Providing dog owners with
peace of mind while their dogs are at daycare is essential to the success of your business. Dog owners want to be confident that their dogs are safe and well taken care of while they're away, and it's up to you to give them that peace of mind. If someone drops off their pet for the first visit and they leave with a sense of nervousness, you better believe they won't be coming back in the future. You need to make the pet owners feel so chill and comfortable that they can't wait to go on another vacation and leave Fido with your business. In today's blog post, we'll talk about how you can encourage that sense of peace of mind in your boarding or daycare clients.
Hire Professional and Experienced Staff
One of the most important things you can do to provide peace of mind to dog owners is to
hire professional and experienced staff. Your staff should have a passion for dogs, be knowledgeable about dog behavior, and be able to handle dogs of all sizes and breeds. This will give dog owners confidence that their dogs are in good hands while they're at daycare. Your employees are the face of your business. If you're not hiring the best employees, that's going to show when people are dropping off their pets. Make it a point to find and retain the best employees. This will make your life much easier and give your clients peace of mind.
Have a Clear and Comprehensive Safety Policy
Your daycare should have a
clear and comprehensive safety policy that outlines how you'll ensure the safety of the dogs in your care. This policy should be communicated to dog owners so they know what to expect from your business. How do you keep aggressive dogs separated from other dogs? How do you make sure that smaller dogs are not attacked by larger dogs? What do you do about dogs that have different temperaments? These are all things that you can outline in your business pet-safety policy, so that owners can read through it before deciding if they want to become a client.
Use Quality and Safe Equipment
You should only use
quality and safe equipment at your daycare, such as toys, beds, and kennels. Your equipment should be in good condition, clean, and safe for dogs to use. This will give dog owners peace of mind that their dogs are playing and sleeping in a safe environment. The last thing people want to see when they drop off their dog is a bunch of rusty metal equipment with sharp edges that are surely going to hurt their pets. Make sure you're using dog daycare equipment or at least equipment that is made for pets and doesn't have sharp edges or pinch points. One of the easiest things you can do is head to Goodwill and buy some old furniture. The dogs will love it and your clients will like seeing that you have an old comfy couch for their puppers to sleep on.
Offer Transparent Communication
Communication is key to providing peace of mind to dog owners. Offer dog owners transparent communication about their dogs, such as sending updates and photos throughout the day. This will give dog owners peace of mind that their dogs are happy and healthy while they're away. You can make it a point to send SMS updates to your clients, or you can use an app where you post updates through out the day and then your clients can see these on their phone. However you decide to update your customers, just make sure it's something that you do consistently. They'll appreciate it.
Be Prepared for Emergencies
Emergencies can happen at any time, so it's important to be prepared for them. Have a plan in place for
handling emergencies, such as a fire or a dog that becomes ill, and make sure your staff is trained on how to handle these situations. This will give dog owners peace of mind that you're prepared to handle any situation that may arise. The thing about an emergency plan is that you never want to use it, but you want to make sure you have one for that one day when you actually need it. Take your time to build an emergency plan, be it what to do is there's a dog incident or what to do if there is a fire. Having these things written down and understood by your employees will help you in the long run.