"Several reasons convinced Dr. Tim Gravatte to move his veterinary practice out of a building and put it into a van. "When I worked in a clinic, I asked people if the pet I was treating was their only pet. They would often say, 'We have another one that's old and doesn't like to make the car trip.' I knew that that animal wasn't getting looked at, wasn't getting the vet care it deserved."
Visiting clients' homes allows Gravatte to offer his clients a high quality of treatment without the added anxiety of an office visit. "It's a lot easier to examine animals when they aren't stressed," he said. It also gives him "a glimpse of their home life, which can help with behavior problems."
Customers of Lexington's many mobile businesses appreciate companies that make house calls for a variety of reasons, ranging from personal travel limitations to the convenience of no commuting time and the comforts of their own environment. For Gravatte's clients, a pet owner may be unable to drive or not strong enough to control the animal around other animals, or owners may have several pets seen at the same visit, saving them time.
And while many mobile business owners enjoy benefits such as lower overhead and more control of their time, Gravatte said that a mobile practice like his has its own unique problems. "It's always a challenge to do scheduling, so that I'm not having to crisscross the city four or five times a day."
Gravatte's van has a pharmacy, and operating and exam rooms. He does spay and neuter and other operations, euthanasia, takes X-rays and sends off lab work. He doesn't perform surgeries that require extensive postoperative care.
Like Gravatte, Paula Anderson decided mobile was better than stationary for her business, Window Fashions On Wheels. Over 20 years ago, she put drapery and blind samples in her van, and her business "took off immediately and people loved it," she said.
Not having to pay for the overhead of a store meant that she could offer lower prices to customers. She enjoys not being confined in a shop. "I get to be outside enjoying the weather."
The downside is that "I work a lot more hours, but I love what I do, so it doesn't seem like work." The variety also keeps her interested.
Anderson's customers tend to be people who value their time, who find it quicker and easier to have her come to their homes and do the measuring. Another advantage, she said, is that "they can see their furniture, carpeting, walls and dècor" while choosing new window items.
When the new custom window treatments are ready, Anderson returns to hang them. She recently sold her first franchise in Newport, Ky., and hopes to sell more in the future.
In 1989, Jennifer Jarvis was looking for a new idea to attract new clients to her dog grooming business. She launched Cute Critters as the first local mobile groomer. She loves "being out and about in the town," she said. The hardest parts are "winter and higher prices for gasoline."
Clients who opt for her mobile grooming are looking for convenience. Taking her grooming services to client's homes also means the pet will not have to spend the entire day at the grooming shop. Like the mobile vet, many of her clients are primarily homebound, such as the elderly and mothers with small children.
The pets tend to be those who "don't travel well or do well in shop situations," she said. Jarvis works only on dogs weighing 30 pounds or less. The Cute Critters van includes a tub for bathing the dogs, a dryer and a grooming table.
Jarvis will also groom the dogs at their homes while their owners are away at work.
Jennie Voiles started her mobile photography business, Grins2Go, in March. With a bachelor's degree in education, she had taught for 10 years before deciding that she wanted to go into business for herself. While not a photographer herself, she has two photographers working for her.
Grins2Go offers onsite photography, whenever and wherever the customer wants. The company's big advantage is the ability to print photos onsite. Its customers don't have to wait for their pictures.
Corporate clients, dance schools, youth sports, family reunions and other events are examples of customers Voiles has targeted for this service over a conventional photography studio.
But for all mobile businesses, being service-oriented is an important element of the business strategy, and simply bringing their business to the customer is not enough. Voiles intends to "deliver what customers want, not what you think they need." She said, "It's our attention to the customer experience that makes us stand out" from other photography services.
The wheel deal
The Mobile Vet Waggin'
Phone: (859) 492-5719
Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Web site: www.mobilevetwaggin.com
Window Fashions on Wheels
Phone: (859) 223-0580
Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Web site:
www.windowfashionsonwheels.com
Cute Critters Mobile Pet Grooming
Phone: (859) 277-4932
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Web site: www.cute-critters.com
Grins2Go
Phone: (859) 971-1724
Hours: Vary by appointment
Web site: www.Grins2Go.com
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