Setting appropriate check-in and check-out times can improve the way you operate your business because of the impact it can have; these times help manage space, staff, and overall operations. Charging fees for early check-ins and late check-outs can also influence how customers behave and boost your revenue. Let's explore how to set these times, the impact of charging fees, and the impact those fees might have on customer behavior.
Establishing Check-In and Check-Out Times
The best check-in and check-out times depend on your physical location, the type of services you offer, and your facility's needs. In busy cities, offering early and late check-in/check-out times (at a nominal fee) can be helpful for pet owners with hectic schedules and help you manage the morning or evening rush. On the other hand, places in quieter areas might choose to offer more flexible times with no check-in/check-out times because there’s less of a rush to worry about.
Obviously, you want to have pets check out before new ones check in. This gives you time to clean and prepare the spaces for the next pets, making everything run smoothly.
Sample Operating Hours and Check-In/Check-Out Policies
Each facility should evaluate their approach based on their goals, needs, and customer preferences. At the Kennel at Arbor Lane, we do not have specific check-in/check-out times or fees because check-in and check-out times are already reflected in our operating hours:
- Monday - Friday: 8-10 AM or 4-6 PM
- Saturday: 9 AM - 12 PM
- Sunday: 4-6:30 PM
Facilities that are open throughout the day (for example, from 7 AM to 7 PM) are more likely to specify check-in/check-out times. You can still come at any time during the day, but there might be a fee associated with it if you’re checking in or checking out outside of the specified hours. This can be helpful for managing your operations (knowing when and how much to staff the front-desk) and making sure inventory is available for the next reservation. The most common model that we see are facilities that have dedicated check-out times but do not specify check-in hours.
Typically check-in/out windows are about two hours on the low-end and four hours on the high-end. Some facilities stagger their check-in/check-out hours to avoid a rush right before close. For example, Byrd’s Dawg Boarding adds a 30 minute buffer before closing to check-in or check-out. That means, if their morning business hours are 7:30-12PM, their policy is that you must check-out before 11:30AM.
One of the more unique models we’ve come across is Yardstick - pick-up and drop-off can happen any time during business hours, but they operate on a 24 hour clock regarding charges. That means that if you drop off at 8 AM today, then you need to pick up your pet by 8 AM the next day to avoid additional charges.
Impact of Early Check-In and Late Check-Out Fees
Charging fees for early check-ins and late check-outs helps manage staffing needs and ensures space availability. By controlling when pets arrive and depart, you can better plan for busy periods and maintain a smooth workflow. This is particularly important for facilities that offer services requiring specific setups or equipment.
These fees can also be a significant part of your revenue mix. For a medium-sized facility this can easily be in the tens of thousands of dollars annually. These charges compensate for the additional resources and staff required outside regular operating hours. They also can encourage customers to adhere to designated times, helping maintain operational efficiency.
Fees charged for early check-in or late check-out
In a recent survey of Goose customers, we found that ⅓ do not utilize fees around check-in and check-out. Another ⅓ charges $20 or less, and the remainder charges over $20.
Interestingly, how these fees are structured can influence customer behavior in unexpected ways. A notable example is the Israeli childcare experiment, where introducing a fine for late pick-ups led to an increase in late arrivals. The fine unintentionally signaled to parents that being late was permissible if they paid the penalty. If you are aiming for compliance within a certain time, fees should be meaningful enough to encourage compliance but not perceived as a simple convenience charge.
Another consideration is when to charge those fees. Do you charge them the minute they are late or early? Or do you provide some sort of leniency around early/late check-in/check-out? This would clearly depend on your goals and your facility, but in our recent survey we found that 75% of facilities who did charge a fee did so with a grace period that was 15 minutes or less. Additionally, 20% of these facilities also had a tiered fee structure an charged a much higher fee (2x-3x of their early/late fees) when customers were an hour or more late.
Average grace period before fees are applied
Customer Communication and Behavior
If you do charge fees associated with early check-in and late check-out, you need to communicate it. It would be appropriate to add this verbiage to a few places - like the booking page right before customers book or the confirmation page and confirmation email. This gives you the best chance of avoiding irate customers who are surprised by the surcharge.
Clear communication about these fees is crucial to avoid misunderstandings and negative customer experiences. Informing customers about potential charges at the booking stage, on the confirmation page, and within confirmation emails helps set expectations and prevents unwanted surprises.
Conclusion
Setting appropriate check-in and check-out times and implementing fees for deviations from these times are essential components of managing a pet boarding business. These practices help streamline operations, optimize resources, and can provide a valuable revenue stream. However, careful consideration and clear communication are crucial to ensure these policies are fair, understood by customers, and aligned with your business goals. By balancing operational needs with customer convenience, you can enhance the overall experience for both pets and their owners.
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