From Beauty to Pet Booking Software: Clips ‘n’ Chips’ Switch to Pata

At Pata, we work with lots of amazing pet care professionals and we know how much goes on behind the scenes. That’s why we want to shine a spotlight on these experts who pour hours into honing their skills so they can offer the best services to their clients.

One such expert is Helene Taylor who took a leap of faith after an unexpected turn of events and started her own grooming business in Surrey called Clips 'n' Chips! We spoke to her for our "Meet Pata Pet Carers" blog series and loved hearing her industry insights.

From taking her first training course and using a beauty appointment system to expanding the team and moving to a pet care booking platform, Helene has been on quite the journey. Here’s more about her story and why she loves using Pata booking software to run her business.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us what sparked your interest in pet grooming?

“I’m Helene. I have diplomas in administrative management, PA and senior secretarial, and I am a dog groomer!

So, what made me start dog grooming? I was made redundant from a management position as, going into a recession, it was deemed a luxury they could no longer afford. It was at that point I decided to do something I wanted to do; not working for other people but for myself, and I undertook an intensive course in dog grooming.

That was some 14 years ago, and now I run my own business with employees.”

What are your dreams for your pet care business?

“I can’t say I have any dreams for Clips ‘n’ Chips as the goals I set over the years have all been achieved. Instead I strive to keep the business successful and profitable in a heavily populated area of rival groomers by trying to offer something affordable to our customers.”

How did you find Pata and what convinced you to sign up?

“I didn’t find Pata, it found me! The timing was perfect though as I had been looking for a more industry-related package which was affordable and functional.”

What was the process of transitioning from your previous booking system?

“Thankfully, the transition was handled by Pata and we staggered it over a number of weeks. They also ensured that the new system only included current clients, not historic ones, therefore creating a clean, fresh start going forwards.”

What is the biggest benefit of moving from a beauty system to a booking platform designed specifically for pet care professionals?

“When I first decided to move from a paper diary to a computerised system, Clips ‘n’ Chips was relatively new and therefore cost implications were paramount to any decision made. With that in mind, we decided on a free system but it was designed for the beauty industry, so it needed an imaginative mind to set up.

However, over time and with the natural progression of any system, costs were introduced and it was becoming more and more obvious that we were the minority in our industry. Support was also limited and costs became higher.

So, in the months prior to moving over to Pata, I researched some of the options available to our industry as it was my intention to streamline the business and have more information available on each client.”

How do you use Pata to streamline your pet grooming business?

“Having all the information available on each client, plus them being able to manage their account and book appointments, is a huge benefit to the progression of my company. Plus, with the ongoing development of Pata, we are looking forward to even more efficient administration.”

If you could give one piece of advice to fellow pet groomers still using a beauty system for appointments, what would it be?

“Beauty booking systems are great for starting out and taking the leap into a digital diary. However, they will hold you back as you develop your company. The only way to move forward in business is with a booking system designed for the pet care industry which will offer you the relevant options, support and backup.”

Still using a beauty system for appointment management and thinking of making the switch to a pet care booking platform? Take Helene’s lead and schedule a free demo to see how Pata can simplify your business admin with tools made specifically for pet care pros.