You’ve been running your pet store for years. Business is good, but you’re thinking about adding grooming services. The extra revenue sounds amazing, but the task sounds intimidating.
It’s like opening another business entirely. What if you end up with scheduling nightmares? Plus, grooming services mean dealing with fur babies and their “pawrents” more intimately. Do you have the customer service chops to handle an angry pet owner who thinks their husky’s tail was shaved too low?
Even still, those 70–80% profit margins from grooming services with specialized add-ons sound too good to pass up. What do you do?
Adding grooming services doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. In this blog, you’ll learn seven pro tips to make managing grooming appointments a seamless experience.
Let’s dive in.
If you need a little more convincing, the pet grooming industry is exploding with opportunity. The U.S. pet grooming and boarding market was valued at $78 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $134 billion by 2030. This rate of growth is rare for any industry.
What’s fueling growth? There are plenty of reasons. As more people opt out of becoming parents, they’re turning to owning pets. There’s also a belief that the “humanization” of pets is driving people to spend unprecedented amounts to give their fur babies the very best, including lavish, luxe spa treatments. Plus, some pet parents simply love the convenience — whether they own breeds that require specialized grooming or pets that get deeply stressed and need a professional touch.
For pet store owners, grooming services represent a massive revenue opportunity that complements retail sales perfectly. Here are even more benefits:
Feeling convinced yet? There’s just one more thing. These upsides only become true benefits if you manage grooming appointments correctly. Keep reading for expert tips to avoid scheduling conflicts and disappointed customers.
Related Read: Is Pet Grooming Profitable? 7 Key Factors
Your grooming services are only as good as the products and tech you use to support them. Your organizational and managerial skills might be tested, but once you have a system in place, cash starts rolling in. Here’s how to manage it all.
It may seem obvious, but many providers overpromise and underdeliver. A novice groomer might attempt a paw-dye job and a pumpkin-shaped haircut on a bichon for Halloween. The result? More Wicked Witch than Cinderella.
Or maybe you usually groom dogs under 40 pounds but accept a Dalmatian with nervous aggression issues. That puts you, your staff, and the pet at serious risk. Stick to services you can confidently deliver.
Some questions to consider:
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a solid place to start. Early on, it’s easy to get overzealous and overwhelm yourself. Write down what you can confidently handle first, then expand from there.
Related Read: How To Create a Retail Pricing Strategy for Pet Services: 6 Tips
Managing a grooming calendar manually is nearly impossible. Last-minute cancellations happen constantly. You might accidentally double-book slots. And service times vary wildly — a nervous golden retriever might take twice as long as a cooperative one.
Generic scheduling apps help a little, but they’re clunky and don’t understand your business. They can’t automatically block the right amount of time for a poodle’s full groom versus a beagle’s bath-and-brush.
Get a point of sale (POS) system designed specifically for pet stores. The best ones let customers book appointments directly from your website while updating your calendar in real time.
Must-have POS grooming features to look for:
Pro tip: Don’t schedule appointments from open to close. Your grooming availability should be shorter than your store hours.
What happens when a feisty cat takes an hour to get out of her carrier? It pushes every appointment back. Start conservatively with your scheduling windows, and expand as you learn how long different breeds actually take.
Also, never schedule a 10 a.m. appointment if you know you won’t start until 3 p.m. Pet parents just imagine their dog sitting in a kennel all day. This creates unnecessary anxiety for everyone involved.
Pet parents are juggling busy lives, and well-defined appointment policies help everyone succeed. When expectations are crystal clear upfront, you avoid awkward conversations later, and customers appreciate knowing exactly what to expect.
Think of your policies as helpful guidelines that protect both your business and your customers’ experience. The clearer you are, the smoother everything runs.
Here are some essential policies to include:
Display these policies prominently everywhere customers interact with your business — your website, booking confirmations, front desk, and appointment reminders. When policies are visible and clear, customers rarely have questions or concerns about them.
Note: You have the right to decline services that aren’t a good fit for your business. If a situation feels unsafe or outside your comfort zone, it’s perfectly professional to refer the customer to a groomer who specializes in that area. Don’t be concerned about losing business — they may appreciate your honesty and still refer you to friends and family.
No-shows happen to every grooming business, but smart reminder systems dramatically reduce them. Most pet parents want to keep their appointments — they just need a little nudge as their busy week unfolds.
The key is timing your reminders when customers can actually act on them.
Here’s a reminder schedule that works:
Pro tip: Text messages work better than emails for same-day reminders. Most people check their phones constantly but might not see emails until later in the day.
Each reminder should feel helpful rather than pushy. You’re supporting busy pet parents — not nagging them. Too many reminders can cause people to tune them out, especially if they start to feel like spam.
Every pet has their own personality, and remembering these details makes you look like a grooming superhero. When you walk out and say, “Max did great today — we kept his favorite tennis ball nearby like last time,” pet parents know you truly care about their furry family member.
Your appointment system can capture these golden details that make grooming sessions smoother.
Some information to note:
When you know Luna gets nervous around blow dryers, you can schedule her during quieter times. If Charlie’s owner always wants his nails trimmed short, your groomer can prepare accordingly. These small touches create loyal customers who rave about your personalized service.
Pro tip: Track this information in your appointment software so any groomer can access it. Customers love consistency, even when different team members handle their pet.
Cancellations and reschedules are part of the grooming business. Life happens — pets get sick, owners have emergencies, or schedules change. Instead of seeing these as problems, turn them into opportunities to serve other customers.
A well-managed waitlist keeps your schedule full and makes customers happy when they get earlier appointments.
When cancellations happen:
Offer small incentives for short-notice appointments — maybe 10% off or a free nail trim add-on. This rewards flexible customers and helps fill your schedule.
Waitlists transform schedule disruptions into customer service wins.
Smart pet store owners use grooming appointments to boost retail sales naturally. When customers drop off their pets for grooming, they often browse your store or pick up supplies while they wait.
Bridging the gap between grooming and retail benefits everyone — customers get their shopping done efficiently, and you increase transaction values without being pushy.
To strengthen both sides of your business:
This coordination creates a seamless experience that customers appreciate and increases your revenue per visit.
Your appointment data tells the real story of what’s working in your business. Instead of guessing why some days feel chaotic while others run smoothly, let the numbers guide your decisions.
Focus on these specific metrics that actually help you improve your grooming operations:
You can use this data to make real improvements. If golden retrievers consistently need 20 extra minutes, build that into your schedule. If certain time slots consistently have problems, investigate why and adjust accordingly.
Your grooming data drives every scheduling decision, helping you create better experiences for pets, customers, and your team.
Related Read: 9 Pet Store Metrics To Track: Beyond Just Sales Numbers
Managing grooming appointments should enhance your business — not consume your entire day. You need tools that handle scheduling, reminders, and customer communication automatically while connecting seamlessly with your retail operations.
eTailPet is a comprehensive POS system designed specifically for pet stores with grooming services. Our platform understands the unique challenges of pet retail and grooming, allowing you to manage every aspect of your business from one central system.
Key grooming features that save you time:
With eTailPet, managing grooming appointments becomes straightforward and automated. You can focus on delivering exceptional service while our system handles the scheduling complexities that used to take hours of your time.
Create the pet store POS system that works for you, not just with you, using eTailPet’s Build and Price tool.