Scheduling, Services & Staffing for the Holiday Rush

When it comes to maximizing the profit of your grooming business during the Holiday Rush, “success” has three “S”es: Scheduling, Services & Staffing. Master these three and you’ll not only enjoy a prosperous 4th quarter, but you’ll kick off the New Year with a solid book of business. 
 
SCHEDULING TIPS 
 
Two-Part Scheduling: A best practice routinely used by Paragon Pet School is to schedule the pet in 1-2 weeks prior to the desired holiday appointment for a full groom, plus schedule a touch up (1/2 hour) appointment during the desired day near the holiday. The touch up appointment would only include fluff, light trimming, touch up and a fresh bow or bandana! This helps load-balance the work and keeps your customers happy! 

Prioritize Existing Customers: Loyal customers are the backbone of your business. To maintain their satisfaction during the Holidays, make early offers of scheduling incentives: 
     - Priority booking: Reserve certain appointment times for customers who have frequented your business before or are part of a loyalty program. This will make customers feel valued and ensure they receive the grooming services they need during busy periods. 
     - Exclusive discounts: Show your appreciation to existing customers by offering exclusive discounts or promotions on add-on services to increase your average ticket value. This could include specialty skin treatments, breath freshener products, nail décor, coloring or special Holiday bows and bandannas. 

Appointment scheduling software can be a worthwhile investment as you prepare for the Holiday Rush, allowing you to streamline bookings and optimize staff utilization.  
     - Online booking: Reduces the volume of incoming calls and inquiries during the peak season. Clients will be able to schedule appointments themselves and your staff will have more time to focus on their other responsibilities. 
     - Appointment reminders: Look for software that will automatically send appointment reminders to clients via email or SMS, reducing no-shows and ensuring that your schedule remains fully booked during the busy season. 
     - Waitlist management: If appointments are fully booked, software can maintain a waitlist and notify clients when a spot becomes available. 
     - Recurring reservations: Look for software that will remember the price and duration of each visit to simplify the scheduling of recurring bookings. 
 
ADD-ON SERVICES 
 
If you went to a restaurant and the server did not hand you a menu, how would you know what to order? Pet grooming is very similar. Pet Parents know they’re coming to you to get their dog cleaned up, but they probably don’t know all the Add-On services that you offer. Add-Ons that could help them keep their pet looking and feeling great. A well-organized Add-Ons menu makes it easy for the client to select a service. As a bonus, it also makes it very easy for you discuss optional Add-Ons such as de-shedding treatments, shampoo upgrades, skin conditioning treatments, tooth brushing, nail filing, or other add-ons. To make the most of your Holiday Rush opportunity, create a Holiday ADD-ON Menu and promote it to regular and new clientele through social media channels, your CRM, E-News blasts and handouts available at your front desk. Ensure staff discuss the Holiday ADD-ON menu when scheduling appointments by phone, or scheduling next appointments in person.  
 
Consider Creating a Loyalty Package Program 
 
The Holiday visit is a great time to offer clients a “loyalty program” incentive for pre-booking future visits and/or referring their friends. If you haven’t developed a program, you can boost your post-holiday business by creating a package for 2025 and then schedule your customers out. This way, you’ve incentivized rebooking, which will guarantee a great start in the New Year! You’ll also leverage referrals to build your business. 
 
STAFFING: 
   - Planning ahead: Start your hiring process early. Summer and early fall is a perfect time to recruit new hires to allow time for training and onboarding. Partnering with a groomer education and training program can help you upskill new hires, giving your business more freedom during the hiring process and getting you the Groom Techs you need. 
   - Retaining your existing team is another important practice during the busy season, as high turnover can disrupt operations. Research shows that providing training and opportunities for advancement helps improve employee retention and engagement.  
   - Consider offering bathers opportunities for skill development through Pet Groomer courses to enhance their satisfaction and cover your need.  
   - For existing groomers, consider offering training opportunities to master multiple breed standards as a Pet Stylist and/or to support their accreditation for the Certified Master Groomer designation. 
 
Now you’re ready to meet the Holiday Rush with a plan for success! Happy Trimming! 

Add Groom Techs & Groomers to your team through industry-leading guided groomer training at ParagonPetSchool.com. To further hone skills, visit Learn2GroomDogs.com to join a community of groomers and stream more than 1,200 video Groominars™ designed for every level of groomer, including Lunch N Learns and Theory of 5 Tutorials.