Is it fun to complain?

We have some clients who just love to complain, or at least that's how it seems.  We have to wonder, why do they keep coming back if things are so horrible?  I just have to assume that they complain everywhere they go, it's just a way of life for these people.  Does it hurt to be satisfied?  I don't get it.  Today J had to deal with one of her complainers. 

Mrs. S. apparently really loves the way J does her dog, though you'd never know it.  She once brought the dog to a "cheaper" (her words, not ours) groomer, and had to bring her to J the next day to have her fix the haircut.  After that, she swore she'd stay loyal to J.  She likes to complain. 

She complains the haircut takes too long.  No matter what time J tells her to come, she always comes a half hour earlier, then acts very annoyed and huffy when the dog isn't done.  By the way, she's always the last one in the door in the morning, as she doesn't like to get up too early.  Guess what?  The last dog in the door in the morning does not get to be the first one finished.  Surprising? 

She complains about the cost of the haircut, apparently forgetting the "cheap" groomer experience.    She complains when the dog has to be shorter than she wanted.  Never mind she puts off  the dog's haircuts as long as she can, and doesn't ever brush her.    Here was today's complaining conversation when J brought the dog up at go home.

J:  Wow, Blackie was extra dirty today, I had to give her 2 baths.
This was just an observation, small talk if you will.. the black dog came in grey, she was actually that dirty.  But, hey, dogs get dirty.

Mrs. S:  OH.. is THAT why it was so expensive this time??

J:  No, I charged you the same as last time, and the time before.  I didn't charge for the extra bathing.

Mrs. S:  Well, I spend more on her haircut than I do my own!
Don't even get me started on this comment!  We get it all the time!  You can't think of any reasons why it might be more expensive to have the dog groomed?  Hmm.. Nail trim, full body bath (not just their head!), ears cleaned, brushing out tangles (hopefully you don't have tangles in your hair when you show up at the hairdressers)anal glands expressed..  OH, and wait.. you hold still for your haircut! 

J:  Well, she does have alot of hair.
What else can you say?

Mrs S:  Why WAS she so dirty???
Huh?  How the heck do we know why she is dirty?  Does she think we threw dirt on her when she came in the door?

J:  I don't know, maybe because it's dusty and dirty in the fall.  Do you bathe her at home?

Mrs. S:  NO..That's what I pay you for. 
Nice.

Mr. S dropped the dog off this morning.  He was more pleasant.  When J asked how he wanted the haircut he replied "you always do such a good job, that's why I drive 45 miles to come here".  Well, it's actually 45  miles round trip, but who's counting.  I wish he'd tell his wife that J always does such a good job.

I can only believe that with out a complaint of some sort, Mrs. S's day is not complete.  It gets really old.  I would think it would be exhausting to be that crabby all the time.   We end up working twice as hard to attempt to make these people happy than we do the rest of the clientele.  That is just not ok.  I'm sure anywhere you work there are Mrs. S-type people.  What makes them so unhappy?  I'm sure I'll never know.