The pet care industry is only growing which is great news for business owners like you. What will distinguish successful pet care centers from struggling ones will be how they prepare and adapt for an evolving industry.
Here are 5 roadblocks to be aware of and tips for how to navigate them to grow your pet care business.
The Market is Saturated
The situation: The pet care industry is experiencing something akin to a gold rush right now. In February 2024, weekly sales of pet care products grew three times faster than any other category of fast-moving consumer goods (Source: Forbes).
The roadblock: Throughout the country, more pet care centers are popping up and competing for their slice of this growing pie.
The solution: To make sure your center remains competitive, it’s important that you develop a strong brand identity. A great way to do this is by offering unique services and products to clients that help you stand out. You also want to have easily identifiable colors, a logo, and other brand elements.
Client Expectations Are Changing
The situation: Generational shifts in pet ownership along with progress in customer service experiences have shifted how clients interact with pet care centers and what they expect from those interactions.
The roadblock: Clients are less patient with frustrating experiences and expect greater accessibility to products and services.
The solution: Make the pet owner’s life easier by offering convenience that can only be provided via cutting edge software. Having a mobile app for your center can allow clients to easily book appointments, make payments, and purchase products with just a few swipes on their phone which is especially important to millennial and gen-z pet owners.
Managing Inventory
The situation: Pet owners are spending more than ever on products for their four-legged family members. They are also more discernible with the quality of products and the ease of obtaining them.
The roadblock: In a world of two day shipping, pet parents expect timely deliveries and a curated selection of products. Running out of stock or stocking the “wrong” products can send pet owners taking their business down the street.
The solution: Pet care software like RunLoyal provides a number of innovative features that make managing your inventory easier than ever. The software also gives you greater access to data to help inform what you stock and can even generate sales recommendations on a per client basis.
Providing Personal Experiences
The situation: Technological advancements have been developed towards creating more personal experiences for pet owners.
The roadblock: If your pet care center isn’t equipped with accessible tools and software for keeping track of clients, you won’t be able to offer the same quality of care that competitors can.
The solution: Get organized with organizational tools. RunLoyal provides streamlined management tools for tracking pet details like personality, health needs, and other notes that clients can upload to ensure every pet in your center is treated like family.
Staffing Shortages
The situation: More pet care centers are popping up and in need of professionals who can groom, train, and tend to daycare and overnight boarding pets.
The roadblock: It’s demanding work and pet care staff need support to offer the best care they can. If your pet care center can’t offer the tools and environment that empowers them, they’re likely to seek a center that can.
The solution: Take unnecessary burdens off your staff all while providing clients a hassle-free experience. RunLoyal’s software makes appointment check-in simple by allowing pet owners to sign in and out instantly, apply packages and membership benefits, and pay through a tablet. This frees up your daycare, boarding, and grooming staff to focus on care for the pets and reduces stress from being pulled in too many directions at once.
Your Roadmap For Success
It’s easy to avoid these roadblocks when you know the way forward.
Schedule a demo with RunLoyal today to learn how easy it can be to get your pet care center where it deserves to be.
