or pet care businesses, the Thanksgiving and winter holiday seasons are a critical component to year-end revenue. It’s typically a period of increased demand—yet many business owners unknowingly leave thousands (or likely tens of thousands) of dollars on the table year after year.
A truly strong holiday season means maximizing the value of each reservation, not just being sold out. But this year’s economic environment means we can’t count on being sold out, either…
According to a recent survey, only 46% of American adults planned to travel this summer1—a clear sign that consumer travel habits are shifting. Despite slashing fares to spur demand, airlines saw a 10% decline in summer bookings.2 Many Americans opted to shorten their vacations, stay closer to home or drive to their destinations. In fact, another survey found that more than one in five travelers (22%) chose road trips over flying this year.3
That means, with reduced, shortened or even cancelled travel, fewer pet parents need dog boarding—making every reservation that much more valuable. Pet care businesses can no longer afford to simply wait for their buildings to fill with whoever wanders in. Now is the time to get proactive, strategic and targeted in your holiday planning. Here are a few proven strategies to make the most of your holiday season.
With almost all of your revenue coming through your phone lines, the initial phone call is your one golden chance to connect with and win clients. You have mere minutes to collect the client’s information, earn their trust and secure the booking.
With almost all of your revenue coming through your phone lines, the initial phone call is your one golden chance to connect with and win clients. You have mere minutes to collect the client’s information, earn their trust and secure the booking. And, due to the value of potential clients, only well-prepared and highly trained staff should be taking phone calls.
When your team answers with inconsistent messaging, low urgency or lack of proven structure, valuable leads slip away. Worse yet, the most valuable clients may book with a competitor who made them feel more confident. The answer? Phone coaching, sales training and scripting.
Upgrading your phone team’s practices is one of the most reliable and meaningful ways to convert more leads and significantly boost the value of each reservation. It also puts you in position to be more strategic with your booking practices, especially during a crucial time like the year-end holidays.
Some examples of high-value clients include:
- Longer stays
- Multi-pet families
- More activities/add-ons
- Younger pets
- Clients who use (or may use) multiple services
- Clients who want to book frequently
This goes hand in hand with our previous strategy—phone training. With appropriate training, scripting and supervision, your phone team can be vigilant guardians and sleuths. Knowing how to ask the right questions, listen for valuable cues and match the guests to your goals is key to selective, strategic booking. When done successfully, this can significantly increase the value of each reservation—which adds up exponentially.
It’s best to start by identifying your existing VIPs, then reach out weeks (or even months) in advance of key holidays to encourage them to book early. This not only secures high-value reservations, it also reinforces loyalty and helps customers get into the habit of reserving in advance.
Structured scripts, a trained phone team and strategic tracking systems are critical. The goal is to be helpful—not pushy—and come away with as many desirable bookings as possible. And once your building is full with appropriate high-value clients, there’s still room to add another layer of protection to your holiday revenue.
Last-minute cancellations and no-shows are painfully expensive—and inevitable. That’s why airlines and hotels have relied on overbooking for decades to safeguard their revenue, and wise pet care businesses use this strategy as well. However, overbooking only works when the right systems are in place, including:
- Reliable and timely confirmation calls
- Thoughtful deposit and cancellation policies
- Detailed guest tracking
- Clear and well-documented client communication
Since the holiday season is still a couple months out, now is a great time to dip your toes in the water when it comes to overbooking. A good way to start is by tracking how many enclosures go unused each week and to cautiously overbook one or two spots. Measure, adjust and build confidence in your team’s ability to manage the flow.
When done well, overbooking can mean higher occupancy, better revenue and less empty space when it matters most. However, the consequences of poor implementation can lead to unhappy customers, backlash and negative online reviews—so tread carefully and consider the assistance of a consultant.
The good news? With the right systems, support and training, your facility can outperform expectations this holiday season while building momentum that carries into 2026 and well into the future. The opportunity is there. Don’t settle for full—aim for profitable!
References:
- Thomas, S. (21, April 2025). Survey: Fewer Than Half of Americans Plan to Travel This Summer; Cost is a Major Concern. Bankrate. https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/survey-summer-vacation/
- Oladipo, D., Aishwarya Jain, A. (3, June 2025). Americans slow to book summer travel amid discount hunting. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/americans-slow-book-summer-travel-amid-discount-hunting-2025-06-03/
- Ferrara, K., Crowley, E., Usdin, M., et al. Right-sized American summer: 2025 Deloitte summer travel survey. Deloitte. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/transportation/2025-summer-leisure-travel-trends.html
Laura Laaman is president of Outstanding Pet Care. If you’re interested in the strategies discussed in this article and want to grow your revenue with our proven, guaranteed services, schedule a consultation by calling 1-888-836-8740 or visiting www.outstandingpetcare.com/contact