If you’re like me, running a pet care facility means juggling a thousand things at once, with efficiency and customer service at the heart of it all. When I’m efficient and delivering great customer service, I’m maximizing revenue. But every time I’m bogged down with inefficient processes, customer experience takes a hit, and so does business.
The more streamlined my operation, the more I can focus on what truly drives our business: building relationships and offering great service. In pet care, however, inefficiencies sometimes seem baked into the job. We’re often tied up checking vaccination records, doing temperament tests, assessing availability and managing wait lists. While all these checks are necessary, when we set up systems that prioritize our processes over the customer’s experience, we can unintentionally create hurdles that don’t add value for them.
That’s why many of us stick with what I call a "request-based booking engine." Instead of securing a booking, customers just request their dates through a form, waiting while we check details on our end. Some systems streamline it a bit, but only after the customer has cleared every hoop we’ve put in place. In the end, request-based systems can slow down bookings to meet our operational needs—not the customer’s.
This approach has three big downsides:
- You’re still relying on staff time to check availability and communicate with customers.
- You limit chances to upsell or cross-sell services. Why would customers upgrade an experience that isn’t guaranteed?
- It’s a frustrating experience for customers.
“Frustrating” might sound strong, but think about it: would you book a lastminute trip if you had to wait for the hotel to approve your reservation? All things being equal, we’d always choose instant confirmation over waiting—or worse, having to call and talk it over with someone.
That’s why Goose’s confirmation-based booking engine was one of the first things we built. It’s the only pet care system I know that puts the customer’s experience first, not just operational needs. But you may be thinking, “What about my process? I need vaccination records, temperament tests, etc. How can instant confirmation work?”
As an operator myself, I understand that. But with the right tech, we’ve found we can keep those critical steps and provide the instant confirmation customers want. We’ve been doing it for years at The Kennel at Arbor Lane— even back when Goose was just a booking engine before we developed the full operating system.
A Self-Service Booking Experience That Really Works
When we first started using Goose’s confirmation-based booking engine, it was a game-changer. In the past year alone, 59% of our bookings came directly from the online system—that’s nearly two-thirds of our reservations made without anyone at the front desk, at any time of day. If we’d handled those bookings the old way, we’d be spending hours on the phone and managing paperwork. With Goose, it’s automatic, freeing us to focus on customers who are onsite.
Boosting Revenue with Self-Upsells
One of the most exciting outcomes has been the revenue impact. With confirmation-based booking, customers upsell themselves. They’re not waiting around or shopping for other options—they can confidently add perks and premium options right from their screens. This smooth shopping experience is boosting our average booking values. We’ve seen a 3% increase in average booking value, which might seem modest, but it’s an extra $8.09 per booking. Add-ons have taken off too—we’re selling 49% more pet perks per booking online than we do at the desk.
The result? In just two months, online bookings generated $6,700 more than typical front-desk bookings. That’s from people choosing the add-ons they want—no front-desk pitch needed.
Why It’s Worth It
Bottom line: Goose’s confirmation-based booking engine just works. It saves time, increases booking values, and doesn’t require extra work from the team. I recently had someone ask, “Why invest in new software when my current system is essentially free?” And I understand that question—if it’s working, why change?
But here’s the thing: the old system is actually costing you. You’re losing money in opportunity cost. Goose’s benefits more than cover its costs in reduced labor and higher booking values. Customers love it, I’m managing less “stuff,” and I can focus on what matters most for growth.
Conclusion
If I could leave you with one takeaway, it’s this: the right booking engine isn’t just another tool; it’s a way to transform your whole operation. Goose has done that for us, and I’m confident it can do the same for you.