A colleague recently shared an experience with his dog’s current groomer.
Real World Story: “My dog Max is now 16 years old. I rescued him from a local shelter when he was three, and we’ve had a great life together. During the past few years, however, he’s become more and more difficult to handle when grooming him. I’m still able to clean him up a bit myself, but he must go to the doggie spa to get his hair cut, nails trimmed, and ears cleaned. And I’ve gone through several groomers because I’ve noticed that Max comes back to me with minor cuts and has limped a little afterwards. I realize it’s probably due to how difficult it is to handle him now. So I’ve tried finding a groomer who can be very patient and caring with him.
“A couple of years ago, I found a decent groomer. The first time, the groomer/owner was able to muzzle him with expert skill—something I cannot do. His hair cut wasn’t the best, but I was grateful that he wasn’t returned to me injured from the grooming process, which has been the foremost important factor for me.
“For the groomer’s great treatment of Max, I’ve been tipping her 40%. And although she plays it like she never remembers either of us—we go to her every six months only—I am still grateful that she doesn’t hurt Max and gets him clean. To this day, she still treats us like new clients whom she’s never met. And I’m okay with that. That’s not my priority.
“In the last couple of weeks, Max has been exhibiting typical end-of-life geriatric issues. In fact, one recent night, I thought he became paralyzed in his hips and hind legs. It turned out to be a temporary effect from chronic arthritis. He’s been walking, slowly and gingerly, and he’s now able to go outside for short walks. I, therefore, wanted to make sure he went to the groomer one last time, so he feels as comfortable as possible—he’s shaggy and a bit matted now. I texted his groomer to make an appointment … and I sent a photo a Max along with my message to ‘remind’ her of who we are.
“What happened next with his groomer left me baffled…
“Long story short, she’s moved into a new, larger space. She now has two assistants working for her. And when I arrived for our appointment, one of her new assistants told me to muzzle Max. And I tried to do that—for nearly 45 minutes. I just couldn’t do it because by now, Max was agitated and hyped up. The owner came in at about the 30-minute mark and asked if I had an appointment. I said yes, we have an appointment for 10am—it was now 10:30. She then acknowledged that I had texted her Max’s photo, looked down at him, and said she remembered him. She then walked away to the back of the shop and disappeared. I never saw her again. Meanwhile, the assistant kept lecturing me about how I should have trained Max to wear a muzzle and how I should have brought him in more often and how I should have done this and that. At the 45-minute mark, I told her that I was sorry, but I could not muzzle Max on my own. I then walked out. Oddly enough, I thought I’d get a text or call from the owner asking why I left and to come back. It’s now been two days and I’ve never heard from her.
“Max is home and happy, looking the worse for wear, but he naps away big parts of his days, goes on short walks every other day, and enjoys all the behind the ear scratches, forehead kisses, hugs, and doggie treats that he wants.”
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Treat all customers like rock stars: Whether you are interacting with a new client or a long-time client, always treat each one like they’re your best customer.
- Track your customers: Because it’s a daunting task to remember all your clients and their individual needs, develop a system for tracking who they are, along with any important notes—like, hey, this guy tips 40%!
- Be of service, especially when it matters most: Customer service is about people helping people. People come to us because they need something we offer—a product or service—something that will make their life a little less complicated. So if you see your customer struggling, stop lecturing and start helping!
Remember: When your business is growing and you’re becoming successful, always remember that it’s because of your loyal customers not in spite of them.
How does your organization ensure that all customers are treated like rock stars?