The Ultimate Guide to Price Changes With Your Customers

Nobody enjoys putting their prices up. You picture your loveliest regulars, the ones who have trusted you with their dog for years, reading the message and quietly booking somewhere cheaper. So a lot of pet business owners just do not do it. They absorb every rent rise, every wage increase and every jump in the price of shampoo, until one day the maths stops working.

There is a calmer way to do this, and it has nothing to do with apologising. This is the playbook we used at Hound Health in Bondi: how to work out the new price, how much notice to give, the exact words that do the work, the regular and recurring clients everyone forgets, and what to do when the price depends on the dog in front of you. The copy-paste templates are at the end.

A quick note before we start: this is general information from people who run a pet business, not legal, accounting or financial advice. Your prices, your contracts and your obligations are your own. If you want certainty about your rights or a customer's, check with your own adviser.

What This Guide Covers

• Why a price rise feels harder than it actually is
• The golden rule: notice, clarity and choice
• Working out your new prices before you say a word
• How much notice to give
• The message that does the work, line by line
• Your regulars and recurring bookings: the bit most people forget
• When the price depends on the pet: handling "From" pricing
• Copy-paste templates for SMS, email and your front desk
• Handling the tricky replies
• A simple price-change timeline
• FAQs

Why a Price Rise Feels Harder Than It Is

Here is the thing most owners get backwards. They believe the danger is the price. It is not. The danger is the surprise.

Your customers already know that wages, rent and supplies have gone up, because the same thing is happening in their own lives. What they do not forgive is feeling caught out: a bigger number on the card reader than they expected, with no warning and no explanation. Handled quietly and clearly, a price rise is a non-event. Handled badly, or avoided for three years and then sprung on everyone at once, it becomes a reason to leave.

Silence is the real risk, not the increase.

The Golden Rule: Notice, Clarity and Choice

Everything in this guide comes back to three words. Get these right and you can put your prices up with a steady hand.

• Notice. Tell people before it happens, with enough time to plan.
• Clarity. Say the new price, the start date, and what it applies to. No vagueness.
• Choice. Let people decide to keep their slot or change it. Nobody feels trapped.

The big idea: people rarely leave over the price. They leave over the surprise. Notice, clarity and choice remove the surprise.

Step 1: Work Out Your New Prices Before You Say a Word

Do the maths once, properly, so you are not back here in six months. Look at what your time, your products and your overheads actually cost now, not what they cost when you set your old prices. Build in a sensible margin. Round to numbers that are easy to charge and easy to remember.

A few practical rules:

• Make one clean change, not three nervous ones. A single, confident adjustment reads far better than a drip of small rises that keep customers guessing.
• Pick a clear start date. The first of a month is easy for everyone to remember and easy for you to action.
• Check your whole menu. If you are touching the core service, look at add-ons and extras too, so nothing is left underpriced and forgotten.

When you have your new prices and your start date, you are ready to talk.

Step 2: Decide How Much Notice to Give

Give people time. Around 30 days is a kind, clear default. It is long enough that nobody can say they were caught out, and short enough that you are not waiting forever to earn what your work is worth.

There is no perfect number, and your situation may call for more or less. The point is simple: the more notice you give, the harder it is for anyone to feel surprised, and surprise is the only thing you are really trying to avoid.

Step 3: Say It Clearly (The Message That Does the Work)

A good price-change message is short and contains six things, in this order:

1. The change. Prices are going up. Say it plainly in the first line.
2. The date. The exact day the new prices start.
3. What it applies to. All appointments from that date, including regular and recurring bookings. This is the line most people leave out, and it is the most important one.
4. The why. Lead with the goal, not the gripe. The real reason is sustainability: keeping your business strong enough to deliver the same standard of care for years to come. Rising costs are part of the picture, but they are a footnote, not the headline. You do not owe anyone a spreadsheet.
5. The choice. Customers can keep their usual slot, or change or cancel an upcoming appointment before the start date if they would rather.
6. A thank you. Warm, brief, genuine.

That is the whole message. Resist the urge to over-explain or grovel. A confident, friendly note is reassuring. A long, anxious apology makes customers wonder if something is wrong.

Step 4: Your Regulars and Recurring Bookings (The Bit Most People Forget)

A standing fortnightly wash or a six-weekly groom is one of the best things in a pet business. It is also where price changes go wrong, because owners assume a regular slot somehow locks in the price it started at. It does not, and your customers do not really expect it to. A hairdresser, a physio or a cleaner does not freeze a regular's price forever, and neither do you.

The fix is to be explicit, warmly and in advance. When you send your notice, make sure your regulars understand two things:

• From the start date, their upcoming appointments move to the new price, the same as everyone else's.
• Their slot is safe. Nothing changes about the booking itself if they are happy to continue.

Say it kindly and say it early, and a recurring booking stays exactly what it should be: a convenience for both of you, not an awkward conversation waiting to happen.

The big idea: a recurring appointment is a standing time, not a frozen price. Tell your regulars that gently, before the change, and it lands as housekeeping rather than a shock.

Step 5: When the Price Depends on the Pet ("From" Pricing)

Some jobs you cannot price to the dollar until the pet is in front of you. A badly matted coat takes twice as long. A giant breed needs more of everything. A dog that needs two people to handle safely, or a nervous rescue that needs extra time and patience, is simply more work than a placid regular of the same size.

This is why plenty of groomers show a "From" price, a starting point rather than a fixed quote. There is nothing wrong with it, as long as you set the expectation early. The same golden rule applies: no surprises.

Here is how to use "From" pricing well:

• Show the starting price clearly, and label it as a "From" price so it never reads as a final quote.
• Name what can change it. Keep it simple and honest: coat type and condition, size, handling, behaviour and any special requirements.
• Confirm the final price before you start, not at pickup. A quick word when the pet arrives, or a message the day before, turns a potential argument into a non-issue.

Customers are remarkably understanding about paying more for a genuinely bigger job. What they dislike is finding out at the counter.

Copy-Paste Templates

Make these your own. Swap in your business name, your dates and your numbers.

Short SMS:

Email (a little warmer):

Email (when you are quoting a percentage, with a fee removed as the sweetener):

Notice for your front desk or booking page:

A line for your "From" priced services:

Pair the rise with a little more value. A price increase always lands more warmly when it arrives alongside something extra. Before you send, look for one or two low-cost, low-effort additions you can genuinely offer: a complimentary nail trim, a take-home photo, a quick wellbeing note, a loyalty perk on every fifth visit, a tidier waiting area. It does not need to cost much or add much work. Build it into your message, as in the email above, so customers feel their pet is getting more, not just paying more. Value is a far better reason than rising costs, because it is about them, not you.

Handling the Tricky Replies

A handful of replies come up every time. Here is how to handle them without losing your nerve or your customer.

• The long-time regular: "But I've been coming for years." Lean into the relationship, not away from it. "And we love having you and [Pet], we really do. That is exactly why we want to keep doing this properly for years to come. Your usual slot is safe, and the new price just keeps things sustainable for us."
• The exception-seeker: "Any chance you can keep my old price, just for me?" Be warm, but hold the line gently, because one quiet exception quickly becomes a hundred. "I really wish I could, and I love that you asked. To keep it fair for everyone the new pricing is the same across the board, but I promise your spot and the care [Pet] gets will not change one bit."
• The cost-of-living sympathiser: "Everything is so expensive at the moment." Agree, because it is true, then bring it back to value. "You are spot on, it is tough out there for all of us, and honestly that is part of why we have had to adjust. We have kept the increase as small as we can while still giving [Pet] the time and care they deserve."
• The price-shopper: "That's more than [competitor]." Stay calm and confident, name what they actually get, and leave the door open. You are not for everyone, and that is fine. "I completely understand, and there are cheaper options around. What you get with us is [the thing you do really well], and that is what keeps [Pet] happy and safe. It is totally your call, and there are no hard feelings either way."
• The forward-booker: "But I already booked in for October." Be transparent and reasonable, and never quietly change a confirmed amount. "Great question. The new pricing starts on [1 August], so your October visit will be at the updated price. If that does not suit, you are welcome to change or cancel it before then, no problem at all."
• The lock-it-in asker: "Can I lock in the old price if I pay upfront?" This one is an opportunity, not a problem. A prepaid pack or membership can reward loyalty without freezing your list prices forever. "Love that you are thinking ahead. We do not freeze the standard price, but we do have a prepaid option that can work out better value if you come in regularly. Want me to send the details?"
• The maybe-leaver: "I'll have to have a think about it." Do not panic, and do not discount on the spot. Keep the door open and keep their place. "Of course, take all the time you need. So you do not lose your spot, I will keep it in the diary for now. When your reminder comes through, you are welcome to keep it, reschedule, or cancel as usual, no obligation at all."

In every case, the move is the same: be clear, be kind, and give them a choice.

Your Price-Change Timeline

A simple run sheet you can reuse every time.

How Petboost Helps

You should not have to manage a price change with a spreadsheet and a hundred separate texts.

How Petboost helps: Your services and prices live in one place, so new bookings use your current pricing automatically. You can see every upcoming and recurring appointment in one view, so no regular slips through the cracks. When it is time to tell everyone, our SMS and email tools let you reach your clients without copying numbers one by one. And for jobs that vary, you can build the real work into the price with add-ons and clear notes on each pet's profile, then confirm the final amount before you start. Less admin, fewer awkward conversations, and a price change that feels like housekeeping.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much notice should I give for a price increase? There is no fixed rule, but around 30 days is a sensible, friendly default. It gives customers time to plan and makes it almost impossible for anyone to feel surprised.

Do I have to keep my old price for a regular who has been coming for years? A standing appointment is a regular time, not a frozen price. The kind approach is to tell your regulars in advance that the new price applies to their upcoming appointments, and reassure them their slot is safe.

What if a customer already booked an appointment months ahead? Be transparent. Let them know the new price applies from your start date, give them the choice to keep or change the booking, and never change a confirmed amount without telling them first.

Should I explain why my prices are going up? One honest sentence is plenty. Rising costs and keeping the same standard of care is all most customers need or want to hear.

How often should I review my prices? Once a year is a healthy rhythm. Regular small reviews are far easier to communicate than one big catch-up after years of holding steady.

The Bottom Line

Putting your prices up is not the scary part. Surprising people is. Give clear notice, say exactly what is changing and when, include your regular and recurring clients in that message, and give everyone a choice. Do that, and the customers who value your work will stay, because the thing that keeps them is not the old price. It is the trust.

When you are ready to make pricing, reminders and recurring bookings far less of a chore, book a quick Petboost demo and we will show you how it all fits together.

This article is general information for pet business owners and is not legal, accounting or financial advice. For advice about your specific circumstances, please speak to a qualified professional.