As an industry, pet grooming will never go out of style. Scores of pet owners don’t want to be hands-on with their wards’ style and hygiene.
Working in this industry, you can easily see why. Animals could be difficult to hold still in the face of water and scissors. In addition to this burden, you are faced with the responsibility of securing pets in the narrow window of time their owners entrust them to your care. Losing them would surely mean loss of business.
What can you do to make your job easier amid the barking of pets and disgruntled customers alike? The solution lies in your pocket—your phone or tablet, to be exact. So unless your customers keep deer like Audrey Hepburn, here are 10 mobile solutions for your pet grooming business:
TapGroom aspires to be a crackerjack in the business of grooming pets. It’s first and foremost a working schedule manager, easily navigable by dates and time. As a booking manager, it can compile a searchable database of customers for a more hassle-free appointment. It can even convert your phone or tablet into a checkout solution, able to accept credit cards. Moreover, it tracks key business metrics and doubles as a data mining tool. For a simple-looking app, it has an exhaustive suite of accounting solutions, making this the mobile technology to beat in the sphere of pet grooming.
Like TapGroom, Dog Groomer positions itself as the next big thing in CRM software for pet stylists. It’s a nifty management solution for bookings, appointments, products and services. It can also transform your device into a credit card processor, making it a truly mobile POS system. Unlike similar apps, Dog Groomer works as well offline as online.
Modernise your clients and pet grooming business with 123Pet Software, an app that is equal parts appointment register; client database; time manager; and POS system. The app also allows for selling products, e.g. pet supplies, to clients from the comfort of your phone or tablet.
Master Pet Stylist can improve your business ends by streamlining the way groomers and customers concur on how the pet would look like. Developed by the I.P.G./C.P.G Certified founder of Western Dog Grooming School, the app contains photo editing tools that help visualise how you intend to beautify the dog. You can then show the edited photo to the customer, minimising disagreements and improving your business vastly.
As a pet groomer, you may face daily scares in your profession, from cuts and bleeding to choking and poisoning. This app will teach you the first lines of action for such situations. Learn how to administer CPR, restraint, muzzling, bandaging, and more just by perusing this app’s detailed, step-by-step videos, illustrations, and articles. Best of all, you can access this info offline, 24/7.
Available on iOS and Android for $3.99.
Plants and animals can, at times, be an incongruous combination. Lilies, for example, are associated with kidney conditions in felines, while tulips can undermine horses. In line with this, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has crafted this app to guide pet wardens in identifying toxic vegetation by name and image.
Sells for $2.99.
This app harnesses the knowledge of veterinarians at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. Using this app, you can track your pet’s vaccination history, receive notifications of veterinary appointments, and even calculate pet food portions. Available for $3.99.
Bichon Frisés are among the most high-maintenance dog breeds. Pet groomers are bound to encounter their type sooner or later, as their styling needs are on another level. It’s a little wonder then why they call for their own app. Dog Grooming Bichon Frise contains illustrations, photos and advice to better inform your grooming procedures vis-à-vis this breed. Released only this year, this app is the brainchild of award-winning groomers Colin Taylor and Linda Williams. Retails for $4.99.
Some of your stylists might not be familiar with all breeds and their corresponding quirks, especially if the dog is of mixed stock. Petsie Dog Breeds is a helpful reference aid, stocked with plenty of images.
An alternative to Petsie Dog Breeds, this app is a clear, concise aid to ‘sniffing out’ breeds. It ups the ante by featuring a breed quiz game. Retails for $3.99.
Article by Sharon Freeman who writes about and reviews time management software companies like TradiePad
