Preparing the desk for a rush of afternoon pickups

Morning arrivals often leave the front desk understaffed when the afternoon rush begins. To prepare, review the calendar of daycare days and boarding stays first thing. Identify which Tuesday or Thursday shows a full roster, then cross-reference the staff shift list. Assign one team member to manage the check-in board during the peak window, and keep a second person free to handle phone calls and owner questions. Write a short note on the desk pad for each break so the oncoming shift knows who covered which task. This simple check prevents the common lapse where a dog’s strip is missed during the busiest hour.

Aligning shift coverage with the calendar

Note-taking at the pickup window

Worked example

The Tuesday after a long weekend had six boarding dogs scheduled to depart. The night before, the manager noted the departure times on the staff board. On arrival, the morning team matched the calendar to the shift list, placed a relief staff member at the check-in board at 3:00 pm, and logged each dog’s exit time. After the last dog left, the board showed six clean entries and no pending notes.

What the reader can verify

Compare the calendar count to the shift roster for the same day. The check-in board should reflect the same number of departures without orphaned entries.

Handling owner questions at the pickup window

When an owner asks about their dog’s day, have the note-taking sheet ready. Record the question, the answer given, and any follow-up needed. This keeps the conversation moving and creates a paper trail if the owner later requests details.

Exception

If a sudden staff absence occurs, the on-call person should take the check-in board duties and the manager should be notified immediately so coverage can be reassigned.

Related: Dog Daycare Manager features.