5 Ways to Boost Your Business Reputation with Kennel Software

As pet parents look to find dog daycare, dog boarding, and grooming services in your local area, more than 75% of pet owners are doing a Google search to research pet businesses’ online reputation, the services offered, and looking for a specific pet care experience at a price they see value in. These potential customers want to see authentic feedback from other pet parents who have trusted your business with their furry family members, and those 5-star reviews will drive informed buying decisions.

Small business owners who are intentional about delivering unique customer experiences (both for the pet and the parent) will have more positive reviews that allow them to stand out from the competition and establish trust with pet parents looking for a variety of pet care solutions. In addition to building trust, the more positive reviews you have on your Google listing, the higher you will rank in the search results for your key search terms. For this reason, the #1 platform you should drive customer reviews to is Google.

Here are five ways to boost your business’s online reputation to maximize the ROI of every marketing dollar spent and grow both revenue and profit for dog daycare, dog boarding, grooming, and dog training services.

1. Utilize Automated Review Requests with Kennel Software

When it comes to growing online reviews, I suggest that you start with the easiest and most automated option first. Pet businesses that are leveraging kennel software or dog daycare software can set up an automated review request for dogs who check out at the end of their service. This customized text message should acknowledge your appreciation for their continued support and provide two options to provide feedback. If the customer loved the service, ask them to write a great review on Google. If the customer had a less than desirable experience, provide a secondary link that enables them to provide private feedback directly to the owner of the business. This protects your brand but also allows you to continue to improve processes to deliver the highest quality of care to each and every customer.

2. Ask for Reviews During Pick-Up

The next best way to build a solid online reputation is by asking clients to write reviews when they come into your facility to pick up their pets. If you have not yet intentionally designed the check-out experience, NOW is the perfect time to revamp your current process so clients want to share why they love your business. 

• Prior to check-out send pet parents a link to pre-pay for their appointment.  This process will allow your team to focus on giving customers the ‘happy update’ about the fun their pup had.
• Ensure that personal items, medications and leash items are prepared and ready prior to the customer arrival. 
• If possible (depending on size of your lobby & staffing availability), have a dedicated line for pick-up and drop-offs.  
• Create QR codes and place them in the lobby to make it easy for pet parents to write that review. 
• Strategically place retail items and when someone purchases a pet retail item; include a company card that has a QR code link to write a review as well. 

3. Engage with Your Community on Facebook & Instagram

The pet care industry has a strong presence and community across Facebook and Instagram because people love posts and stories about animals, especially their own. There are a number of amazing Facebook groups for pet care business owners where you can receive/share advice on everything from cleaning products to how to handle a difficult customer situation.

A large number of your pet parents are also on Facebook, so you want to make sure you are actively sharing and engaging with your community. Below are several ideas on appropriate Facebook posts that will drive engagement and grow your social media reviews.

• Share cute photos and videos; be sure to tag your customers.
• Educate pet parents on ways they can improve their relationship with their pet at home through training games.
• Shine a spotlight on some of your favorite clients every week.
• Promote special events that you are offering (create a marketing calendar for the next 90 days where you have at least two events per month).
• Share pet products and brands that you love and support.
• Highlight Enrichment services and why it’s important for each pet to have a balanced day.
• Share existing reviews and testimonial videos (pin those to your Facebook groups and page).

Just as important as posting regularly to your Facebook page is dedicating a small amount of time each day responding to questions, comments, and addressing any concerns. The consistent engagement across your social media platforms will attract more attention to your services, which can fuel the growth of your social media rating and number of reviews. This engagement is also a driver for other customers to share and promote your business.

4. Integrate Reviews on Your Website

Your online reputation can be further enhanced when you take your reviews from other platforms and integrate them directly onto your website. This will let new customers know that you value and appreciate customer feedback on your dog daycare and dog boarding services and also builds credibility for prospective new customers to try your pet care services.

You can leverage paid services that are part of many website hosting platforms to automate the display of reviews onto your website, or you can manually update your website for free and share online reviews along with photos of pets and their parents.

5. Build Strong Relationships with Local Businesses

Building strong relationships with local businesses can also be a great way to boost your online reputation. I encourage you to think outside of the box and expand your partnerships to include non-pet-related businesses. I have seen amazing partnerships with wine and liquor companies, pet-friendly restaurants and hotels, as well as large local employers who have hundreds of employees.

Reach out to businesses and find a win/win partnership that allows you both to recommend each other. In most cases, other businesses are not wanting to pay or be paid for promoting your business, but approaching these in a professional manner with an actionable plan is key to momentum. Below are several ways you can enhance a partnership with other businesses in your community.

• Highlight their business in your newsletter.
• Create a discount code that partner businesses can give to their clients along with a flyer that includes a QR code.
• Host an event together and invite both of your customers.
• Plan a community service event together.
• Add a place on your website that talks about local businesses that you trust and support and include a backlink to their website.

These partnerships will expand your exposure to your local community, strengthen your brand, drive SEO, and give you more opportunities to collect reviews.

FAQ: Handling Negative Reviews

What should I do if my business has several negative online reviews?

One of the most important things to do when you get a negative review is to respond with a professional tone. Every business can do better, and acknowledging actions you are going to take to improve is what other pet parents are looking for when they read a negative review.

• Be empathetic to any feedback.
• Thank the customer for taking the time to share feedback (even the negative).
• Provide a resolution that addresses concerns.
• Invite the customer back to your business.

If you currently have less than stellar reviews online, then you should really rebuild an intentional customer experience before you ask for more reviews. You probably have some feedback within the reviews themselves on how you can improve, and below are a few more ways to deliver a better customer experience.

• Make it easy for customers to schedule services. This can be through kennel software online booking options or just making sure that you are answering your phone during business hours.
• Create boarding bundles that include activities every day and expand beyond traditional all-day play into Enrichment daycare. These small changes get you one step closer to sending each guest home the best version of themselves.
• Pick-up and Drop-off should be quick and easy for all customers who booked ahead of time.
• Ensure you are living up to the highest cleaning standards so that your facility smells pleasant both in the lobby and the back of the house.
• Work with anxious or excited dogs to reduce barking and pump peaceful music throughout the facility to set a calm mood for dogs and staff.
• Make it standard to send pet parents an update every day for every dog. These should include photos and videos as well as general health and demeanor details.