High Tech Isn't Just For The Big Guys

Joelle Hilfers says that without K-9 Connect software she doubts she could have tripled business from about 30 dog visits a day to about 90. By SHIRA BOSS-BICAK Published: January 20, 2005 oelle Hilfers realized she and her husband, Tom, had put off computerizing their Top Dog Daycare business in Colorado Springs long enough. Sticky notes affixed to customers' cards with due dates for their pets' shots kept disappearing, and the cards themselves were often misfiled, leading to frantic searches for emergency contact information. Customers could not fathom that they were dealing with a paper, pen and telephone operation. "A lot of people were saying, 'Well, just e-mail me, e-mail me!' " Ms. Hilfers said. "I thought, there's just got to be a better way to keep organized and keep in contact." After a $99 software program that she bought from a livestock company proved inadequate, a programmer offered to create a custom package for Top Dog Daycare for about $5,000. "Of course, I had a heart attack," she said, but she took the plunge, on a payment plan. Three years and about $30,000 in technology investments later, Ms. Hilfers says she does not know how she ever did without the company's K-9 Connect software, which allows dog owners to book appointments online, view their accounts, post photos of their pets and look in on them during the day through a live Web cam. K-9 Connect also stores the pets' vaccination records, meal plans and special requirements and has pages on e-commerce, dog training and dog grooming. Without K-9 Connect, Ms. Hilfers says she doubts her company could have tripled its business from about 30 dog visits a day before it was put into use to about 90 today. "We've come so far by using this technology, it's unbelievable," Ms. Hilfers said.

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