# ARRGGHHH PITA clients what would you do?



## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

Ok I have an extremely annoying client, she has on several occasions pulled the "oh I left my purse at home can i pay you next week" trick I generally don't see her for 6-8 months after that, by which point her lovely Spoo is a matted mess. She's also a regular no show or 1/2 an hour late type and she always has an excuse.
Well anyway she booked in last tuesday and didn't show, when I contacted her her response was "oh silly me got my days muddled up shall we do it next tuesday?" since I try to be polite and helpful I said sure that would be fine. Monday 10pm she texts and says she has a meeting can we do it friday instead? I said yes but she must be here by 9.
9am friday rolls around and she's not here again, 9:20 I give up and do one of my own lot, 12:00pm she texts "hi did I miss our appointment again? having a hard time slept in bla bla bla" no apology, no remorse, nothing.
I just don't know what to do anymore, I love her dog she's the sweetest girl, she's been coming to me since she was a pup and it's not her fault her mother's an inconsiderate ***** if I fire her as a client I know the dog will suffer, if I don't I may go insane :argh:so what would you guys do???


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## tokipoke (Sep 3, 2011)

That sounds very frustrating. You could schedule an appt and phone her several hours before she's due to come in. And then perhaps 2 hours before, then an hour, then 30 minutes. It may sound annoying to her but she is being SO disrespectful to you and your time! If she doesn't improve, you'll just have to be stern with her. Such as "Appt can be made only on day x and time y and I cannot change it." If she doesn't improve after that you may have to fire her!


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## lavillerose (Feb 16, 2011)

I would fire her. Honestly, that's what it takes for some of these chronic no-show-ers to realize that they are costing you money. I have so many poodles now, they are my daily bread and butter, and since I run a straight-thru shop, when someone doesn't show, I'll almost never get something else in immediately to cover the $70 - 90 I'm losing when a Spoo no-shows.

I recently had to fire a chronic no-show Spoo client because the owner had a memory problem. Well, not only could she not remember to show, but she couldn't drive either, and when I complained to the assisted living facility (specializing for memory care, mind you!) where she lived on her behalf about how she needed help with these things, they claimed up and down it was her own responsibility! A woman with some sort of dementia/brain injury is supposed to be responsible for _remembering_ her appointments and arranging herself a ride! Wouldn't you think getting disabled people to there daily appointments would be some kind of priority to an assisted living facility?

I felt horrible about it, given her disability and the crappy assistance she pays for and doesn't get, but at the end of the day I was eating the cost and stressing out over it. I give people several chances, but there's a point where you've got to let it go.


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

tokipoke said:


> That sounds very frustrating. You could schedule an appt and phone her several hours before she's due to come in. And then perhaps 2 hours before, then an hour, then 30 minutes. It may sound annoying to her but she is being SO disrespectful to you and your time! If she doesn't improve, you'll just have to be stern with her. Such as "Appt can be made only on day x and time y and I cannot change it." If she doesn't improve after that you may have to fire her!


I tried the advance phone calls a year ago, but she keeps her cell turned off most of the time. 

Honestly I think I almost am at the point where I just fire her, I've only held on this long because I love the dog, She really deserves someone better.
This was her after her last 8 month gap 

Thanks for listening guys it helps to vent and get some opinions from other people who might me a little more rational than I am today.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to find another groomer to put up with your bull****."

Wow that picture is hard to look at. I groom shih's and yorkies, and you name it that pelt off like that.. but I don't like it on a spoo.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

If you can't (or don't want to) dump her, how about taking payment in advance, at the time of making the appointment? Then, if she doesn't keep the appt, no big deal. She needs to understand she's paying for your time, and if that time is spent grooming her dog, great! If not, she is still paying for your time :smile:.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Payment in advance for the next appointment, 50% (or 100%) charge for no show at less than 48 hours notice. Or fire her (and anyone in the UK who let their dog get into that sort of state would be facing a visit from the RSPCA!).

ETA: Snap again, JE!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

That's beyond disrespectful, not to mention manipulative & selfish. Here's what my personal hair stylist does:

She has an automated system that sends me e-mail reminders 2 days and one day before my appointment. When I get the first one, I'm expected to click a link and confirm. *She also has my CREDIT CARD information on file.* *If I don't show up, my credit card would automatically get charged for the visit.* Now, she's nice and I've been seeing her for many years so she'd probably call me first since I never miss an appointment, but you get the point. As others have said, PAYING IN ADVANCE (non-refundable whether she shows or not), is also a great idea if you always charge a flat charge. I'm thinking you charge extra for the matting and extra labor that involves?

At a minimum _and only if you want to salvage this client for the SPOO's sake_, I'd sit her down and 'splain things to her. Lay down the law. Tell her that:

a) you're running a business, not a charity 
b) you're not her personal groomer/assistant, and are thus not at her beck & call
c) require her to file her credit card information* with you _and _also a landline or alternate phone number, and/or an e-mail address (and light them all up, although that's a waste of your time)
d) advise her that her SPOO's condition is unacceptable and if she doesn't start brushing this dog on a regular basis, you'll hand the pictures over to the local SPCA. (I'm sure you could easily rehome her SPOO.)

*I expect she'll say: "I don't have one." Tell her to GET ONE if she wishes to continue doing business, or to pay in advance (non-refundable whether she shows or not. She's paying for your time)!


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## tintlet (Nov 24, 2009)

I agree with other posers and say to Fire her. It's hard to learn to do this, but gets better with practice 

"You get what you tolerate" This woman is USING you and she knows it!! 

Making her pay in advance or just refuse her. 

Another GOOD client will take her place 

right now she is costing you money

When we moved to NC, we got a lot of "less than desirable" clients. When first starting out you take what you can get. But within a year my "spinal transfusion" was pretty solid, and started to weed them out. They either learned to step up and be responsible, or they just moved on


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

That picture is hard to look at. I would insist on payment in advance - I bet when it affects her wallet she wont forget. What a shame such a nice dog is with such a nasty person. Does she understand what she is doing to her dog?


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## Poodle Head (Sep 12, 2011)

I agree with Rowan. Where I live it is very common to keep credit card info on file - especially with hair salons and spas. I wouldn't think twice if a groomer explained their cancellation policy and took my card info. I feel for you not wanting to get rid of her for the sake of that poor dog. That is just awful, and she deserves better.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

I would gently but firmly explain that you have a new cancellation policy. You will be charging the full amount for any missed appointments if you don't get 24 hours notice (or you will be charging a $50 cancellation fee, or 48 hours, whatever policy you think is fair). Explain the new policy when she makes her next appointment. Then enforce it. If she misses an appointment, she needs to pay for the missed appointment before you agree to schedule a new appointment. Stay calm and assertive, as Cesar would say. You set the rules. You enforce the rules. It is important to be firm, fair and consistent--kind of like training a dog. If she doesn't like it, she can go elsewhere. I'm personally not wild about keeping credit cards on file. But that's just my opinion.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I like the idea of payment in advance. She obviously doesn't respect you or her dog. 8 months between grooms!? That's neglect. Part of owning a poodle is taking care of the hair. You have been nice. I might report her to the spca.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

Rowan said:


> That's beyond disrespectful, not to mention manipulative & selfish. Here's what my personal hair stylist does:
> 
> She has an automated system that sends me e-mail reminders 2 days and one day before my appointment. When I get the first one, I'm expected to click a link and confirm. *She also has my CREDIT CARD information on file.* *If I don't show up, my credit card would automatically get charged for the visit.* Now, she's nice and I've been seeing her for many years so she'd probably call me first since I never miss an appointment, but you get the point. As others have said, PAYING IN ADVANCE (non-refundable whether she shows or not), is also a great idea if you always charge a flat charge. I'm thinking you charge extra for the matting and extra labor that involves?
> 
> ...


_I like a lot of the suggestions here. I especially like Rowan's credit card info on file and charge it. Do you have any type of policy in place to deal with people like her? If you don't; get one. Have all your conditions in it and have her sign it. If she is a now show, charge her card. That is if you do want to keep a disrespectful client like her for the sake of her dog. I don't see anything in this for you but more future frustration and upset.

If she doesn't pull her act together with her dog, I would definitely report her to an animal agency that will step in and help the dog._


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

hey everyone thanks for your opinions and advice, now that I've slept on it and calmed down a bit here's what i'm going to do, I will charge her for yesterdays non groom and she will have to put down a non refundable deposit in advance for any future grooms, and if she chooses never to come back well that's her choice and no real loss for me.
I like the credit card idea but she's already got such a bad credit rating that noone will give her one.
I have fired other clients before for similar behaviour, as I said earlier the only reason I've put up with her so long is for the dogs sake.
And yes I was absolutely rabid the day I took that photo, I gave her a huge telling off when she picked up the dog, she was soo apologetic that day but it didn't do any good she still waited six months fro the next groom. 
I've tried calling the spca before with other clients unfortunately they're useless and just say "oh we'll try to get someone out to look at it" then they show up 5 hours later or the next day by which point the dog is long gone and photos aren't acceptable as evidence.


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## minipoodlelover (Jul 25, 2011)

Your client is being so unfair to you, and you have been so nice! You went above and beyond putting up with her for as long as you did, and for the sake of her dog.

I have a dentist friend who used to get last-minute cancellations all the time. It got to the point where it was seriously disrupting his schedule. He instituted a policy of requiring 24 hours mininum cancellation, or else he charged for the appointment. After that, cancellations dwindled to almost none.

There are some people who will take advantage as far as they can take it, and unfortunately, it is up to us to put the brakes on their behavior. Clearly your client is one of those people. But once you lay down the law and set boundaries, maybe she will adapt. If not, I would not feel bad about parting ways. Good luck!


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

Update on Pita:
She showed up today asking when she could book the dog in, during the subsequent conversation she blamed her daughter (has major issues) the woman who referred her onto me (a workmate of hers who was booked in on the day she wanted originally) and me (for not reminding her of the appointment) she denied all knowledge of the reminder text although she replied to it and says she didn't recieve the other texts I sent.
Never once in the entire conversation did she say she was sorry the closest she got was "I know that's on me but..." 
Although she agreed to my terms and did book the dog in again I'm seriously considering just telling her to go elsewhere anyway, I don't feel good about seeing her again.
I don't handle confrotation well and am sitting here shaking right now, the poor dog I was grooming when she arrived looked at me when i came back in after talking to her and just flopped over on his back poor boy. luckily I was almost finished, he's now sleeping on my feet while we wait for his dad to pick him up.


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

business is business. 
make a written policy (and post it) that 24 hour cancellation or will be charged for the groom. 

i am not a groomer, but i'm a nice person and i've had small stores where i've carried terms with them. but i have a cc on file. if they don't pay on time, i process their cc. and i had one store call me up bitching me out about charging her card after being 60 days late (and i had a net 15 on her), telling me that all businesses offered credit terms and i obviously didn't know how to run a business. i said, "do i look like an interest free bank? i'm a small business too. when i order supplies, i pay right then." 
i let her know she was welcome to purchase elsewhere. she came back again and again and i ran her card and that was that.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

This is the type of behavior I would expect from anyone who mistreated their dog so. Always laying blame on others and total self absorbtion with no consideration for others including her dog. Anntig, it is clear you have a sensitive soul, and she is totally manipulating your good nature. If she is upsetting you to the point where you are shaking it is probably time to fire her as a client. Your inner turmoil was apparent to the dog you were grooming at the time - that can't be healthy for you. You either need to detach yourself from her drama and just charge her she is late or misses her appointment or just not accept any more appointments from her. Like faerie points out being nice does not mean you have to let other unscrupulous people take advantage.


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## flightsoffancy (Nov 9, 2011)

I have been a groomer for 20+ years and unfortunately this thing does happen. Pet owners are so darn busy with their lives that they don't even realize they are having a negative affect on us. Heck most people don't even realize that it is courtesy to TIP! But I digress... I think you have been more than accommodating and understanding. Good for you! I find that so many people are rude and unsympathetic to people these days. I have a tendency to be that way too when the dog's best interest is concerned. However, you have taken enough off this lady! 
What helped me is communicating to the client how their actions affected me, then I ask them to sign a contract to do business with me. Lie and say it is a new policy...whatever makes it feel right to you. I have been known to throw in a no-fault waiver for matting etc. Make them sign it. You sign it. Take their credit card like the others stated. (I really like that and will add it to mine) Then the ball is in their court. I have had some of my best and loyal clients start off like this. All it took was CLEAR communication and the threat of loosing my service. 
Good LUCK!!


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