How to Set Up the Interior of A Dog Daycare
How to Create a Positive Image with Proper Interior Design.
First this section is not a layout design section, this section is geared towards creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for your customers upon their first arrival at your facility.
One thing that I see a lot of when I tour Dog Daycare facilities around the country, or when I am called to consult for a facility that is not doing so well, is a lack of interior design work. I see facilities that are designed entirely for functionality meaning escape proof, easy to clean, easy to maneuver, isolation rooms, up to date grooming facilities, the latest software, and computers, well landscaped exterior parking and potty areas and all of the things that a professional Daycare center should have to operate efficiently but no emphasis was put on providing a customer friendly interior appearance. A good example would be a hospital, it's sanitary, and it has everything needed to operate effectively and complete the tasks required of it, yet it looks like a hospital on the inside, not warm and inviting, it looks and feels like this is where sick people go to get fixed.
The image your customers desire.
In the business of pet care people want to take their dog to a place that has a nice homely feel, a place that is decorated, fun and professional. Your lobby area should be attractive. Have some paintings on the walls; add a big board that has pictures of happy pets using your services. Your play areas should have color; all white walls are boring and get dirty too fast. Paint the ceilings a nice sky blue, add accent colors to certain walls and ensure the play areas have items that look fun, a slide, a tunnel etc. You want your facility to look exciting and fun the moment a customer comes in the door, not dull and boring. Contact artists in your area and have some murals added to the walls of Dogs engaged in various activities, to create that light cheery feeling. If you want to be successful your customers have to believe that their dogs will be having fun while they are in your care and the interior appearance and decorations that you choose can go along way towards selling that point.
Start at the lobby and place yourself in your customers shoes, is it cramped and cluttered? or is it warm and inviting with adequate space for multiple customers at one time. Moving further into your facility, are the floors clean and shiny tile, or dingy tile, or is it a chipped and peeling painted surface. Everything your clients see needs to provide them with a sense of happiness, cleanliness and professionalism. If clients can see into your office ensure that chairs are under the desks, and that there is not abundant clutter present, i.e. empty fast-food bags lying on desks, soda cans, trash is not overflowing from the container etc.
You have to understand that there has been a major shift in the role of the dog in the American family, they are not merely pets anymore. They are valuable, respected and loved members of the family. With the emergence of pet suites and other luxury pet services, boarding kennels of old are now being forced to upgrade their facilities by adding televisions, heated floors, air conditioning, and other amenities comparable to what you would find in a human hotel to remain competitive . Appearance is important and if you want to impress your customers design and decorate the inside of your facility in a way that makes it appealing and fun.
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