What was the best/worst quote you heard from a client when they were told you’re booked this holiday season?

[surrenderingtogod]

@tini91 This is when I feel extremely grateful to the receptionists that handle all of this drama for me and I hide behind them like a little wimp lol.

 

[jesuslover657]

@tini91 My favorite was, "Are you serious? It's a small dog, what itll take an HOUR to bath at most? Are you that incompatent?!?"

Didnt even have her dog in our system yet, no idea of the breed and she also insisted her dog did not have rabies so it didnt need to have a rabies shot before the bath. Weird world.

 

[tini91]

@jesuslover657 Watch. It’s a full on doodle lol

 

[zabu]

@tini91 I'm not a groomer, just a dog owner, but I'd like to know: who are these people who can't even give their dog a simple bath? This makes no damn sense to me.

 

[hircine]

@zabu Professional bathing usually results in a cleaner feeling that lasts slinger, as well as a fluffier coat and no "wet dog smell" that comes from not drying properly.
I honestly don't wash my dogs at home unless they get into something rank, cause I don't want the wet smell in my home.

 

[zabu]

@hircine That makes some sense. I've never had my dog professionally bathed, so I can't really make any good comparisons, but, I can say that she's pretty fluffy & good smelling after I bathe her, and never smells like "wet dog."

The reason I even asked the question though, is you get these people calling on Dec 24 saying they need their dog bathed before Christmas dinner or something, and they can't just do it at home or at a pet store or something? I can bathe, brush, and Furminate my dog pretty thoroughly in about 45 minutes if I focus and don't play with her while we're doing it lol. It probably wouldn't be as good a job as a pro could do, but it'd be good enough to get through a family gathering the next day. If I can do it, I don't see why most people couldn't.

 

[offsetonsetonfroy]

@zabu You’re not wrong. Also sometimes the owner says they just need a bath but they don’t, they need bath and a shave down or something. But we won’t know til we see the dog and then it’s gonna take considerably more time if we don’t flat out refuse.

 

[brainnetenthusiast]

@zabu The bath we do also includes a nail trim, teeth brushing, gland expression, and ear cleaning. Most of this stuff the owner doesn’t want to do at home.

 

[seektobegood]

@zabu People with physical impairments, mobility issues, people with children, people who have over 40 hour work weeks.

I’m just a DIY/home groomer, but I’m 5ft tall and my dog is 75lbs- he’s as big as I am. Plus my sometimes stressful job, my 4 aquariums, houseplants, housework, etc… Sometimes I want somebody to do it for me! Lol

 

[samuel926]

@tini91 2 weeks before Christmas-
"I have 6 dogs and if you can't get me in before Christmas I'm going to find somewhere else"
Followed by my boss asking me if i would come in on a Saturday to accommodate this lady who's always been very rude to me .. by Felicia
Also told him no I get one Saturday off a month not gonna waste it on this asshole

 

[maxveritas]

@tini91 For five years, I worked at a pet store that had grooming and we would book out at least a month regularly and then closer to two to two and a half months out before any major holidays. It always irked me when people would try to say “I’m a regular”/“I’ve been going to you guys for years” as if that would get them in sooner. If those statements are true, then they’d absolutely know this is an annual occurrence and they should plan ahead better.

We even tried to get clients to schedule their next appointment(s) at pickup and would allow them to schedule through the end of the year.

 

[searchdaniel]

@tini91 We've been booked out usually at least a week in advance since coming back from the lockdown, which we used to be able to fit people in the same week. A good regular who I used to like called, couldn't get in, and said, "I'm getting real sick of you guys being so busy." She has a doodle that's like 75 pounds. Cant exactly squeeze him in anywhere.
Sorry. Do you want us to keep a spot open for him on the OFFCHANCE you want to book?

 

[greatideas1144]

@searchdaniel You know what I'm getting real sick of? People who can't figure out how to plan ahead by more than a couple days. Or...rebook. And one week out isn't even that bad lol?????

 

[jayjaynp]

@tini91 "there's no way you're booked up for two weeks! You're NEVER that busy"

No actually we're regularly booked out for 3 weeks during the busy season, it's slowed down a bit for covid but - shockingly - yes we're busy during the holidays. Plan ahead

 

[nataliebrooke]

@tini91 There was a lady that came in and asked if we could fit in her golden Retriever for a full haircut and her chihuahua for a bath that day because the next day they were going out of town. like why does no one know how to plan ahead for things like that. she begged me for like 30mins and then left and then called (prob hoping to talk to someone else) and begged some more.

 

[19john54]

@tini91 "Ugh, really? What am I supposed to do, bathe him myself!?"

 

[greatideas1144]

@tini91 It's a year round problem for us, but especially bad during the holidays:

"What do you MEAN you're not taking new clients???? Well, you've lost my money FOREVER! I'm NEVER coming to your shop! Good luck staying in business with that policy!!!"

...we book out 12 weeks. But yeah, might go out of business any second.

 

[xekuter]

@tini91 We constantly, like multiple times per day, have people calling or coming in saying ‘your online booking shows you’re booking 3 weeks out, is that true?? Is there anything sooner??????’

No.

 

[danieldf]

@tini91 "We were completely open until the 3-4 days before Christmas Day."

Hah! we have to work Christmas Eve, get boxing day off and then its straight back to it.