5 Ways to Streamline Your Pet-Care Client Intake Process

Welcoming new clients into your pet-care business is a pivotal moment—one that can make or break the start of a long-term relationship. When the intake process is smooth, pet parents feel confident, reassured, and ready to trust you with their furry companions. But when it’s bumpy, awkward, or time-consuming, you risk losing a potential lifelong customer before they even walk through your door.

As your business grows, so does the complexity of managing new client information, communication, and scheduling. With the right pet-care business software and processes in place, you can automate time-consuming tasks, reduce errors, and ensure every pet parent and their furbaby gets a warm, professional welcome.

Let’s dive into five smart ways you can streamline your client intake process to start each new relationship off on the right foot (or paw).

1. Automate Client Information Collection

The intake process typically starts with a mountain of paperwork: pet profiles, vaccination records, emergency contacts, and more. Doing this manually is not only inefficient, it also opens the door to errors and missed details.

With an online customer portal, you can say goodbye to clipboards and cluttered inboxes. New clients can fill out intake forms, upload vaccination records, and create pet profiles on their own time. This digital-first approach makes onboarding quicker for clients and easier for staff and reduces lobby stress upon their first appointment.

Why it works:

Reduces back-and-forth emails by collecting everything upfront.
Prevents errors that can occur when staff enter data manually.
Saves time and allows staff to focus on delivering a personal, welcoming experience.

By giving clients clear instructions and digital tools to complete their profiles before their first visit, you ensure your team has everything they need—without the paper chase.

woman on pet parent mobile app adding her dog's info

2. Simplify Communication with New Clients

New clients will very likely have questions. They want to know how your services work, what to expect on their pet’s first visit, and how to contact you. If responses are slow or unclear, it can create unnecessary anxiety for pet parents.

Any way to keep communication flowing easily will benefit your business and client relationships. With Gingr’s built-in SMS and email tools, for instance, you can send automatic welcome emails, appointment reminders, and even custom FAQs to make sure new clients feel seen, heard, and supported.

Pro tip:

Set up automated welcome emails that include helpful information such as:

What to bring to their first appointment.
How to log in to the customer portal.
Key policies around cancellations or late arrivals.

This helps set expectations early while reducing the need for repetitive communication from your staff.

3. Make Scheduling Seamless

Booking a first appointment should be easy, not a game of phone tag. Save the games and activities for playtime with the pups!

Enabling your new clients to book appointments online is second-nature in this day and age and will free up your busy staff’s time as well. Gingr’s online reservation system allows new clients to view available services, choose a time that works for them, and reserve it instantly.

With automated confirmations and reminders, you’ll reduce no-shows and ensure every client knows exactly when and where to show up.

Features that simplify scheduling:

Real-time calendar updates prevent overbooking and double scheduling.
Custom service rules ensure the right appointment types are booked with the right team members.
Self-service booking frees up your front desk and empowers clients.

Whether it’s a grooming appointment, daycare evaluation, or training consultation, Gingr’s smart scheduling tools make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

4. Collect and Manage Signed Agreements with Ease

Legal agreements are a vital part of protecting your business and setting clear expectations, but getting those signatures can be tedious if you're still relying on paper forms or clunky email attachments.

Gingr’s Agreements feature makes it easy to collect, manage, and track signed documents digitally and securely. Pet-care businesses can create and require unique agreements by service type (boarding, grooming, training, etc.).

Why it matters:

Nothing slips through the cracks—no reservation moves forward without a signed agreement.
Easy access for both staff and clients—agreements can be printed, exported, or quickly referenced in a customer profile.
Legally secure—Gingr uses the highest standards in e-signature authentication.

This feature gives you peace of mind while creating a professional experience for your clients. You can require clients to sign before making a reservation, keep a detailed record of who signed what and when, and allow pet parents to review everything they signed through their customer portal.

And if a vet or third party ever needs to see a signed agreement? You can print or email it instantly.

Note: Gingr cannot offer legal advice. Be sure to consult with your attorney when creating or modifying your agreements.

5. Don’t Skip the Meet & Greet

Before you confirm a new client, consider requiring a pet meet and greet. These short introductory sessions are invaluable for assessing fit, gathering info, and setting expectations face-to-face.

Use this time to:

Observe pet behavior in person.
Ask follow-up questions based on the intake form.
Review key policies like cancellation fees, emergency contacts, and communication protocols.
Discuss training methods or tools (like e-collars or clickers) to ensure you and the client are on the same page.

If the match isn’t right, no harm done—you can archive their profile and move on. But if it is, you’ll both move forward with confidence, knowing you’ve done your homework.

Bonus Tip: Keep Payments Transparent and Easy

Money conversations can be awkward… unless your software handles them for you. A frictionless payment process is crucial to setting the right tone with new clients.

With integrated payment processing, clients can pay securely online at the time of booking, during check-in, or via mobile app. They can also store payment details for future services, making checkout a breeze. No more chasing invoices or dealing with last-minute payment surprises.

Gingr automatically sends receipts and billing summaries, helping you stay professional and organized. For pet-care businesses that offer packages or subscriptions, this seamless system also makes it easy to track usage and payments in one place.

When payments are simple, professional, and automated, it reinforces your credibility and makes a great first impression.

Ready to Make Onboarding Effortless?

Every minute your staff spends chasing forms or playing phone tag is time that could be spent caring for pets and building relationships with clients.

With Gingr’s all-in-one platform, you can: