Total Grooming Magazine June 2020 by Cogent Multimedia Ltd

www.totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk JUNE 2020

Professional Grooming Equipment and Supplies Your favorite brands and many more all in one place!

Our Service Center Will Help Keep Your Salon Running

At Technogroom we are proud to supply our customers with an extensive range of professional grooming products from around the world. Not only are we the sole importer of many popular brands, but we also develop and manufacture our own unique products in house at Technogroom. Keeping your equipment in top working order is es essential to your business. We can service or repair any make and model of blasters, clippers, dryers, tables and sharpen all types of blades. To find out more about our service centre, please call us or visit our website.

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Contents

s the pandemic measures start to ease ever so slightly, grooming salons are reopening but in a different world where social distancing and sanitizing are paramount. We have advice from groomers and see firsthand the measures one groomer has introduced. There’s lots of information and courses available to you to re-start your business. Please feel free to get in touch with questions and any matters that are of grave concern. We will do our best to address these. Keep safe and well.

Contents Editor www.totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk

04 News 06 News 08 News 10 News 20 Jenny Farrell gives top tips for groomers looking to reopen 24 Top tips to enhance your customer experience 28 How Covid-19 has impacted on UK rehoming charities

Editor

Account Manager

Sue Corfield – editor@totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk

Becky Smith – becky@tgmpublishing.co.uk

Commercial Director

Credit Facilities Manager

Mike Smith – mike@tgmpublishing.co.uk T: 01795 509110

Natalie Murray – creditcontrol@cimltd.co.uk T: 01795 509103

Jenny Farrell gives top tips for groomers looking to reopen

© 2018 TGM Publishing Limited, The Goods Shed, Jubilee Way, Whitstable Road, Faversham, Kent ME13 8GD. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical or physical – without express prior permission and written consent of the publisher. Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Manuscripts should be type written. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic, belongs to TGM Publishing Limited. The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

Total Grooming Magazine | 3

SPONSORED BY

Dogs Donate to NHS

ogs Trust is helping to support the national effort in the fight against coronavirus by donating vital medical equipment to the NHS. The charity’s rehoming centres rallied together in support of our incredible health service – with Dogs Trust Loughborough donating 120 surgical gowns to nearby Lings Bar Hospital (pictured above). Meanwhile, Dogs Trust Basildon has provided 300 masks to Basildon University Hospital and the charity has also returned 18 oxygen cylinders from across its network of UK rehoming centres to make them available for use within the NHS. Dogs Trust’s Shared Adoption Scheme coordinator Emily Mills said: “We are proud to be able to play a small part in helping to support our wonderful NHS and provide muchneeded equipment and medical supplies

for our doctors and nurses on the front line. “We have, of course, made sure our centres have enough equipment to deal with any emergency cases but, while we are not currently carrying out any routine procedures, we were keen to see these supplies be put to good use.”

“We will continue to work with health providers to see if we can assist the national effort in any other ways over the coming weeks and months.” For more information about Dogs Trust during the coronavirus crisis, please visit dogstrust.org.uk.

Effipro® - the award-winning spot on flea and tick treatment

ollowing a change in legal classification Effipro®, the award-winning spot-on flea and tick treatment for cats and dogs, is now classified AVM-GSL; meaning it is now available to be sold over the counter in pet shops and retail outlets that cater for pets. Supplied by Virbac, who also produce Indorex - the UK’s No. 1 household flea spray, this re-classification enables retailers to stock an effective, easy to use and award-winning product that could previously only be dispensed by a vet, pharmacist or SQP. Approved for use on cats of 1kg and over and dogs 2kg and over, above 8 weeks of age, Effipro® treats fleas for up to 5 weeks in cats, and for 8 weeks in dogs, and ticks for 2 weeks on cats and 4 weeks on dogs. The easy to use, unique Drop-Lock pipette allows

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Effipro® to easily be applied in just the right place, with no mess or fuss. In addition, Effipro® Duo, a spoton that not only provides protection against fleas and ticks for dogs and cats but also prevent the multiplication of fleas in the home environment, has been re-classified from POM-V to NFAVPS to allow the product to be sold by

Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs). Both products are available in 5 presentations, each containing 4 pipettes, catering for cats and small to extra-large dogs. For more information on the advantages of stocking Effipro® and Effipro® Duo please contact Virbac on 01359 243243.

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Dogs to Sniff Out Coronavirus

Medical Detection Dogs has received Government support to investigate whether dogs can detect Coronavirus

or the first time, the Government has recognised the impact that dogs can have in fighting disease by supporting a project to investigate whether they can play a role in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) has spent years successfully researching the science behind dogsâ€™ sense of smell and believes that dogs could detect COVID-19. We have always adopted a rigorous, scientific approach to our work, and produced more than a dozen peer reviewed research papers which 8 | Total Grooming Magazine

support our belief that each disease has its own unique odour. Medical Detection Dogs will be working in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University, bringing together the team which recently collaborated to successfully prove that dogs can be trained to detect malaria. Word of government funding means the collaborators can start collecting samples of the virus and making them safe for presentation to the dogs, with the aim of providing a rapid and non-

invasive detection method that could help prevent a second peak and enable precious NHS resources to be used where most needed. MDD has already started training a number of hand-picked dogs which have completed their basic training and will be ready to transfer to the new samples as soon as they arrive at our training centre. We hope to have initial results confirming the presence of an odour which the dogs can detect within 6-8 weeks after samples arrive. The dogs searching for COVID-19 will be trained in the same way as

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those we have already trained to detect diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and bacterial infections – by sniffing samples in our training room and indicating when they have found it. They are also able to detect subtle changes in temperature of the skin, so could potentially tell if someone has a fever. Once trained, dogs could also be used to assist with the rapid screening at key points of entry to identify travellers entering the country infected with the virus or be deployed in other public spaces, which could have a transformational impact on the response to the epidemic. Commenting on the news, Dr Claire Guest, CEO and Co-Founder of Medical Detection Dogs, said: “We are delighted that the government has given us the opportunity to demonstrate that dogs can play a role in the fight against COVID-19. They have the potential to help by quickly screening people, which will be vital as the country moves out of lockdown. Hopefully this will prevent a second peak and enable precious NHS resources to be used where most 10 | Total Grooming Magazine

needed. “We have already demonstrated our expertise in canine disease detection by successfully training dogs to detect diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and malaria, and we apply that same science to train life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dogs to detect odour changes in individuals caused by their health condition. “We are sure our dogs will be able to find the odour of COVID-19 and we will then move into a second phase to test them in live situations, following which we hope to work with other agencies to train more dogs for deployment. We are incredibly proud that a dog’s nose could once again save many lives.” Professor James Logan, lead researcher for the work and Head of the Department of Disease Control at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “Our previous work has shown that malaria has a distinctive odour, and with Medical Detection Dogs, we successfully trained dogs to accurately detect malaria. This, combined with the knowledge that respiratory disease can change body

odour, makes us hopeful that the dogs can also detect COVID-19. “I would like to thank the UK government for their support of this pioneering research through this funding. We’re excited to do this trial, and confirm whether these bio detection dogs can be used to screen for COVID-19 at ports of entry such as airports. “If successful, this approach could revolutionise how we diagnose the virus, leading to the rapid screening of high numbers of people, which could be profoundly impactful and help get our lives back to some sort of normality.” Professor Steve Lindsay, from the Department of Biosciences at Durham University, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be awarded this funding so we can start this important research. “If we can show that our trained dogs can identify people carrying the virus, but who are not sick, it will be a game changer. We will then be able to scale-up the use of dogs at ports of entry to identify travellers entering the country with the virus. This will be important to prevent a second wave of the epidemic.”

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As the chassis ages, the Palace can be removed and placed onto a brand new chassis - resulting in a much cheaper cost than having to buy a whole new van and conversion with next to no downtime If the chassis is involved in an accident or breaks down you can simply remove the body, place it on the ground and work from your driveway whilst you wait for it to be repaired. The lining will not out live the vehicle like so often seen with used van conversions. You then have to sell the van & conversion and then buy a new van and conversion and wait whilst it is converted. Whereas with the Palace, you can keep the pod forever and change the chassis as you need to. Once you choose to retire from mobile grooming you can remove the Palace, sell the chassis and work from the Palace in your garden instead of having to buy a parlour or convert a room in your house. When you choose to move home, you can take the pod with you and this portability combined with the size means they will not normally require planning permission in your garden. You never need to buy a Brand new chassis that can depreciate - simply buy used a chassis and then swap them out as they get too old. Smaller than its LWB Van equivalent but provides a more workable space inside that is highly customisable as there are no van strutts or vehicle constraints Can be driven on a normal car driving license Say goodbye to having to buy a whole new van and conversion every few years - simply move your Palace from one chassis to another with zero down time and when the time comes and you no longer want to be mobile, simply

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Made from our Revolutionary insulated panel, our VCA Approved Grooming trailers provide the perfect solution if you would like to work from home and be mobile without the running costs associated with a van - with no tax or MOT required with trailers! You can leave the trailer on your drive way or hitch up with your vehicle when ever you need to. And when you have finished being mobile you can permanently demount the trailer from the axels and use it as a Garden Pod!

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Your parlour for life. Our new revolutionary demountable Palace offers benefits never seen before in the industry. Once your chassis reaches the end of its life or is involved in an accident, you simply demount your Palace and work from home or swap it onto a new chassis. If you no longer want to be mobile you can demount the pod and use it as a parlour in your Garden. The palace’s can be driven on a standard UK driving License and are often smaller than their van based equivalent whilst giving you more usable space. Available in a wide range of sizes with unlimited conversion configurations. Available on finance

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Mental Health Awareness: our pets can help

he rise of loneliness and isolation during the coronavirus lockdown has reinforced the value that our pets can bring to our mental health, giving us attention and love, keeping us active and enabling us to keep to a routine. As we enter Mental Health Awareness Week, NOAH recognises the benefits that companion animals bring to owners, helping them keep going during such unprecedented and uncertain times, helping calm anxieties and worries. We know our pets have a positive benefit on our own mental health and that is backed by science: they are widely recognised as having positive benefits on stress, anxiety, depression and loneliness. They provide companionship, encourage physical and social activity and healthy routines, which can even, in some cases, be life changing for their owners. NOAH’s own study has found that 67% people believe having a pet provides companionship and friendship and 52% believe that pets help those who may be feeling lonely – as, even before lockdown, over 9 million people in the UK – almost a fifth of the population – have said they always or often feel lonely. The unconditional love and companionship pets provide, and the feeling of responsibility and pride which can be extremely beneficial for those struggling with anxiety and depression. Physical exercise is frequently recommended to those suffering from depression and anxiety (a big part of why it has remained as part of our guidance during these times) and pets can be a great motivator. Inside or out, having an animal around can also have a calming effect.

14 | Total Grooming Magazine

Stroking, playing with or even just sitting next to an animal can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine which help calm and relax, providing sensory stress relief and lowering blood pressure. Jon Neal, chief executive of mental health charity Suffolk Mind, said: “Maintaining good mental health is all about getting key emotional needs met. For many people, a pet is their way of meeting their need for emotional connection. We all need someone in our lives who accepts us, warts and all, for who we are. Someone we can count on when the chips are down and that we can be ourselves around. For many people, their animal companion serves that function, and many more. Lots of us feel we can confide in our pets, rather than the humans in our lives.” We should not forget the lockdown is not without its impact on our pets’ own wellbeing too. With many pets overjoyed to be sharing so much time with their human companions, young and old, they too have had to adjust to a

new way of living. As animal owners and companion animal vets have done their best to follow government advice to stay at home as much as possible, some pets, like us, may have been having to deal with health problems that would ordinarily not have gone unchecked. While the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) conducted a study showing things had improved between April and May, the majority of respondent practices (69%) were still seeing a reduced caseload, including some routine work, while 26% still have had to limit their caseload to emergencies only. In April, the overwhelming majority of respondent practices (97%) had had to limit their caseloads to emergency or urgent cases only. Dawn Howard, NOAH’s chief executive, comments: “Our pets have been invaluable to us during these times of extreme stress. As we start to come out of lockdown, we need to make sure we take stock of their own needs too.”

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Total Grooming Magazine | 15

Boris’ popularity up 350% – when it comes to dogs’ names Boris’s notoriety is reflected in an increase in the popularity of dogs being called Boris

ow that Boris Johnson has relaxed the rules giving us more time out and about, it’s likely that while we’re enjoying more exercise, we’ll hear his name more, too. Agria Pet Insurance has seen a significant rise in puppies named Boris since the news broke that Boris Johnson was diagnosed with COVID-19. And, as our Prime Minister became progressively ill, and the numbers of cases in the UK continued to rise, so has the popularity of the name among the nation’s puppies. In fact, compared with the same period last year, there has been a 350% increase in dogs being insured with Agria Pet Insurance named Boris. Fittingly, to tie in with Boris Johnson’s ‘bulldog spirit’, the top dogs to be named in his honour were Bulldogs. The specialist pet insurer has also reported Boxers, Labradors and Jack Russells were some of the other top breeds being insured with them following the trend. A kitten called ‘Corona’ and several dogs named ‘Covi’ have also appeared for the first time. Tom Vaughan, Head of Marketing at Agria Pet Insurance, says, “Changes in the popularity of the names of the nation’s dogs is always fascinating. Seeing so many little Boris’ registered with us recently, as well as the breeds that are most likely to be named after 16 | Total Grooming Magazine

the Prime Minister, is a great marker of the impact of this time.” Agria Pet Insurance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Services Register Number 496160. Agria Pet Insurance is registered and incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 4258783. Registered office: First Floor, Blue Leanie, Walton Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 7QW. Boris Johnson

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Amazing Groomer Fundraiser Success

The Groomers Lockdown charity effort raises almost £70K for NHS PPE

rguably among the most exciting things to happen in the grooming industry in a generation has been ‘the Groomers Lockdown,’ a week-long marathon of thirty-three educational webinars to raise money for the purchase of critical PPE for the NHS in the fight against Coronavirus disease. With initial ambitions of raising a few thousand pounds, the seminars blew the doors off those expectations and raised almost £70,000 at time of writing. Conceived and created by Whippet Media, The Groomers Lockdown took place during the last week of April. The team at Whippet Media - Ryan Lee-Gribben, Sophie Janette James and Nicole Evans - enlisted expert groomers and pet specialists from across the country, and internationally, to provide thirty-three webinars over six days, for a low one-off payment of just £30. To be clear: that’s a package of 33 Zoom webinars at just £30 for the whole thing with the funds raised to go to help provide PPE for NHS staff. At such good value, pet groomers responded enthusiastically, stumped up and tuned in, with the ability to watch repeats of the webinars at their convenience at a later date. Meanwhile, instead of some of the anxiety expressed by groomers since closing their salons in the preceding weeks because of lockdown, Facebook radiated warmth and sunshine. In countless posts, participants expressed their joy and enthusiasm for all the speakers and demonstrators who gave freely of their time and expertise to share their knowledge.

18 | Total Grooming Magazine

The webinars ranged across an incredible variety of subjects including Kerry Heads and Bichon heads, grooming a Newfoundland, incorporating Tellington T-Touch, Asian Fusion grooms, scissoring, brushing and combing techniques, creative grooming, ultrasonic teeth cleaning, vet care and so much more. Alongside this the demonstrators contributed their advice on handling, their personal tips and tricks, plus hard-won secrets and product recommendations. Within all the excitement, the organisers at Whippet Media were sensitive to share and remember the

purpose behind the effort. At 11am on Tuesday April 28th, with hundreds of spectators gathered online via Zoom, a minute’s silence was requested to reflect upon the thousands who lost their lives to the terrible Coronavirus disease, Covid-19. It was a pitch-perfect, poignant and sobering moment. We may never again see such a shared instance like this among our peers in our professional lives. Total Grooming Magazine congratulates the team at Whippet Media, the speakers, demonstrators and, indeed, all participants, for standing together, united, in these challenging weeks. Well Done Everyone!!!

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Total Grooming Magazine | 19

Coping with Covid-19 and reopening your salon! Groomer Jenny Farrell, shares her tips on reopening in a post lockdown world: Many of you will have re-opened and will be getting back on track with rebooking missed appointments.

ome salon owners are still worried about the risk of Covid-19 and contamination within the salon. How can we ensure the safety of our staff, clients and ourselves? I thought it would be worthwhile updating groomers on extra training, cleaning and tips on how to reduce contamination within the salon.

20 | Total Grooming Magazine

Extra training Yes, there are training courses you can take to ensure you are up-to-date on salon hygiene and Covid-19 contamination. These are BARBICIDE® COVID-19 Certification Course available on barbicide website. There are also Covid-19 courses to learn more about what Covid-19 is and how to manage it. Available online are “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Awareness

courses.” These would be useful to show customers that you are knowledgeable about the virus and are taking extra precautions to keep everybody safe.

Cleaning All staff should clean the salon inbetween clients. You should ideally give clients a lead so they can take off their own leads and clip a salon lead on to their dog. You should disinfect the

You should not be clipping or brushing dogs before bathing as there are thoughts that Covid-19 can remain on dog’s fur, so you should be extra cautious with unwashed dogs.

salon lead straight away and the dog should be immediately washed. You should not be clipping or brushing dogs before bathing as there are thoughts that Covid-19 can remain on dog’s fur, so you should be extra cautious with unwashed dogs. You and all staff should be wearing masks, PPE including disposable gloves, apron and ideally cleaning the soles of your shoes when entering the salon. Ideally a disinfectant foot dip for customers to use would be a good idea. Customers should be provided with hand sanitizer at the door so they can clean their hands before and after entering the salon. You should have as little contact with other people as is possible keeping to a 2m distance between everybody, even staff working within the salon. If you share equipment, equipment should be sanitized in between dogs and who ever uses the equipment and fur should be cleaned up as you go, not left 22 | Total Grooming Magazine

in a pile waiting to be cleaned up! Salons should be as ventilated as much as possible allowing fresh air to circulate throughout the salon.

Catching-up

Catching-up may take a while, to ensure your regular and priority clients are taken care of you could reduce nail clips, bath only appointments and move your matted priority dogs to the front of the line. You should ensure all clients book in advance when they leave so that you can plan your free appointment slots for anybody wanting to get in (if they cannot get in at their regular salon). This allows you to stay organised and see the free time you have coming up over the next couple of months.

Going forward As Covid-19 will most probably be with us for a while, it may be useful to start taking card payments instead of cash, contactless payment should be used

where possible for the future. Customers should also be aware that they need to leave more time for appointments so that cleaning can be carried out between dogs. In addition to the time element, you may want to think about adding a Covid-19 charge onto your services as you will be taking more time to do the job and, as a result, you will be able to groom less dogs. Some hair and beauty salons as well as restaurants are adding charges onto their services to cover additional fees caused by Covid-19. You may have clients drop dogs off at your salon, but you may feel more comfortable doing a pick up and drop off service until the virus is contained. Don’t forget to ensure all staff are knowledgeable on Covid-19 and the salon routines and what they can and cannot do. Stay safe, alert and keep sanitizing!

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It’s All About ‘The Customer Experience’ Terri Hardwick of Hardwick Hounds Grooming School, shares her views of how groomers can enhance the customer experience:

Terri Hardwick presenting her seminar

here’s so much to learn if you want to become a dog groomer and the qualifications are crammed with vital knowledge and skills building. But one thing that isn’t really covered in the qualifications is customer service. You might expect customers to put the quality of your groom as their top priority when choosing a groomer, but that’s not necessarily the case. Research conducted by Salesforce Research found that 57% of customers stop buying from a company because a competitor provided a better experience. When I came across that statistic it reminded me of when I first set up my own

24 | Total Grooming Magazine

grooming salon and on giving a customer her dog back, I asked the typical question: “does he look okay for you?” She gave me a small smile, patted my arm and said “I don’t like the way you cut his hair, love, but he likes you and I completely trust you and love how you are with him so I’ll never take him anywhere else.” I wanted to be offended or upset but I felt touched and I realised two things. Firstly, I needed to attend some seminars, but moreover the customer’s priority was how comfortable the dog was and the rapport I had with her that made her feel comfortable enough to be honest with me, his haircut wasn’t at the top

of her list. Part of what secured her loyalty to me as a customer was the skill I had gained when I worked as a sales assistant in the luxury jewellery store, Goldsmiths. It was at Goldsmiths when I received training on how to use Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to improve the customer experience

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and to close more sales. In a shopping centre where there are four or five stores who sell the exact same product at the same price how do they get the sale? 1. Marketing – Customers have to know your product is out there and that your business is prominent. Large retail corporations have huge budgets for marketing and build up a strong brand image. Marketing campaigns use the dopamine effect on our brains. You’ve all heard of endorphins, right? Well endorphins are neurotransmitters that are released in response to pain or stress and act as an analgesic. The smell of lavender has been linked to endorphin production which is why it can have a calming effect. Dopamine on the other hand is a chemical in our brains that makes us feel good and get a high and is released when we achieve a goal or reward. This happens when we eat treats or go shopping and treat ourselves and it makes us want to do it again. It’s why we call it retail therapy. It’s why when you train a dog using high value treats, they want to repeat that behaviour – because of the dopamine effect. 2. Décor – the colours of the walls, the lighting and layout of a store can all affect our mood and behaviours when shopping. 3. Product availability and visual merchandising – having a successful marketing campaign and a store having no stock is not only futile it’s inimical as that could give the customer a bad experience. Beautiful product displays and window displays that sell us a story increase the chances of product sales. 4. The Customer Experience – in a nutshell it is how your customer feels about their shopping experience and how they think of your brand. NLP is used in the selling of luxury goods to build a rapport quickly and to make the customer feel good about their buying experience. This can result in closing a big sale, leaving the customer wanting to come back for more and having the customer tell others about their positive experience. For us dog groomers, building a rapport is somewhat easier than it is for 26 | Total Grooming Magazine

a sales assistant in a store as we have the dogs as a focus for conversation but remember that the whole experience needs to be positive. A useful tip when talking to customers is to use open ended questions. A closed question requires a yes or no answer whereas an open question starts with what, why, when, where or how. So here are two typical questions you can change. Instead of asking the customer if their dog looks okay, which requires a yes or no answer, ask them how the dog looks. That question requires some kind of description from the owner. You can use this to improve the customer satisfaction. It’s important to note comments from the owner on their record card as mentioning them at a later date will build trust and make them feel listened to. You can also use a comments section on your record cards to note any conversational points the customer tells you so you can ask them about them next time. For example, if they ask you for a recommendation on home boarding you can go on to ask where they’re going and what made them choose that destination. Then when you see them at their next appointment you can use your notes and ask them - how was their holiday in the Maldives? They feel good that you ‘remembered’ and feel good talking about their holiday. According to McKinsey and Company 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated. Another question you can change is instead of asking customers if they would like to make their next appointment, ask them when they would like their next appointment to be. If they don’t rebook their next appointment they often go too long between appointments. By getting them to come more frequently you need a smaller client base, your grooming life is easier because the dog is in better condition each time thus allowing

you to achieve a better groom which ultimately helps towards customer satisfaction. NLP focuses on cognitive processes and how that affects your emotions. As your brain processes sensory information it affects how you behave and how you feel. So ask yourself how your salon environment affects how your customer feels. What sensory information do they receive? What can they see, hear and smell? Large retail corporations spend a portion of their budget on the mystery shopping service and customer satisfaction surveys. What can you identify that isn’t positive that you can change to become positive? Do you have a friend who can randomly call into your salon and let you know what their honest first impressions are? If we always do what we’ve always done, we always get what we’ve always got. Your technical skills and the quality of your groom are still very important, but without that customer rapport and feedback can you truly identify where your skills can be improved? As the grooming industry continues to grow how will you ensure your customers stay loyal to you? Match your high standards of grooming with high standards of customer service to increase customer loyalty, increase the frequency of their visits and increase the number of customer recommendations to you. You can learn more about using NLP in my webinar and you can buy customer experience record cards in my online store at www.hardwickhounds.co.uk

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The Covid-19 Effect

We have all felt the massive impact of coronavirus on our lives, whether that is through illness or the tragic loss of loved ones or the economic repercussions. Rescue shelters across the UK are also feeling the strain and believe animals are at risk and their services are threatened with closure due to the social and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

ocial-distancing measures have forced thousands of centres to close to the public and temporarily freeze adoptions although there are signs that a gradual lifting of some measures will ease the situation going forward. For some, this has resulted in a catastrophic drop in income, but with large numbers of animals still to be cared for and fewer staff on site the situation is becoming fraught. The government financial support

28 | Total Grooming Magazine

for charities does not include animal welfare, and for these places, many staff can’t be furloughed because their work is still essential. The RSPCA believe the effect on their income is likely to be a drop of around £15m and Dogs Trust has seen a significant loss particularly from the cancellation of fundraising events like the London Marathon which raised £40,000 for them last year and their series of summer fairs which raise an average of £230,000. Battersea

envisages a loss of around £11m and is desperately worried that many smaller rescues will be unable to cope, so much so that they are working tirelessly to assist in picking up some animals that these small organisations are unable help. Rob Young, Battersea Head of Centre Operations, commented: “Ahead of lockdown, we sensed the mood of the nation and the likely impact on our centres. So, we made a massive effort on our rehoming and fostering – it was

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Technology is helping through the provision of ‘virtual rehomings.’

an incredible collaborative approach which resulted in the rehoming of twice as many pets as usual. Staff rallied round and we placed around 150 animals in foster homes. I am incredibly proud of what we achieved which left just 50 animals in kennels across all three centres.” Battersea, like many rehoming charities, can currently only take in emergency cases, meaning that many dogs that would be taken in by shelters in normal times, are in a vulnerable situation. For, as well as taking in abandoned UK dogs, some shelters also looked after animals rescued from countries like Greece and Romania before international travel was suspended worldwide. The impact on these dogs and others that are waiting to be put up for adoption could be severe, whether it’s because they are trapped abroad and can’t come over, or where owners in the UK can’t find rescue space and there is no other alternative than for them to be euthanised. Dogs Trust Chief Executive, Owen Sharp, said: “Since the government guidelines 30 | Total Grooming Magazine

Doris is looking for a new home

came into place, we have been working closely with other animal organisations to minimise the impact on dog welfare, whilst keeping our staff and our supporters safe. The government restrictions have meant that our centres have been closed so we were only taking in ‘emergency’ dogs in desperate need of our help. More recently we have started to take non-emergency dogs in and are starting to see more

of a demand. However, the long-term impact is yet to be felt and it’s highly likely our services will be needed more than ever in the weeks and months ahead. “We know from calls to our rehoming centres that some owners have put off giving up their dog as they are in lockdown, but once the restrictions are lifted and life returns to normal they may no longer be able

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hadow, a seven year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier from Dogs Trust’s Manchester centre, was one of the first virtual home check candidates. He was given up as a result of a family emergency. Sarah and Sharon Parry-Davies from Stockport had been looking out for a rescue Staffie after their last dog died over a year ago. Dogs Trust staff sent photos and videos of Shadow and they fell in love with him. Sarah explains the process: “After falling for Shadow, we then completed the homefinding questionnaire, chatted extensively with staff, provided a virtual ‘tour’ of our home and met Shadow virtually before deciding we were a virtual match! “On the day he arrived, we were like two excited children watching from the upstairs window to spot the van arriving. Shadow jumped out and we couldn’t believe how gorgeous he was – even better in real life than on film! “Dogs Trust staff stayed at a distance for quite a long time while he was introduced to us. He was quite anxious at first and was carrying his toy while he kept returning to his handlers. “However once they left, he quickly settled in and made himself right at home. He is really well-mannered and has the sweetest nature. “I think the virtual procedure and checks worked really well and it was ideal for a dog like Shadow, who was

to care for their dog. “When it comes to bringing dogs into our care, we have put in place safety measures, such as the staff collecting the dogs wearing full PPE during the collection, dogs being handed over with minimal contact which is appropriate to the needs of the dog, such as on long leads to maintain distance, of course regular handwashing and when they first come into the centre, dogs will not come into contact with other dogs for 32 | Total Grooming Magazine

very anxious in the kennel situation. “We both adore him and are so happy to have him in our lives.” Many other rehoming charities are using technology in the same way to assist their rehoming programmes. The RSPCA, Battersea and a growing number of small shelters are encouraging online applications which staff then match to appropriate dogs. Home checks are conducted via home and video calls with ‘walk throughs’ of the home and outside space. The potential adopters have to be deemed to be local to the rehoming centre (no more than an hour’s drive) to fall within the government guidelines. Forest Dog Rescue in Worcestershire is also carrying out virtual home checks. These are working well for them: “The virtual home check is a live feed video usually done via whatsapp so we can check the house and the garden. Prior to that we are doing a more in-depth check over the phone and completing a home check form. We try to send dogs out where there is a side gate to the garden so that the staff taking the dog can also double-check the fencing.” Commented an FDR spokesperson.

Other issues affecting rehoming For all rescues, the current ‘emergency only’ strategy amongst veterinary practitioners has resulted in the postponement of spaying and vaccination procedures, which is also hindering the dog rehoming

five days.”

Rehomings resume – technology to the rescue Owen Sharp explains how Dogs Trust centres are starting to rehome dogs and how technology is helping to facilitate this: “Whilst our rehoming centres remain closed to the public, we are now able to find some of our dogs new homes, or foster homes. We are temporarily

programme. Even within larger charities with in-house veterinarians the edict of ‘emergency only’ treatment is an issue, as a result there is now a log-jam of pets waiting for these non-emergency operations and treatments. The ramifications of Covid-19 have been far-reaching in ways many of us could not have imagined. Once lockdown eases there will be the economical after-effects to deal with. Dr Sam Gaines, RSPCA dog welfare specialist, said: “I am very worried about the fallout longer term of the effects of the pandemic. We have actually received a lot more enquiries about rehoming pets but once people return to work and furlough ends, there may be many more pets given up that need our help.”

Financial hardship Aware of the massive impact coronavirus has had on animal charity funds The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) has launched an Emergency Fund for animal rescues across the British Isles, to help them continue their vital work during and beyond the coronavirus outbreak. This comes in response to a survey of rescue and rehoming organisations by ADCH, the sector umbrella body for companion animal rescue organisations, which revealed: • 100% said their income had reduced; • 61% said they have reduced staff numbers (the majority through

trialling a new ‘handover at home’ service in which we are carrying out virtual matching and instead of asking potential adopters to come to the centre to pick up their dog, we will take the dog to them. This is only suitable for a select number of dogs, as some of our residents require multiple meetings with their new owners. “None of our staff handing over a dog go inside homes. They meet and interact with people in an outside

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furloughing); • 55% said that fundraising income had already reduced by over 50%; • Just 52% of members said they had three months of income and reserves remaining, whilst 32% had less than three months, and some significantly less than this. Yet none have shut their doors – they are still carrying out their vital work every day. Claire Horton, ADCH Chairman, said: “There are over 1,200 animal rescue and rehoming centres throughout the UK, doing their very best to care for hundreds of thousands of unwanted and abandoned animals each year. Their closure or reduction in capacity would be catastrophic for animals in need but the results of the ADCH survey paint a very worrying picture. “There has been no let-up in the number of animals these rescues

care for, yet their income streams have all but dried up due to cancelled fundraising activities and closure of charity shops. This is an emergency – the very survival of some of these rescues is at stake. The ADCH Coronavirus Emergency Fund is here to provide aid to rescues in immediate crisis and support to others further down the line.” The funds will provide oneoff grants of up to £10,000 to cover activities directly affected by coronavirus. Grants will be prioritised for organisations with an annual turnover of £500,000 or less and will help support the cost of food, bedding, cleaning equipment and transportation of animals, as well as additional staff costs as a result of staff and volunteers not being able to attend the rescue or shelter. Claire Horton adds:

“Wide-scale pet abandonment could be one big consequence of the coronavirus pandemic if owners struggle to care for their pets financially or can’t cope with them after lockdown. We hope this fund will prevent animal rescue centres from being forced to close their gates and therefore safeguard the welfare of those animals in most urgent need.” Any corporations or members of the public who wish to donate to the ADCH Coronavirus Emergency Fund can visit https://www.adch.org.uk/donate/. Or contact the following directly: www.rspca.org.uk www.dogstrust.org.uk www.battersea.org.uk NB These facts were correct at the time of writing but please check out the charity website for the current situation.

Shadow was one of the first dogs to be rehomed ‘virtually’ Opposite: Shadow with his new family

area, and dogs will be handed over either via a long lead or in a dog crate, so staff can keep at a safe two metre distance at all times. All logistics will be pre-agreed with the adopter before a handover is scheduled. All our staff 34 | Total Grooming Magazine

will be equipped with hand sanitiser and one-use aprons or overalls that can be discarded after use and gloves. They will wait as long as necessary to make sure the dog is settling in and the owners have had the opportunity to

ask any questions they may have and of course, as always, we are there to provide help and guidance to owners for the dog’s entire life.”

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