Why you shouldn't be using Salon, Clinic or Hotel Booking software for the Pet Services Industry

We started Happy Pet primarily as a portal for pet parents. Happy Pet aimed to provide them with all the necessary information and tools to be successful pet parents. That was followed by the mobile app that tracked and maintained information about their pet.

While we were in the process of developing the platform and mobile apps we saw a growing need for meaningful software solutions for the pet services industry which has led to us launching multiple products via the happypet.tech platform.

What started as exploratory sessions with the founders and management of Pet Warehouse in Bangalore quickly gave us an understanding of a big gap in the sector - especially in India. We saw an entire industry that was under-served by technologists and decided to take on a larger role in bridging this gap for pet services providers and create meaningful and easy to access and use pet services software applications.

As first time customers of Business Digital Transformation - pet services providers have many questions.

• Does my business really need software when I already manage it well enough on my books or on MS Excel?
• Will software allow me flexibility to manage my non taxable business?
• Can I use software meant for human services since there are many more options and some even come free?

When looking for pet services software, booking software that is built for salons, clinics, or hotels may seem like a convenient or cheaper option for managing appointments in your pet business. But at most times using software not designed for pets causes more problems than it solves. Here’s why.

Pet Needs Are Different: Unlike humans, pets come with unique requirements like breed specific care, vaccination records, weight-based grooming services, and specific diets. General booking platforms don’t support these needs, which are important for delivering the right care in pet services.

While at a vet clinic speaking to them about the need for veterinary services management software this is what we heard - “Vaccinations are straightforward for humans. You receive your mandatory shots before the age of 5. However for pets there is a need to vaccinate regularly against Parvo, ticks or other afflictions. The software we currently use is not customizable to check if the vaccine records are in place and the schedule is on time.”

No Multi Pet Support: Quite a few customers bring in more than one pet at a time making it difficult to manage group appointments, packages or discounts for multiple pets.

Pet Profiles are missed: Salon or clinic software might manage basic info like names and contact details, but it won’t track pet specific data like:

• Breed, age, and temperament
• Medical history or allergies
• Behavior notes
• Vaccination and deworming reminders

A pet-focused system lets you build detailed profiles that improve care and customer experience.

Lack of pet care specific nuances: Pet grooming, boarding, walking, and training services have distinct issues to be addressed.

• Pick up and drop
• Pricing based on breed or size

Generic software forces you to adjust to it instead of supporting your specific needs.

Ineffective Communication Tools for Pet Parents: Pet parents expect regular updates – be it a grooming photo, eating video or a walk summary. Regular systems aren’t built for this kind of relationship building. A good pet software should offer:

• Appointment reminders for pets, not just owners
• Real-time photo or video sharing

Lack of integration with Inventory for additional products: Most pet service businesses also retail pet products, but hotel or clinic software cannot handle pet inventory. You need systems that can help you upsell Treats, toys, and grooming products

Compliance and Safety Risks: Certain breeds may require vet certificates or have legal restrictions in some areas. A generic tool won't flag missing compliance data, potentially putting your business at risk.

Another major risk is the lack of signed service agreements. Rakesh - the manager at Pet Warehouse states “since we manage appointments via Whatsapp and sticky notes it becomes very difficult to ensure that our in store employees mandatorily get Service Agreements signed by all customers. This has led to some seriously sticky situations with our customers when the Terms & Conditions are not explicitly agreed upon”.

Missed Opportunities for Personalization

Pet parents love businesses that remember their pets' birthdays. Pet services software should allow for grooming reminders. Additionally, breed specific health alerts create loyalty.