sheepofjesus
New member
Hello! I am not a professional dog groomer, but am experienced with dogs. In my area, groomers are incredibly busy, with full books 4-5 weeks in advance. The plan to open a new grooming salon was ignited by seeking a solution to my own problem as a dog owner, but has been fueled by the demand in my area and the supply of dog groomers, given there are 3 schools in the metro.
My plan is to run a very small operation with 3 people working per shift. I want to make this a great place to work. Here are a few questions I have for you folks that are currently working in a grooming shop, however, please also drop any additional advice you can give.
My plan is to run a very small operation with 3 people working per shift. I want to make this a great place to work. Here are a few questions I have for you folks that are currently working in a grooming shop, however, please also drop any additional advice you can give.
- What is the recommended staffing ratio between experienced groomers, novice/apprentice groomers, bathers, etc?
- What is the recommended duties/responsibilities for each role?
- Commission vs. hourly vs. salary - what is your preference for each particular role and why?
- What have you found to be the best schedule (how many hours can you work comfortably and how often do you take breaks)?
- Is it best for the shop to provide tools or for staff to supply their own (like a barber shop)?
- Do you have any positive or negative experiences with straight-through ONLY service (e.g. no staggering appointments and no kenneling for dry time)?
- In your opinion, what is the best way to estimate an appointment duration at the time of booking (a table based on breed and service?)?