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The Personal Touch

Rebekah Harrison//December 1, 2014//

The Personal Touch

Rebekah Harrison //December 1, 2014//

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We recently spoke with Dirk Gustafson, co-owner of Mauro Pet Care about the pet industry, popular spa products and retailer tips.

Rebekah: What is your favorite thing about working in the pet industry?

Dirk: Mauro and I find the pet industry to be very pleasing to work within as most everyone we have contact with is involved in some manner because of their love and respect for animals. Both Mauro and I believe that this common bond allows us to more easily connect with people—retailer, groomer or pet parents alike.

In addition to the above, both Mauro and I continue to enjoy as well as embrace the ever-growing demand within the industry for healthier pet products as well as an increase in accountability for those who manufacture products to include the eventual full disclosure of all ingredients within any given product, a practice we have insisted upon since day one.

Simply put, our favorite thing about working in the pet industry is the willingness of most people to understand and believe that better products exist and are needed for the benefit of those who depend on us most, our beloved pets. Consumers, retailers and groomers alike appreciate the harmony between the pets’ enjoyment of our products, the healing benefits provided by their use as well as the noticeably softer and naturally scented aroma of their pet’s coat long after its application.

Rebekah: Which of your spa products are most popular?

Dirk: Our most popular and successful products to date are those which have been specifically hand-tailored to reverse the damage caused by unprotected environmental exposure to the elements or by use of harsh chemical shampoos which often cause a pet’s skin to become dry and itchy, cause irritation, loss of hair and even infection.

While all of our products help return moisture to the skin, our Essential Elements Shampoo (whether in its standard or Professional Care 25-1 concentrated formula), our Leave In Conditioner as well as our Hot Spot Healing Treatment have been strongly embraced by consumer, retailer and groomer alike.

Rebekah: Do you offer any unique marketing materials to help store owners and employees encourage sales of your spa products?

Dirk:  Both Mauro and I absolutely love working directly with our consumers, retailers and groomers and freely provide our professional artwork to help promote sales to include professionally packaged direct-to-consumer product samples and posters, as well as providing various point-of-purchase displays to better showcase the Mauro Pet Care difference in quality.

In this regard, both Mauro and I feel that it is essential that everyone have immediate and direct access to us both and have and will continue to provide our personal cellular numbers on the face of every sample, bottle or piece of literature we distribute. At the onset of every relationship created, we personally welcome direct calls from both retail and grooming staff as well as offer joint conference call and Skype training sessions should any particular location be unavailable for personal demonstration.

Rebekah: What is a typical day like for you?

Dirk: My day and evening consists of directly speaking with existing as well as prospective retail and grooming clients both nationally and abroad.

My afternoon and evenings also consist of managing the daily operational business of Mauro Pet Care and Mauro’s Cavallo Care, our new equestrian line of products, which just launched this past July at SuperZoo. My evening is largely comprised of returning daily emails, posting and creating new content for our various social media platforms.