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The Holiday Hustle

When was the last time you were in an overwhelming situation? Stressful surroundings? Unpredictable activity? Somewhere you just wanted to escape from, and if you could close your eyes and wish it away, you would?!

Welcome to the holidays in most pet services businesses! For the grooming veterans out there, you know exactly what I mean. For the new professionals reading this, buckle up!

No matter your experience level, everyone handles stress differently. But no matter how you’re wired, there are tried-and-true ways to get through the holiday rush efficiently and come out on the other side of the holidays feeling accomplished, not defeated. 

Fuel Your Body, Fuel Your Business

You are what you eat. Encourage your clients to bring healthy snacks or gift cards for lunches (or breakfasts!) for your team. It’s OK to broadcast this to your clients in your social media, emails or texts to them. They want to help; you just need to let them know how they can. Instead of giving you cookies, chocolates and candies, they can give you and your team better fuel to make it through the day!

Gear Up & Back Up

A military friend once told me, “Two is one, and one is none.” Simply put, if you only have one of something and it fails, you’re stuck. Make sure your essential tools like clippers, blades, shears and dryers all have backups — and that your current tools are in top shape. Replace worn parts like clipper cutters, blade drives, cords, dryer filters and carbon brushes before the holiday rush. Remember to keep clippers and shears cleaned, oiled and sharpened too. Well-maintained tools save time and money.

• Keep clipper coolant on hand to prevent overheating during back-to-back grooms.
• Stock up on wide blades to cover more coat area and speed up clipping.
• Have replacement parts ready — blade drives, cutters and cords are small but crucial.
• Keep a backup dryer hose and nozzle in case one fails mid-day.
• Make sure maintenance supplies like clipper oil are fully stocked. 

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to inspect your water heater, washer and dryer before the rush begins. In colder climates, it’s also smart to have a generator on hand and ready to go in case winter weather brings power outages. 

Set Up for Success: Staging

During off-peak times, do you study the flow of your business? Do you look for ways to save a few extra footsteps in the day? If you find yourself constantly running back and forth for supplies or wasting time on anything other than grooming, it’s time to rethink your setup. Consider the “Reach Rule”: can you reach everything you need from where you’re performing the task at hand? If not, you’re not in the best position to be as efficient as you could be.

Take a tip from the mobile groomer's playbook. Stand in the center of your grooming area and tub area and turn in a 360-degree circle. Can you reach everything you need? If not, you are losing valuable time. 

Smarter Bathing = Faster Grooming

The bath is where time can easily slip away, but it doesn’t have to.

A bathing system like the BatherBox takes the guesswork out of mixing, saving you time, water and product. When shampoos and conditioners are properly diluted, they rinse easier and coats dry faster — making every bath more efficient.

If you hand wash, keep plenty of dilution bottles on hand. Each morning during the holiday rush, make sure your bottles are filled and mixed before that first dog walks in.

Other time-savers to keep bath-time running smoothly:

• Use a highly concentrated shampoo like Bark2Basics High Concentrate to stretch product and speed up wash time.
• Stock up on absorbent towels. Thorough towel drying before blow drying = better results and faster turnover.
• Use Showseason Speed Dry Spray to further decrease drying time on high-volume days.

Early Booking = Predictability

Ask your clients to “Early Book.” There are many clients whose natural frequency of appointments falls during your busiest times. And some clients don't have the urgency of getting their dogs groomed during these times. Ask your clients if they would mind you grooming their dog a little earlier than the crunch times of your business. You'll be amazed at how many people are happy to come in a week early!

Pro Tip: If your clients MUST get their dogs in during the busy weeks, offer them the option of an appointment a week or two before the rush weeks, and a bath and tidy during the rush weeks to freshen them up. Not only is this financially advantageous for you, but it also allows you to staff your team during rush weeks with helpers who need far less grooming training to perform these tasks.

Hands In Fur = Profit In Pocket

You make your money when your hands are in fur. Consider hiring part-time workers to answer phones, clean, do laundry, walk pets and whatever else is not "hands-in-fur" grooming. Let others handle the distractions so you can do what you do best: groom.

Holiday Wrap-Up

From all of us at Groomer’s Choice Pet Products, we hope these tips help you glide through the holiday season with less stress and more joy.

Check your inventory, service your tools and get your salon ready now — the more you prepare in advance, the smoother your days will run.

Here’s to thriving, not just surviving, the holiday season!