We had a client check in for a reservation who spent 30 minutes complaining about our prices and explaining how a competitor charged half as much as we did. She explained how her dog loved coming to Pet Camp, how she loved how we interacted with her dog, that she loved the counselors – but she thought we were too expensive.
Why Pet Camp isn’t San Francisco’s cheapest pet care facility.
Frankly, I had no idea what to say. Yes, Pet Camp is not the cheapest option for pet care in San Francisco. We’ve never been the least expensive and we never will be. We pay the counselors above industry norm, we provide more inclusive benefits than others (health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, pet health coverage, 401(k), scholarship, and a clothing allowance – we’re hiring!), and, if I may say, I think we’ve invested in a pet care facility rivaled by no local pet care facility. All of this costs money and yes those costs are reflected in our prices. We could be less expensive by cutting those things, but we have no plans on doing so.
Pet Camp is a family-owned pet care facility
This client also asserted that family-owned pet care facilities are less expensive than Pet Camp because they are family owned.
- First, I think if you look around the pet care market you will find that chains and franchises are often less expensive than family-owned facilities.
- Second, she seemed to have forgotten that Pet Camp IS family owned and operated (that’s how I know about her behavior in our lobby).
- Third, how is this relevant? Some pet care facilities are more expensive than others for all the reasons mentioned above AND it is for those very reasons that she and her dog love Pet Camp even if we are a bit more expensive than her other options.
I still am perplexed by this pet parents reaction to Pet Camp and our pricing but we remain committed to providing the best pet care possible and hiring the best counselors and yes, that will always cost more money.
Thanks for reading.