The Note Under the Price: Telling Customers Heavy Matting May Cost Extra
An instant price is only useful if the customer trusts it. The fastest way to lose that trust is a bigger number at the van door with no warning. The note under the price on the PetGroomBossPro booking page is one short line that tells the customer, before they book, what can change the price.
What the Note Is
Add-ons, covered in Add-On Prices on the Booking Page: Teeth Brushing, Nail Grinding, De-Shed and More, are priced from what the customer ticks. But a booking page can only price what it is told. It knows the service, the size of each pet, the frequency and the add-ons. It does not see the coat.
The note is text you write that appears under the price the customer sees. It is the same on every booking. Think of it as the fine print, except it is not fine and it is not hidden. It sits right where the customer is looking.
The Most Common Note: Matting
Matting is the classic reason a grooming price changes. A dog booked as a full groom on a Medium doodle can be a very different job if the coat has not been brushed in months. Most groomers want customers to know that before they book, not after.
Some example wording:
- “Heavy matting may cost extra. Final price confirmed at the appointment.”
- “Prices assume a brushed, mat-free coat. Matted coats are priced on the day.”
- “Price shown is a starting price. We'll confirm if anything changes before we start.”
Keep it plain and calm. The goal is to set expectations, not to scare the customer into thinking every groom will cost double. How to handle the matted dogs themselves on the quoting side is covered in Quoting a Matted Dog: Setting Expectations Before the Van Arrives.
Other Things the Note Can Cover
Matting is not the only thing that can change a price. Depending on your business, the note might also mention:
- Heavy shedding. “Heavy seasonal shedding may need a de-shed treatment.”
- Behavior. “Extra time for pets who need a slower groom may be charged.”
- Size. “Price confirmed based on actual size and coat.”
- Distance. If you charge more outside a certain area, say so here.
Do not try to fit all of these into one line. Pick the one or two that cause the most surprises in your business. If a long list of conditions is needed, put it on a policy page on your website and link to it from there.
Read your note out loud before you save it. If it sounds like something you would say to a customer at the door, it is right. If it sounds like a contract, soften it. Customers are far more forgiving of a price change they were warned about in friendly words than one they discover in small print.
Why a Note Beats a Long Form
It is tempting to add more questions to the booking page to catch every possible case. When was the last groom? Any mats? Any behavior issues? Every question you add makes the page longer and the customer more likely to give up halfway.
The note does the same job with no extra effort from the customer. They read it, they understand the price is a starting point for a normal coat, and they book. You still get every pet's breed and size, which is usually enough to spot a likely problem. A Goldendoodle on a bath & brush with a first-time booking is worth a quick question when you call to confirm.
The Confirmation Call Is Your Second Chance
Because the booking page sends a request rather than an instant calendar slot, you always talk to the customer before the visit. That call or text is a natural moment to ask, “When was Biscuit last groomed?” If the answer is “last spring,” you can mention the matting note and give a range, or send an estimate instead.
Two-way texting from the office keeps that conversation in one place. When the customer becomes a client, you can add a line to the pet's notes so the next groomer knows, like “matting behind the ears is coming back.”
Back It Up on the Day
The note works best when what happens in the van matches it. If the price does change, tell the customer before you start the extra work. The groomer app lets the groomer take before and after photos, and the grooming checklist has a note for the customer that shows up on the job and on the printable Grooming Report. A note that says what was found and what was done helps the customer understand the price on the invoice.
Next up: what happens when the request arrives. For every booking and quoting tool, see the pet grooming booking software page.
Set Expectations Before They Book
PetGroomBossPro shows your own note under every booking price, so customers know what can change it.
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