Eliminate Frustration & Enjoy the Holidays!

This may seem like an impossible dream since holidays are peak season for pet care services. This month The Dog Gurus want to help you prepare and create fun for your clients and your team.

The first frustration we want to help remove is the last-minute reservation requests from existing clients. There is still time to get reservations this week if you do the following:

• Send a short email reminder like this: We love having your pups lodge with us over the holidays, but our space is filling fast. Let us know right away if you need lodging as we will sell-out very soon. Call us at 555-555-5555 today to reserve your pup’s stay.
• Post on social media reminders like this: Make sure your pup’s lodging reservation is on your holiday to do list. Our lodging space is filling up fast so contact us today to reserve your spot.
• Run a report of last year’s holiday bookings and review for existing clients that have not booked for the current year. Create a list and have your reception team ask them if they need a reservation at daycare pick-up or call them to advise that your space is filling up fast.
• Newer businesses with lots of space to fill during the holidays can let your competitors with wait-lists know you would like their overflow referrals. Many may not respond positively, but you only need one or two to help fill your openings. Invite them for a tour and be sure to mention the steps you take to ensure quality care.
• Everyone should take names for a waitlist and be sure to include number of pets and number of nights needed. As you make confirmation calls this week on existing reservations you will want to prioritize the wait-list clients with largest revenue potential for your business if anyone cancels. To reduce losses from cancellations take a holiday deposit at time of reservation in the future.

Now that you have taken action to ensure you are 100% occupied during the peak period, get into the holiday spirit. Share with your clients your gratitude for their loyalty and support of your business. The bonus item this month is a collection of ideas from our members along with some resources from us on client gift ideas plus unique ways to communicate happy holidays.

At a minimum an email thank you to your clients lets them know that you appreciate their business. This is something you can prepare now and schedule in your email system to go out during the busy holiday week. We’ve even prepared a sample you can copy and edit so in less than 10 minutes you’ll be done!

The team at Rover Retreat is very grateful that you entrust the care of your four-legged family members to us throughout the year. We enjoy each opportunity we have to spend time with your pets in service to your family. Your support of Rover Retreat means a lot to us and we wish you a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you….

Another easy option is to select a week in early December as client appreciation week. Each day you can create a simple and fun way to thank your clients for their support such as…

• Monday – give each client a go home treat bag
• Tuesday – let clients pull from a grab bag a prize slip (e.g., small discounts, small free gifts, etc.)
• Wednesday – serve a special home-made treat to all pets during lunch break, take photos and post on social media
• Thursday – serve coffee and baked goodies for the human clients
• Friday – serve mocktails and snacks for human clients and send pets home with a special treat bag

We hope these tips help eliminate frustration during the busy holiday season and allow you to enjoy some time at home with your own family.