Do you think clients would like an after hours service?

Hi all

As I'm talking to lots of you my ideas are evolving for what sort of dog grooming business I want to get into..... its very exciting

I was initially thinking of being mobile but as I only want to get into this part time I am now strongly considering setting up a home based salon.

I have read a couple of stories on here of clients asking for an after hours service and people having to turn them down as they work daytime hours yet after hours would suit me to a tea!

I have no kids, I have an outdoor undercover latticed area that is down both sides of my house that is about 1.5metres wide that I could easily get water hooked up to. I also have a guest drive on one side of my house and a double drive on the other side infront of the main garage so there would even be parking and people could just walk down the side of the house into the outdoor/indoor salon!

I am wondering what people thought of offering a service at my home from 4pm to 7pm say tues to fri and daytime hours on a saturday and monday (these are my days off from my current "normal" part time job).

What do you think?

In your experience do you think clients would be interested in this or would they consider appointments as late as 7pm to be too late (in winter it is dark here by 6pm but at my home things can be well lit and undercover but it is not completely air conditioned and temperature controlled).

I am wondering what people thought of offering a service at my home from 4pm to 7pm say tues to fri and daytime hours on a saturday and monday (these are my days off from my current "normal" part time job).

Keep reading previous posts Snaggywoo. It sounds fantastic and yes you wouldn't have any problems filling those hours however there are plenty of reasons why it may become a bad decission. I could only hold my partime job for 3 months when I started. You may be surprised how quickly you may not need or want your "normal" part time work.

My clients are all after 4 pm during the week. Anytime weekends.

the only problem i see with grooming from home after hours is noise restrictions (need to check with council) and pissing off your neighbours. Blow dryers aren't terribly quiet unfortunately.

I don't think 7pm is too late? But of course I would need to check.

@ Tails a Waggin ... you say there are many reasons why it could be a bad decision... can you elaborate?

That's why I'm here.... to try to think everything through.

I've always wished with past career decisions that I could sit down with people who are currently working in a particular industry and ask them what pitfalls a newbie need to know about before jumping in so feel free to tell all.

From your last sentence maybe I will enjoy it so much and be making good money and not want to go back??????

Great Jonna

Glad to hear someone else works afternoons and gets clients to come to them.

What time do you normally finish of an evening? Do your neighbours mind?

We are actually about to get new neighbours on the side I would be thinking of running the salon on so I can't say what they'll be like.

I am one of those mobile groomers that turn down lots of work because I want to be home by 5pm in Winter and 6pm in Summer so I can get my animals fed and feed my husband (in that order ) and I don't want to work on weekends. I think you will get quite a bit of work during those hours. (I also get people calling on a Sunday morning !!!)

Love how you say feed the animals then husband I think you have the order right!

Different hours will suit different people. I'm just one of those people that are fine with afternoons and weekends. I used to work a 2nd job at a call centre during those hours so I am quite used to it. There's nothing like getting abused over the phone call after call after call after call......all after hours

I have a full time job until noon, so all my appts. are after that until 6 0r 7 pm, plus, 8 am to about 2 or 3 on SAts. I think you will find lots of clients to fill those hours! I also work from home. I schedule on the hour so there is not too much traffic. If I have a noisy pup, my shop is well insulated. I shut the door. I also have an enclosed outdoor area for the big hairys. They can look at the woods and all their hair blowing into the woods. I love my setup

Good luck!

do your research into what other groomers offer in your area & fill in the gaps ...I see you are in Newy...an area serviced by alot of salons & mobile & home groomers with quite a few really good ones too ..get clicking on the net & look up business hours :-)

I do 8.30 til 4pm winter & 6.30 am til 4 pm summer ...I like having a life out side of work & by finishing at 4pm ther is still time to beach it after work etc...nawww I miss summer & 7-1pm Saturdays

HTH

I am one of those mobile groomers that turn down lots of work because I want to be home by 5pm in Winter and 6pm in Summer so I can get my animals fed and feed my husband (in that order ) and I don't want to work on weekends. I think you will get quite a bit of work during those hours. (I also get people calling on a Sunday morning !!!)

I like having a life out side of work

Life is to short.... Make your change in career work for you..........

Hi Cessnock

Not alot of them have websites but I'll certainly do some research.

It seems most of the ones that do have websites are the few large salons like Dog Overboard or Spunky Puppies.

Obviously a customer wouldn't get such a personalized service at large places like these.

I looked in the new version of the Yellow Pages here and saw around 10 mobile groomers and 20 salons (half seemed home based) but none were anywhere near my area (Maryland) or any of the surrounding suburbs. The closest was 3 suburbs away. Of course there could be those that don't advertise in the Yellow Pages around here???

Maybe this is a good sign as there seem to be lots of young profesional couples and retirees here and the price of homes here is average to above average. Fletcher and Cameron park are new suburbs that are close by and they attract above average prices for homes too.

I figure that might mean that people are more interested in paying someone to wash and groom their dogs than making the time to do it themselves?

I never had a noise complaint. Latest I ever worked was 9 p.m. Usually always done by 8.
Starting off at home is more economical.