Moments of Magic: Healthy Spot’s Team Approach to Pet Care

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Pet Age spoke with Jean Cajucom to discuss her round-about journey to becoming experience manager at the Healthy Spot location in Santa Monica, California.

Q What are your primary responsibilities at Healthy Spot?
A As the experience manager, my main duty is to make sure that our customers are getting an amazing experience, tailored to them and their pets every single time in our retail, grooming and daycare departments. Doing this, however, is definitely a multi-step process! It starts with our staff: our recruitment team has done and continues to do a wonderful job of hiring people that not only have a genuine passion for pets, but also love talking to people! In terms of our retail department, we do a lot of hands-on training that will prepare our team to make sure they can educate and deliver moments of magic to our clientele. Though the other departments are run by their own management team, I coordinate with them all to help keep our customers happy. My favorite responsibility is in developing future leaders! Unlocking each team member’s potential is such a rewarding process and definitely pays dividends for all parties involved.

Q How did you come to manage a Healthy Spot location?
A While studying sociology in college, I decided to dogsit part-time… It was during this time that I realized how much I would love to be able to work with dogs full-time! When I graduated, I was looking for something that fit this requirement and found that Healthy Spot was hiring. I had initially interviewed for the assistant salon manager position, but after learning of my experience with Data Analysis and interest in people, the area salon manager decided to refer me to the Retail department. It actually worked out perfectly because I had interest in learning how to run a business and furthering my management skills… When I was introduced to our mission statement and core values, I knew that I would have a fruitful relationship with the company because it matched my personal set of values. After training me extensively in topics ranging from dog nutrition to performance management, they recognized my potential and promoted me to manage our Santa Monica location.

Q How have Healthy Spot’s services bolstered the retail business?
A Since the consumer can find pretty much everything that will service their dog’s mind, body, and bowl under one roof, we are creating an environment that is not only convenient and comfortable for them, but comfortable for their pets as well. Because we are always looking to improve the lives of the pets that walk through our door, regardless of what department they are using that day, we will work cohesively to give the best solution to our customers.

Now, our mission statement, among other things, would have to change dramatically if we did not offer other services. As it stands, we are looking to inspire healthy pet lifestyles, but we could not reliably do this without a holistic viewpoint. To focus on one aspect would be to limit the customer’s options, and they may be missing out on the best option of them all.