COMPany
My Role
Platform
year
The platform helps groomers manage appointments, customer information, and services efficiently, whether they work in a salon or on the go. I was part of the founding team at Cuddles, joining as employee #1.
As the Head of Product, I led the design, development, and launch of our first version of the product. We were building a pet grooming marketplace from scratch, and my role involved managing a remote team of 7 developers, 2 designers, 1 UX copywriter, and 1 customer success agent.
Grooming appointments are anything but simple. Appointment duration, availability, and pricing depend on a range of factors:
Pet’s profile
Staff specializations
Staff schedules
Our goal was to take the mental load off the groomers and let the software do the heavy lifting. We designed the Smart Bookings feature, which automated the matching process based on a set of jobs to be done:
Build pet profiles
Variable pricing
Match services to staff
Show availability
Each pet’s profile included key details such as size, breed, hair length, and hair type. These factors are crucial in determining the duration and pricing of grooming services.
Pricing was adjusted based on the pet’s specific needs. For example, a large dog with long hair might require more time and resources than a short-haired cat, and the software automatically calculated the appropriate cost.
Groomers have different areas of expertise. Some might specialize in handling cats, while others prefer working with small or large dogs. The software matched pets to groomers who had the right skills and comfort level for each pet’s profile.
The software considered staff schedules, which could change weekly, and only offered appointment slots that matched the pet’s profile and the groomer’s availability.
Here’s a gallery of my favorites, highlighting key features that enhance the grooming experience for groomers and clients.
Throughout this process, we aimed high, designing without limits. But as we got closer to launch, we had to make tough decisions to meet goals and deadlines. The key takeaway? Don’t be afraid to dream big, but know when to scale back and focus on what will deliver the most value.