Summit® Dog Training Unleashes Scheduling Success With Acuity
When it comes to creating strong bonds between dogs and their humans, Summit® Dog Training is leading the pack. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado and available anywhere online, this woman-owned small business specializes in helping clients and their furry companions embark on incredible adventures—from peaceful neighborhood walks to mountain hikes and brewery hangouts.
“We use positive, science-backed training techniques to help both our human clients and their dogs learn the essential skills to promote a life-long, adventure-filled friendship together,” says CEO and Head Trainer Amber Quann. “I started using Acuity when Summit® Dog Training was a solo enterprise, and still use it every day almost 10 years later!”
Seeking positive reinforcement for herding appointments
In the early days of Summit® Dog Training, Quann was running the show solo. She needed an efficient way to handle scheduling so she could spend less time on administrative work and more time working with clients. Coordinating group classes, private lessons, and payments manually took up valuable time and created roadblocks for clients eager to sign up.
“When I was first starting Summit® Dog Training almost 10 years ago, I needed an appointment booking software to help me manage the admin side of things so I could spend as much time as possible training dogs!” Quann recalls. “I needed scheduling management for group classes and private lessons, as well as a way to collect payments up front during registration so that I could streamline our enrollment process and get folks signed up and committed to services faster and more reliably.”
Finding a best friend in booking
As soon as she discovered Acuity Scheduling, Quann was immediately drawn to its flexibility and robust features. The booking software checked all the boxes for Summit®’s must-haves, including the ability to:
Set up both one-time and recurring class types, as well as private lessons.
Sell packages of lessons and services.
Collect payments and forms in advance for a streamlined client experience.
Integrate seamlessly with their other software to build cohesive systems that support the business.
“I have looked at other softwares over the years, and one of the features that Acuity has that many other softwares fall short on is the ability for clients to see available services to book before they have to create a full account and provide a lot of information,” Quann says. “For a client base that is often looking for services that match with their busy schedules, the ability to peruse availability for schedule alignment before needing to fill out a bunch of forms is a critical piece of a scheduling software’s functionality, and one that I appreciate very much from Acuity!”
Doggone efficient scheduling transforms the small business
Now, Acuity Scheduling is an integral part of Summit® Dog Training’s operations. Clients can easily browse through a range of services, from “Puppy PlaySchool” to “Reactive Dog Classes” and “K9 Nose Work,” book online with their preferred trainer, and pay in one quick flow.
“The ability to integrate the scheduling software directly into our website has created an efficient way for our customers to book their services immediately,” Quann shares. Not only that, custom intake forms enable new clients to share important information about their dog, as well as review and acknowledge Summit®’s policies during booking, for a seamless scheduling process that sets staff up for success.
“We use Acuity every single day! It is the central hub of our internal organization and customer support system,” Quann emphasizes. “When our admin team logs on for the day, they have all the information they need at their fingertips, from what classes are happening that day to what private lesson spots are available for booking in the next few weeks. Our dog trainers can easily review their schedule and access their clients’ information quickly. With multiple employees, all with different availability, Acuity has made creating schedules more efficient for us and for the clients!”
Some of the team’s favorite features include:
Customizable calendars: Each trainer’s availability is managed effortlessly, even with varying schedules. Quann says, “The ability to create multiple calendars to manage our dog trainers’ schedules in addition to the ability for our clients to book their appointments directly creates a smooth operating system on the back end of the business.”
Payment processing: There’s no chasing tails to get paid for their services. “Acuity’s ability to integrate payment software creates an efficient experience for the clients and helps our team save time.”
Works with your website: As a Squarespace user, adding their scheduling page to their website was simple. “We also love the way that Acuity integrates with our Squarespace website, which worked well long before Acuity was acquired by Squarespace. This symbiosis helps to make our enrollment process efficient and successful for our clients as much as possible.”
Flexible plans: As the team grows and their range of services expands, Acuity adapts to their needs at every step. “The subscription price scaling has been helpful for us, and the features that are included with each level of subscription growth have been exactly what we’ve needed at each point.”
“Acuity has been able to support us as a growing team, from a solopreneur to now a team with multiple classrooms and dog training service providers, who each have their own calendar for scheduling in our system.”
Fetching new opportunities for growth
Acuity has been more than just a scheduling tool for Summit® Dog Training—it’s been an essential partner in their journey from a solo operation to a thriving team. The platform has not only improved day-to-day operations and client experiences, but also empowered Summit® to scale effortlessly and introduce even more virtual and in-person services.
“Acuity has grown with us as we have expanded as a business,” says Quann. “We started out just as a business of 1 service provider and have ranged from there to a team of 10. We’ve also been able to use the software to add more unique services, like a boutique dog daycare and drop-off training service, as well as one-off experiences like workshops and fun events.”
No matter where they take the business next, they can count on Acuity to be a flexible and dependable resource. “Our admin team members (and some of our dog trainers too!) pride themselves on being Acuity wizards and we are excited to continue to make the best use of the software as our company keeps growing and changing in the future.”
“Acuity Scheduling has supported Summit® Dog Training in so many ways! I would tell others who are considering signing up for Acuity that you can accomplish a lot in just one place. Acuity is the number one software we have used to support and grow our small business for many years, and we recommend it highly!”
Tail-wagging tips for dog trainers and pet care businesses
Having seen such significant improvements since adopting Acuity’s scheduling software, Summit® Dog Training wants others to find success, too. Quann offers a few words of advice for dog trainers, pet care businesses, or anyone looking for a better way to book and manage their appointments:
“Find someone in a similar industry or business type as yours that uses Acuity Scheduling and ask them to share their favorite ways that they have used the software and any tips and tricks that they have learned to customize it for your industry (I’ve put a few of these type of videos for dog trainers up on YouTube!)” she says.
“From there, explore and get creative! There are so many features and a lot of room for creative solutions to customize your and your customers’ experience. Don’t be afraid to experiment!”
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