Knowing your worth as a dog groomer

Count the work around the groom

The customer sees a freshly groomed dog. You’ve also prepared the space, checked the dog’s details, talked through the service, cleaned up, answered messages and perhaps arranged the next visit. Then there’s training, equipment care and all the other jobs that keep the place going.

Those jobs can disappear when you’re thinking about the appointment price. Write down what happens before, during and after a typical visit. The cleaning fairy remains frustratingly unreliable, so that time needs to go somewhere.

Find out where the time goes

Choose a normal week and jot down how long things take. Include preparation, the groom, the chat at collection and the clean-up. Record general admin separately so you can spread that time across the day without counting it twice.

A few honest notes will do to start with. Look for services that regularly run over and jobs you squeeze between appointments. Give those jobs some time in the plan, because they’re clearly taking it anyway.

Your own pay belongs in the maths

List what the salon needs to pay for: your space, equipment, maintenance, products, utilities, insurance, training, software and staff. Use your own figures. Another salon’s price list won’t tell you whether your bills are covered.

Include what you need to earn, too. Allow for time off, admin and training as well as the hours spent grooming. This gives you a starting point for reviewing the business; you can build a fuller plan from there.

Be realistic about how many appointments fit. A plan that depends on every dog being ready in record time leaves very little room for an ordinary Tuesday. Allow for the care each dog needs and the interruptions you know are part of the job.

“Profit = what is left when you take away your costs from your sales”

Give your confidence something to stand on

It’s easier to explain a price when you know how you arrived at it. Your costs, the time the job needs and what’s included give you something solid to talk about, even if the conversation still makes you a bit nervous.

Bill Betts at Pet Passion to Profit writes about the link between clearer numbers and business confidence. That’s a useful place to start if ‘I should probably charge more’ has been living in your head for six months without making it as far as the price list.

In its case study of Amey at Hazelgrove Hounds, Pet Passion to Profit describes how changes to pricing sat alongside better organisation and business support. It’s a useful account of several business decisions working together.

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“Confidence grows when you stop guessing.”

Read Pet Passion to Profit’s case study of Amey’s grooming business

Price the work in front of you

Two appointments can have the same name in the diary and need very different amounts of work. Coat condition, size and handling needs all matter. Get the details you need before agreeing the service, time and price.

If the starting price depends on an assessment or a proper chat, say so. Explain what’s included and how you’ll agree any extra work. That gives the customer a fair chance to understand the price before they commit.

Keep a note of what you agreed with the appointment. It helps when you need to check the conversation, and when you’re working out whether to allow more time next visit.

The time you spend matters, and so does what the customer gets from it. Clear communication, careful handling and understanding the dog’s needs give you something useful to explain when you talk about your service. Stick to what you actually offer, and help the owner see the care behind the price.

Make the price chat less awkward

Once you’ve decided a price needs to change, tell customers before agreeing their next booking. Give the new price, when it starts and what’s included. A clear message now is easier than a surprise at collection.

Keep it warm and straightforward. You don’t need a three-paragraph apology for charging for your work. If someone has a question, talk them through the service and the time it needs.

Give your diary a bit of breathing room

Your prices and diary need to work together. Allow time for enquiries, preparation and cleaning, and be honest about what fits. Your diary is allowed to contain lunch. One extra appointment is less useful if it leaves you rushing every dog after it.

Clear booking, payment and cancellation arrangements make it easier to explain how you work. Keep a note of what’s agreed and use your judgement when someone’s circumstances need a closer look.

You don’t have to sort every price and every working habit this week. Start with one service that keeps running over, or one part of your pricing that’s hard to explain. A small change you can keep up is a useful start.

What we learned

Your work includes the groom and all the jobs that make it possible. When you can see that time and those costs clearly, you’ve got a better starting point for prices that work for your business.

1. Count the preparation, cleaning and messages as working time.
2. Use your own costs, pay needs and realistic diary space when reviewing prices.
3. Agree the work and explain price changes before the appointment goes ahead.
4. Leave time for the dog in front of you, and a bit of breathing room for yourself.