Thinking about moving on from pen and paper?
You've built something that works. This page is here to help you figure out whether software is the right next step, or whether what you have is exactly what you need.
You have been running a successful business.
Perhaps for years. Perhaps for decades. Your diary is full, your clients come back, and your reputation speaks for itself. You didn't get here by accident.
The notebook by the phone. The colour-coded diary. The client cards with notes in the margins. The mental catalogue of which dogs don't get along, which owners are always late, and which breeds need the 10 blade instead of the 7. It all works because you built it, and you know every corner of it.
You've arrived here because something has shifted. Maybe you're busier than ever and the cracks are starting to show. Maybe someone suggested you "get some software" and you thought you'd have a look. Maybe you tried software before and it felt like trying to fit your business into someone else's box.
Whatever brought you here, we want to be genuinely useful in the next few minutes of your time.
Let's start by acknowledging something most software companies won't.
The benefits add up fast
Medium-term time savings and outcomes that pet business owners tell us matter most.
Time back in your week
Automated confirmations, reminders, and payments mean you stop doing the same admin tasks over and over. Our customers report 20+ hours saved per week.
Never send an invoice again
Card on file and automatic charge after service. No more chasing payments, no awkward conversations. Money arrives without you lifting a finger.
Protection against no-shows
Pre-authorisation holds funds before appointments. If someone does not show, you are not left out of pocket. Peace of mind without the awkward conversation.
Bookings while you sleep
Over 50% of Petboost bookings are self-service. Over 70% happen outside business hours. Your phone stops being the bottleneck.
Payments that flow
Stop Creating Unnecessary Invoices
A lot of businesses still do this out of habit, but under current ATO guidance it's genuinely more admin than necessary.
The Old Way
5 steps • 10+ min per sale
Create Invoice
Manually in Xero/MYOB
Wait for Payment
Days or weeks...
Receive Payment
Bank transfer or card
Match & Reconcile
Find invoice, match to bank feed
Generate Receipt
If customer needs it
Unnecessary duplication: You end up duplicating the same information across systems for no real compliance benefit under current ATO guidance.
The Petboost Way
2 steps • 0 min admin
Customer Pays
Card on file via Stripe
Done!
Clean data for your accountant
Tax invoice receipt?
Available on-demand from Customer Portal
Official Sources
These guidelines apply to Australian businesses registered for GST. Always consult with your accountant for advice specific to your situation.
You already have a system
It doesn't run on servers or need a password. But it's real, it's complex, and it's been refined over time. Here's what you've actually built:
A scheduling engine
Your diary isn't just a list of names and times. It has spacing between appointments, colour codes for service types, annotations for special requirements, and a logic to the layout that only you fully understand.
A client database
Those cards, notebooks, or margin notes hold years of relationship context. You know that Mrs. Patterson always brings both dogs but only books for one, and that the Labrador needs his nails done separately because he gets anxious.
A communication system
Phone calls, text messages, perhaps a Facebook page. You confirm bookings, chase late arrivals, and handle cancellations all through personal contact. It works because clients trust you, not a system.
A memory-based rules engine
You carry the rules in your head. No reactive dogs on Tuesdays when the puppy class is running. Leave 15 extra minutes for the Newfoundland. Don't book the old Staffy after 2pm because he gets tired.
A flexible pricing model
You adjust on the fly. A bit extra for the badly matted coat. A loyalty discount for the weekly regular. A different rate for the rescue dog whose owner is doing it tough. No formula captures this.
A brand and reputation
Built entirely on word of mouth and personal relationships. Your clients don't book "a groomer" or "a trainer". They book you. That relationship is your most valuable asset.
This system works. It has worked for a long time. The question is whether it will keep working as things change.
Where things get harder
These aren't reasons to panic. They're the moments that tend to push business owners towards considering a change. You may recognise some of them.
The phone rings mid-service
You're elbow-deep in suds or mid-session when a potential new client calls. Answer with wet hands? Let it ring and hope they don't try someone else? Neither feels right.
The diary goes missing
It has never happened. But the thought of it is unsettling. Everything is in that book. Every appointment, every client note, every special instruction. There's no copy.
You want to take a holiday
But who manages the bookings while you're away? You can't hand someone your memory. The diary helps, but it doesn't explain the unwritten rules, the client quirks, the capacity limits you carry in your head.
Clients want to book online
More and more clients expect to be able to book on their phone, any time of day. You know they're comparing you with businesses that offer this. It's not about being trendy. It's about being accessible.
You want to bring on help
Whether it's a second groomer, a bather, or someone to answer the phone, the question is: "How do I share this system that lives in my head?" Training someone on your mental model is harder than it sounds.
Tax time arrives
Your accountant needs numbers. Revenue by month, GST collected, expenses by category. Pulling this together from a mix of EFTPOS slips, cash records, and memory is stressful, time-consuming, and something you dread.
What actually changes with software
Not a sales pitch. Just a straightforward look at what's different when you move your operations into a system like Petboost.
Clients can book themselves
Over 70% of Petboost bookings happen outside business hours. Your phone stops being the bottleneck. You stop missing enquiries. Clients book when it suits them, and you wake up to a schedule.
Everything is in one place
Client details, pet profiles, booking history, payment records, care notes. Searchable, backed up, and accessible from your phone. Nothing lost if a diary goes walkabout.
Payments happen without asking
Card on file means payment processes automatically after service. No more awkward conversations, no chasing invoices, no trips to the bank. Money arrives in your account without you lifting a finger.
Reminders go out on their own
Booking confirmations, appointment reminders, and follow-ups are sent automatically. Fewer no-shows, fewer forgotten appointments, and you're not spending your evenings sending text messages.
Your rules are codified
Those capacity limits, spacing rules, and service requirements you carry in your head? They become system rules. The system won't overbook Station 2, won't schedule a reactive dog during puppy class, won't allow same-day bookings if you've set a 24-hour buffer.
Your accountant gets clean data
Every payment is linked to an appointment. Branded invoices go out automatically. End-of-month takes minutes because the system has already done the work. Your accountant stops asking questions you can't easily answer.
What you'd give up
We'd be doing you a disservice if we only talked about the gains. Here's what changes when you move to software, and some of it is genuinely hard.
Total flexibility
Your paper system lets you do anything. Cross things out, write in margins, make exceptions. Software has structure, and sometimes that structure feels rigid. We've designed Petboost to be as flexible as possible, but it will never be a blank page.
The learning curve is real
You'll need to learn a new way of doing things you've done instinctively for years. It takes time. The first few weeks will feel slower. This is normal, and it's the honest cost of any transition.
Screen time
Instead of a pen and a book, you'll be looking at a screen. For some people this is a non-issue. For others, it changes the feel of the work. Only you know which side of that you fall on.
Upfront time investment
Setting up your services, entering your clients, configuring your schedule. It takes a few hours (we help). But it is an investment of time before you see the return.
If any of these feel like dealbreakers, that's a perfectly valid answer.
Change is hard. We know.
Switching from pen and paper to software is a big adjustment. Buttons are in different places. Naming might be different. The first few weeks will feel slower, not faster. We tell every customer the same thing: the pain period is 4 to 6 weeks. Then, all of a sudden, one day, you realise it is so much better.
Everything feels unfamiliar
You'll reach for your diary out of habit. You'll wonder where things are. This is completely normal. We're here with you for every question, no matter how small.
It starts to click
The buttons start feeling natural. You stop second-guessing. Clients begin booking themselves. You realise you haven't chased a payment in a week.
The moment it all makes sense
One morning you'll open Petboost, see tomorrow's schedule already full, payments already processed, reminders already sent, and think: "Why didn't I do this sooner?"
Same-timezone support
We're in Sydney. When you call, a real human answers who understands pet businesses. No chatbots, no ticket queues, no waiting days for a reply.
Branded print materials
We generate A4, A5, and DL flyers with your branding, services, pricing, and a QR code for online booking. Hand them to your customers to help manage the change with them.
Customer-facing booking page
Every Petboost business gets a branded online page showing your services, pricing, and availability. Share it with clients so they can book themselves.
Run at your own pace
Keep your diary open alongside Petboost for as long as you need. There is no deadline to switch over. Most businesses feel ready after 3 to 4 weeks.
Automated client notifications
Petboost sends booking confirmations and reminders to your clients automatically. They know exactly when their appointment is, without you picking up the phone.
See a real example
Hound Health Bondi is a real pet business on Petboost, and the original inspiration behind the platform. See what a branded Petboost page looks like for customers.
Change isn't easy. We're here to make change easy.
Design Principle
One click, not three.
We count clicks like a chef counts ingredients. Create an appointment in one click. View a customer in one click. Toggle AI with a keyboard shortcut.
Is now the right time?
There's no wrong answer. This is about being honest with yourself about where you are.
You might be ready if...
- You're turning away work because you can't manage the volume with your current system
- You've lost a client because they couldn't book online or reach you at the right time
- You want to take time off but can't figure out how the business runs without you
- You're bringing on staff and need a way to share the schedule and client information
- Tax time is stressful and your accountant is asking for better records
- You've had a scare (lost diary, illness, near-miss) that made you think about resilience
- You're open to spending a few hours learning something new for a long-term payoff
It might not be the right time if...
- –You're happy with your current volume and don't plan to grow
- –You work alone, plan to stay solo, and feel comfortable with your existing system
- –The idea of using a computer or phone for scheduling genuinely stresses you out
- –You're in the middle of a busy season and can't spare the setup time right now
- –Someone else is pressuring you to get software but you don't see the need yourself
It's genuinely OK if the answer is no
We mean this. Not every business needs software. Not every business owner wants it. If your system works, your clients are happy, and you're not stressed by the admin, then pen and paper might be exactly right for you.
We're not going to follow up with you. We're not going to send you emails trying to change your mind. This page is here because we wanted to give you an honest resource to help you make the decision, whatever that decision is.
If you come back in six months or six years, we'll still be here. No rush.
If not now, here are some things that might help in the meantime:
- Take a photo of your diary pages each week as a backup, just in case
- Create a simple document listing your key client notes, so someone else could step in if needed
- Ask your clients if online booking matters to them. Their answer might surprise you either way
- Chat to another pet business owner who has made the switch. Ask them what they wish they'd known
If you decide to try it, here is what happens
No contracts. No credit card upfront. No commitment beyond giving it an honest go.
Sign up in 2 minutes
Create your account. No credit card needed. You get 14 days to explore at your own pace.
Set up your services
Tell us what you offer: grooming, training, daycare, walking, boarding. We'll help you configure your services, pricing, and availability.
Bring your clients across
You can import from a spreadsheet, or simply add clients as they book. There's no need to enter everyone on day one. Many businesses transition gradually.
Run both systems in parallel
Seriously. Keep your diary open alongside Petboost for as long as you need. Most businesses feel comfortable switching over fully after 2 to 4 weeks.
Get help whenever you need it
We're in Sydney. Same timezone. Real humans who understand pet businesses. Call, email, or chat. We'll help you through the learning curve.
Pen & Paper to Software FAQs
Common questions about moving from pen and paper to pet business software.
Want to dig deeper?
Explore Petboost at your own pace. No sales calls unless you ask.
Curious? Try it. No commitment.
14-day free trial. No credit card required. If it's not right for you, nothing changes.
Australian-owned and operated • Same-timezone support • Purpose-built for pet businesses