November 2016. What is new at All Pet & Home Care? Well so much especially since I don’t blog. It is a new goal of mine to start. I would like to bring you interesting information at least once a month from myself and all the people I know, pet related of course!
I thought I should start with just a general update about me, the business, and my goals for APHC. Aili is now 18months old! She is very funny and rambunctious. She loves dogs, which she better because as you know we have 3-Frank, Rubin, and Dylan. It seems like we always have an extra since “In Our Home” Pet Sitting is so popular. She has yet to meet a dog that she doesn’t like and I must say all our clients that come to my home love her. They lick her, they sit in her room, and follow her around outside. She doesn’t get a lot of cat exposure so when she gets the chance to see one she is fascinated. Frank, Rubin, and Dylan are doing well. They all are in good health. Rubin being my oldest approaching 12 still goes for a good walk and he can run and romp around the yard with the best of them. James’ business is doing well, as some of you know because he has remodeled or worked in your home. Thank you so much for that, it just warms my heart that you chose James to do your work. My extended family is healthy and they are all enjoying having a baby in the family again so life is good.
What are my goals for All Pet? Well my first goal and primary focus is to grow this business. Not change or expand our service area, just have more clients in our existing area. Step one was finding and using pet sitting software which we started in the beginning of 2016. I loathe technology so I had dragged my heels for so long but thanks to Anna it is done and we are all using it. Step two is having more of a presence in our service area. I have been fortunate to grow organically from word of mouth of my clients, vet hospitals, and other pet related businesses. Yet I am learning that the concept of a Pet Sitter is not as common knowledge as I assume it to be. We as a company are trying to attend events, advertise more, and just get out in the community. “See and be seen” as they say. With growth in mind that would mean hiring some new dog walkers. I do not want this to be a cause for concern. I know so many people in the area, so do the dog walkers. When we do hire someone new they will have a background check, drug test, and a training class under their belt before they come into your house. We will find the right person and if we don’t, I will let office work pile up and get out from behind this desk and walk dogs myself. The training class is new and it kind of just came to me. As some of you know our Norrah Johnston has an extensive dog background. She ran a shelter for several years and is also a dog trainer. All employees are doing a training class with her. I thought it was a good idea to have everyone take advantage of Norrah’s knowledge and expertise. They get one on one time with Norrah can ask any questions about things they may be seeing or facing when they are out in the field. The feedback about this class has been very good so far. Step 3. I am currently working on and going over proposals to start accepting credit cards. I have been dragging my feet about this one and it is just time. Just a friendly reminder it is still less expensive for me if you pay by check!!!
We have also added a new service-pet food delivery from the Holistic Houndry in Zelienople. Why you may ask? First let me give you my history with Ann the owner. A few years ago, a dog food store opened in Zelienople called The Green Barn. I immediately went in and became a customer right away. Ann, the owner, is from Zelienople and had been living in Montana working for a medical research company researching human disease and medicine. She was a multiple pet owner whose animals had been afflicted by ongoing aliments. This eventually lead her to quit her job and start researching animal food and nutrition as a cure for what was going on in her own home. After I had been coming into the store for a while and we got to know each other, she asked if I had any interest in working in the store when I could and receive a discount on my pet food. She did not have to ask me twice! I was in. I am proud to say I am one of the original employees! The store has undergone a name change and moved to a new location since I have been there. It is beneficial to me for so many reasons. I learn a lot, I buy a lot of pet food, and every person that walks in the door may be a potential client for me. I still try to get to the store once a week to work even if it is only for 2-hour evening shift. For those of you that don’t know when I was in college I worked at National Record Mart; everyone in my family did at one point it was kind of like a rite of passage. We had an uncle that worked in the warehouse and got everyone jobs when needed although this is beside the point. The point is I love people, I loved working in retail so this gives me a little bit of that again which I so enjoy. It only made sense to offer pet food delivery because while we have some options these days in where to shop for high quality pet food, Ann stands alone in her background as to the how’s and whys. It is a business I am so proud to stand behind and support while trying to get the best food options and knowledge into my clients’ hands. There is more info about the service on my website as well as Ann’s. www.theholistichoundry.com
We also have started a client referral program. There should be a sentence about it on your emails and invoices that generate from Leash Time. I always ask potential clients how they heard about us. When your name is mentioned and a meet and greet is booked you will receive a 20.00 credit to your account.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this. If you have any ideas or suggestions for All Pet, improvements we can make, marketing ideas, or whatever, call me. I would love to hear it. Thank you!!!
Love,
Maureen