it in mind if something like this arises again. I won't need it with this particular woman though, because she hung up on me saying she doesn't "do things that way" or something.... I know she will be going elsewhere, not that I mind.

And the kicker - I got a cancellation for Tues the 23rd....if she had just been a little patient with me and treated me with some decency...I would have called her to come in on Tuesday.

Pai- you are so right....service people get treated like garbage for some reason, I have no idea why. I love my service people, and treat them with respect.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

I give my first available appointment, whether it's today, or 6 weeks out, and tell them unless I have a cancellation there really is no alternative. "Most" and I mean most clients will set up an appointment, especially if I tell them that they may not get the later appointment later if they wait; it may wind up being even later! 

But then, yes, you do get those self appointed 'preferred clients', who give you the run around; I still don't back down...I don't get rude, but I just make sure to let them know that 'preferred client' or not, I am booked up, and they will be the first person I call if I get a cancellation. Plain and simple, it's not fair to your other clients to squeeze in an extra dog when you're solidly booked (preferred or not), and possibly stress yourself and the dogs out because you're set behind. If they still are nasty or rude about it, that's their problem; it's not a reflection of you.

Send a letter, such as Graco's, to further enforce her decision...If she doesn't want to wait for you even though she likes what you do to the dog, then she's not truly a preferred client, and should go somewhere else. Don't count on her not coming back...people like her do these kind of things; I have encountered alot of them at the old shop I was at...they would complain, tell us they weren't coming back anymore, and lo and behold a couple of months later, there they are again, complaining about the last grooming salon they were at.


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## GingerG (Jan 3, 2021)

First of all you want to hang on to all your customers because every happy customer talks to their friends. If she says that " she's a preferred customer and one of your favorites", make sure you agree with her or tell her that she is! Do you have a waiting list situation in case somebody cancels you can always offer that ?
I don't know if my suggestion is practical but can you get a part-time assistant for these busy times? Or maybe a second groomer? It will be worth it because your business will grow, and your customers will appreciate you being able to take care of them.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

12 year old thread.


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