Like a lot of mom and pop pet shops, many pet groomers I come into contact with who are just starting out often bemoan the pitfalls of having to compete with the big box boys.
Granted, the behemoth pet retail chains that offer pet grooming seem to have an advantage thanks to the fact that they are well established, they have large facilities, seemingly unlimited advertising budgets and the ability to hire any number of groomers, among other factors that would appear to give them an edge in the marketplace.However, small independent groomers actually have a lot of advantages over the big boys for a variety of reasons.I spoke with Faith Chipman, owner of the Shaggy-Dawg dog grooming salon in Vancouver, Canada, and inventor of 'PAW' Su-Creme paw pad cream, and CJ Juban, owner of The Creative Groomer pet grooming supplies company of Yorba Linda, Calif., the Home of "Pup Feathers" decorative dog hair extensions.Both agreed that the indie groomers have lots of ways to get a paw up on the big box stores, and offered a number of helpful tips to do so.Pet Groomers Can Offer More Personalized Service Than Big Box StoresOne of the major advantages to being an independent operator is that you have the ability to offer a much higher level of customer service than the big box boys."We can offer much more personalized service than the assembly line types of stores," Faith said.

"The big box stores don't make any money on grooming; they just offer this to get people into the stores. Another thing is that this is a female-dominated industry. Many of us are one-woman shows. We get to know our customers over time and build relationships with them."Furthermore, independent pet groomers are more likely to be aware of certain health issues particular pets have."We get to know which pets have chronic ear infections or skin conditions that may flair up during certain times of the year," Faith pointed out. So making an effort to know your four-legged clients is one of the many ways to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.Indie Pet Groomers Can Capitalize on Their PassionAs CJ pointed out, an independent groomer has the ability to be a lot more creative than those employed at big box stores."The independent grooming salons are run by entrepreneurs that are passionate about the business," she said. "You can bend the rules, unlike the big box stores, where you have to go through corporate.

You don't have to deal with the red tape.""You can use cutting edge ways of marketing yourself. You have the ability to provide customer service on the basis of individual customer's need. One way groomers can ride through the recession is through offering personalized service. Big boxes don't want individualism because it can hurt their overall brand."Some Tips for Personalizing a Pet Grooming BusinessThere are any number of ways for indie groomers to get creative when it comes to promoting their businesses and establishing warm customer relations that enable them to go above and beyond what the big box chains offer."I make my own doggie cookies that I bring into the salon as treats for my customers," Faith said. "They get the spa music. They get lavender oil aromatherapy and application of the premium paw pad cream."CJ added that the ongoing pursuit of continuing education could also give indie groomers an edge."Small mom and pop pet groomers are eager to grow their businesses," she said. "They are always looking for ways to stay afloat. The really good ones seek out seminars and ways to reinvent themselves, in order to set themselves apart from the box stores and advance their businesses. These are expensive. Big box stores typically don't sponsor their employees to attend these. The employees have no incentive to pay for this out of pocket, whereas the mom and pop businesses do."Small Pet Groomers Have a Retail Edge Over Box StoresIn addition to the above tips, small independent pet groomers have opportunities to carry unique products for at-home customer use, which can greatly up the retail ante.Aside from that, like Faith and CJ, I know a lot of groomers and pet groomer suppliers who have invented products and tools that they can market to other groomers."In addition to selling my paw pad cream in my salon, I market this to women who are parallel to me with salons," Faith said. "They are looking for something that can't be found in big box stores. I also sell it to boutiques, online on an ecommerce site and at pet expos (such as trade shows)."These are just some of the many fun, creative ways independent pet groomers can set themselves apart from the big box boys. With a little investment of money and time and a lot of imagination, the sky really is the limit.