Creating Lifelong Customers

Creating lifelong customers is all about making a personal connection. In the pet grooming business, that’s a given, because we are caring for a member of that customer’s family–their beloved pet. When they walk into our salon to get their dog groomed, we are already starting off on the right foot; the fact that they chose us means we have already established some level of trust. Whether we build upon that bond or let it slip through our fingers is entirely up to us.

First impressions are important. We want to be welcoming and project our sincere caring for that pet. We never want to seem rushed, as though waiting on this customer is an unwelcome interruption or a burdensome chore. Even if we feel like we ate a full helping of stress for breakfast, we don't want to seem sullen and distracted when we wait on a client. Does this mean we have to paint a phony smile on our faces and put on an act? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, sometimes it does. 

We are professionals, after all. When we are waiting on a client, whether we are expounding on the benefits of a new line of dog food or convincing them that it may not be feasible to keep their lhasa apso in a show cut when they only come in three times a year, we are “on.” We are like an actor on stage or a news anchor on camera, and the show must go on, regardless of our child’s mediocre report card, our spouse’s announcement that their relatives are arriving this weekend or that funny new noise our car is making when we step on the brakes.

Building Bonds
One of the best ways to bond with a pet owner is to try to understand the things that are important to them about their relationship with their pet. Is it about how walking that dog every morning enhances their health? The pride they take in its mastery of agility? The way the pet’s antics always make them smile, or the growing importance of its role as a surrogate child now that they are empty-nesters?   For our clientele, dogs are members of the family, but beyond that, we need to key in on how we can honor and enhance their owners’ individual needs. Is the lady with the Maltese puppy phobic about leaving her baby in a kennel? We can let her know of a trusted person who takes small pets into her home to care for them. Is that adorable Yorkie both a pet and a fashion accessory to its fashionista owner? We can focus on our new line of stylish collars or pet-wear to increase the joy and pride she takes in her pocket-sized pooch. 

We can also create an inner circle with customers by making them feel like insiders–and that inner circle can include most of your client base. You can share stories about your hobbies, your children or your travels, especially if they are related to your grooming career or a recent competition. You can share an inside joke: “I’ve got to tell you this, but it’s on the QT.”  If you do share a joke, make sure it is not offensive or mean-spirited. You can make fun of yourself, but making a customer the target of a put-down is never a good idea.

Another way to strengthen the bond with your customers is to let them know you are just as crazy about your own pets as they are about theirs. People who come to our salon chuckle at my daughter Missi’s ongoing efforts to housebreak Boojie, her Chihuahua-Jack Russell baby.  They comment on the picture of Nani, her toy poodle, on our business card in her floppy flowered hat. They inquire about how Michael, her mini poodle, is doing on his new epilepsy medication. 

One word of caution: When you draw clients into your family circle, you must walk a fine line, because you do need to keep your personal boundaries as a business owner. After all, you already have a family, and when you’re spending quality time with your nearest and dearest, you need your privacy.  So creating the illusion of a family is perfectly okay, and it does not mean you are faking your interest in your clients. Your love for pets and willingness to go the extra mile to provide the best service possible to customers should be a genuine part of who you are.

No matter how much you love animals, to succeed in this business you really do need to be a people person. That doesn’t mean you need to invite customers over to the house for a cookout, but as trite as it sounds, every time they come into your establishment, you should try to brighten their day.  Everyone likes to feel important.  Find something positive to say about their pet, their appearance or their own particular passion. No matter how impersonal and uptight a person may look, it gives you a boost to penetrate that mask of seriousness and make them crack a smile. There is a bonus in this for you, too. When you make another human being feel good, it bounces back and has the same effect on you. If you try to make every personal interaction a positive one, you will be transforming yourself into a friendlier and more optimistic person in the process.

Going the Extra Mile
We must also be aware that ours is a service industry, so giving good service and going the extra mile for customers is another key builder of lifelong bonds. This means getting that little shih tzu out early so his elderly owner won’t have to drive in the dark; carrying those bags of food out to the car for the young mom with a baby in a carrier and a dog to manage; ordering a special product for the customer who can’t seem to find it anywhere else; or taking the time to comfort an owner who has recently had to euthanize their dear old companion. It also means never answering a question with a diffident “I don't know.” There really is no such thing as a stupid question. Be interested enough to tell that person, “Let me see if I can find that out for you.”

Remember that long-ago TV show about a Boston bar called “Cheers,” a place “where everyone knows your name?” Why was that so important?  Because in our increasingly hectic and impersonal environment, we can all sometimes feel invisible and unconnected. When someone calls you by name in a crowded place or remembers you even though you haven’t seen them in years, it feels good. That’s why greeting your customers by name is another effective way to create a lasting bond. 

Of course, if you’re like me, that may take some doing. I’m at an age when I can blame it on a senior moment, but that doesn’t make people feel any better about my momentary lapse. (The funny thing is, I usually remember their dog’s name, but not theirs). Remembering names may not come naturally to you, but it can be a learned skill. You have to really want to master it, and if you’re like me, you need to slow down and listen. When you are introduced to someone, repeat their name. While you are waiting on them, repeat it again in your mind and then use it again in conversation. After they have left, write it down. Seeing how many new names you can remember each day can even become a little game.

Of course, we have our ways of cheating a bit, don’t we? We are masters at reading the name on a check upside down as the customer writes it and glancing at that name on the credit or debit card as we give it a swipe. When I meet a customer I haven't seen in a while and they call me by name and inquire about my family and pets, I’ve been known to fudge it.  I’ll ask, “How are you doing?” and add, “How is your baby?” This is always accompanied by a great big smile. After all, the best way to excel with customer relations–or human relations–is to let your own genuine personality sparkle and shine. It’s good for business, and it's good for you too.

Kathy Salzberg is a Certified Master Groomer and writer. She and her daughter, Missi Salzberg, own The Village Groomer and Pet Supply in Walpole, Mass., one of New England's busiest grooming salons. The winner of two Cardinal Crystal Achievement Awards, Kathy has written extensively on pet care for magazines and authored books on dogs and pet care careers–How to Start a Home-Based Pet Care Career (Globe Pequot Press, 2001 & 2006) and The Everything Small Dogs Book (Adams Media, 2006).