Happy Dogs is a Tasmanian business operating in Hobart. It has three distinct business units: Happy Dogs Daycare; Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services; and Happy Dogs Wellness Services. These are overseen and supported by the Happy Dogs management team: 

-           Michael Traynor is the managing director and founder of Happy Dogs. Michael is a qualified dog trainer who previously ran boarding kennels for dogs and cats before founding the company in 1997. Michael personally trains all Happy Dogs staff in animal handling, dog walking and animal care.   

-           Mary Traynor is the Human Resources manager for Happy Dogs Daycare and Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services and handles all other aspects of human resource management for the Happy Dogs businesses. 

 

Happy Dogs Daycare 

Happy Dogs Daycare is a daycare centre for dogs located in Kingston, Tasmania about 20 minutes south of Hobart. It operates from 6am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on weekends. The centre operates on the same principles as a childcare centre, providing supervised hourly or whole-day for dogs.  At present, the centre can accommodate a maximum of 30 dogs at one time, and most days has around 20-25 dogs booked into daycare. 

 

The centre is predominantly used by dog owners whose pets cannot be left alone at home during the day and so need to be kept in a safe, supervised environment while their owners are at work. Clients include people with dogs that bark incessantly when left alone, dogs that dig or destroy gardens, dogs who 'escape' their yards if left unsupervised, and dogs that cannot handle being left alone (some extreme cases have separation anxiety).  Other clients use the daycare centre because they work long shifts or commute to work, and use the centres to provide company for their animals. 

 

Clients pay either an hourly rate, a daily rate or a weekly rate for care: weekly rates are for dogs who attend the centre Monday to Friday.   

The centre offers a range of facilities for dogs including: 

•          An indoor play area with toys and tunnels for the dogs to play with 

•          An indoor activity course for exercising the dogs 

•          An outdoor play field in which the dogs can walk, run and play 

•          A dog lounge with couches and bean bags for the dogs to lounge on 

•          A grooming room in which dogs can be bathed and blow-dried and have their coats and nails clipped 

 

The centre has 15 staff in total: 

•          A centre co-ordinator that managers the day-to-day operations of the centre and supervises the other staff 

•          An administrative assistant that handles reception duties, dog bookings and payments 

•          A dog groomer that handles grooming services 

•          Ten carers who supervise the dogs and work on a rostered system. 

•          A veterinary nurse who provides first aid to the dogs as required   

•          A part-time facilities manager who cleans the centre each day and maintains the facilities and grounds. 

 

The dogs are supervised in six groups of 5 dogs each, with each group supervised by one carer. Consequently the centre must have at least 6 carers rostered to work on any given day to provide suitable supervision for the dogs.  Through the day each group spends time in the play area, on the activity course and in the day lounge: groups rotate so every dog has some play time, some exercise time and some rest time.     

 

Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services 

Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services is a mobile dog-walking service. It operates across greater Hobart servicing clients anywhere from Kingston, to Glenorchy and on the Eastern shore. A team of dedicated dog walkers visit clients' homes, take their dogs out for a walk and return them to the client's premises. The company offers a premium, highly-tailored service which is differentiated by individualised service for clients. In contrast to rival companies that walk several clients' dogs at once, Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services only service one client at a time. 

Bookings are handled by a booking co-ordinator who works at the Happy Dogs Daycare centre in Kingston. Clients make bookings over the phone or via the internet, and the booking co-ordinator then allocates the booking to the dog walkers. Walkers operate from their homes and use a mobile phone app to receive and record details about client bookings. Training and resources for walkers (eg dog waster bags, tennis balls and throw toys, uniforms) are provided by the company: walkers can either collect resources from the Daycare Centre or have them sent to their homes. 

 

Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services has 32 staff in total: 

•          The business manager who handles the day-to-day business operations for the service, such as marketing and financial management 

•          The booking co-ordinator who takes client bookings and allocates the to the walkers 

•          30 walkers located across Hobart. 

 

The longest-employed walker has been with the company for 5 years: average tenure is 12 months and the newest walker has been employed for just three weeks. Walkers are paid an hourly rate for walking the dogs and only walk one client's dogs at a time. This may mean the walkers are exercising up to four dogs at once, but only if the four dogs are owned by the same client. 

 

Happy Dog Wellness Services 

Founded in 2018, Happy Dogs Wellness Services is a new Happy Dogs business which provides weight-loss services for dogs. The Service currently offers Active Wellness programs to help overweight dogs lose weight. These are tailored to the needs of individual dogs so as to accommodate individual factors such as their age, weight, build and breed. The Active Wellness sessions are extended exercise sessions to help dogs lose weight, combining dog walking, swimming, and activity courses designed to help the dogs be more active and burn weight. The company is now developing Total Wellness programs which combine Active Wellness sessions with a dietary program designed for the dog to include dietary changes to help the dog lose weight and supplements for health issues. 

 

Happy Dogs Wellness Services will be run by Dr Molly Moppet, an experienced veterinarian who specialises in dog health and nutrition. Molly is currently developing the Total Wellness programs for the Service and will conduct the wellness assessments for dogs once the service is up and running. The Happy Dogs management team is currently making several key decisions about the business model for Happy Dogs Wellness Services including. 

•          How will services be delivered? The Active Wellness sessions are currently being provided by dog walkers who are employed through Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services. However, if the Wellness business grows quickly, then servicing clients for the Wellness programs may limit the scope for the Dog-Walking Services 

 

•          Where will services be delivered? Should Wellness assessment be made at the Daycare Centre or should they be done in the client's home? 

 

•          How soon will they need to employ additional staff for the Wellness Services? And what staff will they need to employ? 

 

 

Strategic Plan for Happy Dogs 

Company description 

Happy Dogs is a Tasmanian business operating in Hobart. The company was originally founded in Hobart 1997 as a dogwalking business that provided in-home dog walking services for busy executives.  Since then the company has expanded and by 2019, Happy Dogs comprised three distinct business units: Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services; Happy Dogs Daycare; and Happy Dogs Wellness Services.     

 

Company Mission Statement 

Our commitment to our customers is to deliver exceptional services designed to meet the needs of the most discerning dog. We offer solutions for keeping dogs happy, fit and well so their owners can relax knowing that when they are in our care, their dogs are safe, supervised and enjoying the best possible quality of life. 

 

Corporate strategic goals 

Happy Dogs' overall corporate strategic goals for the next five years are to 

-           Continue pursuing a growth strategy by establishing two new Happy Dog Daycare centres 

-           Continue pursuing a diversification strategy by establishing Happy Dogs Wellness Services as a new business unit. 

 

Happy Dogs' primary strategic goal for business growth is to establish two new Happy Dogs Daycare centres. The new centres will be located in Hobart in the Berriedale and Mornington areas. These locations have been chosen because they share several key similarities with the Kingston area which the Happy Dogs Management team predict will mean they experience a demand for dog daycare similar to that experienced in Kingston: 

-           a high proportion of residents commute to Hobart for work 

-           a high proportion of residents live in units or houses with small yards 

-           A significant proportion of residents live on rural properties, which require fencing or dog enclosures to keep dogs contained while owners are away. 

 

Happy Dogs' primary objective for developing new business units is to establish Happy Dogs Wellness Services as a stand-alone business. Initially, the business will be established by offering Wellness Services to existing clients of the Happy Dogs Daycare centre and the Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services. 

Consequently, the business will initially run as an 'internal consultant' for the other Happy Dogs businesses and supplement the services they offer. The goal for the next five years is to expand Happy Dogs Wellness Services into a dog wellness consulting service that services kennels, dog walking and dog care services across greater Hobart and may eventually also expand into other parts of the state. 

Business-level strategic goals 

Happy Dogs Daycare 

Happy Dogs Daycare has achieved a strong competitive position in its key markets and currently generates approximately 40% of the company's overall revenues. The daycare centre currently enjoys about 80% repeat business coming from a core group of clients who use the daycare centre consistently. The company charges premium rates for its daycare services but has been able to compete successfully against other highend providers of dog daycare and dog minding services because its rates are commensurate with those of its closest rivals and its services are differentiated by 

-           the level of attention and care given to each individual dog 

-           the dogs being cared for in large, open spaces: this is a key differentiator from kenneling services that keep dogs in cages and exercise them in runs. 

-           The range of hours for which care is available: Happy Dogs offers longer hours which is very appealing to clients who are doctors, lawyers, academics or in executive management positions and work shiftwork or long hours. 

 

Over the next five years Happy Dogs Daycare will continue to compete by providing highly tailored and specialised services through its centres, and by identifying new market opportunities in which the company can pursue first mover advantages by developing new and highly original dog minding services. 

 

Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services 

Happy Dogs Dog-Walking Services has achieved excellent growth over the past five years by providing exercise sessions that are tailored and contextualised for each client and dog. It has successfully transitioned from its humble beginnings as local dogwalking service to now offer services across greater Hobart which generate approximately 60% of Happy Dogs' total revenues. Happy Dogs differentiates its dog walking services by assigning dedicated walkers to each dog, meaning walkers develop a detailed knowledge of the dog and its owners and strong rapport with the dogs themselves. Client feedback demonstrates that clients highly value this dedicated care and consequently have a high level of trust in Happy Dogs and its dog walkers. Consequently the company is able to charge premium rates for its dog walking services and enjoys high customer retention.   

Over the next five years the company intends to continue its growth strategy by pursuing new opportunities related to in-home dog care, including in-home pet minding and dog-walking services for elderly and infirm people.   

 

Happy Dogs Wellness Services 

Over the next five years the mission of Happy Dogs Wellness Services is to provide a suite for wellness programs for dogs primarily aimed at dogs which are overweight.  The main competition for Wellness Services will come from veterinary clinics and animal hospitals so developing high-end programs at competitive rates will be critical to the company's success. 

 

 

SWOT 

Strategic analysis of Happy Dogs' internal and external environment has identified the following Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats relevant to achieving the company's growth goals.   

 

Strengths 

Knowledge resources: The knowledge and expertise of Happy Dogs' employees are core to the company's competitiveness and have been the foundation of its growth and success in providing tailored dog care and exercise services. 

Innovation resources: Happy Dogs has a consistent track record and excellent performance in generating innovative new products, especially in dog exercise and activity programs.   

Reputational resources: Happy Dogs established an enviable reputation as the provider of high quality and highly valuable service experiences. We are renowned for reliably and consistent service quality and for providing unique, highly customized solutions to client needs.   

Existing workforce: Happy Dogs has a strong workforce of motivated and knowledgeable staff whose innovativeness in developing new products and processes for the company is core to its future success.   

 

Weaknesses 

Labour intensiveness: Happy Dogs businesses are all labour-intensive which means staff costs comprise a high proportion of the company's operating costs. This may limit the company's expansion into new services unless it can do so through operational efficiencies or lowering the labour costs associated with its services.   

 

Limited expertise in dog nutrition and healthcare: the company requires expertise in dog nutrition and healthcare to establish and expand Happy Dog Wellness Services.  It has recently acquired the expertise of Dr Molly Moppet but needs to develop more organisational knowledge in these areas in order to expand its services and ensure that  the business not be compromised if Dr Moppet left the business in the future. 

 

Opportunities 

Growing rates in pet ownership, especially among double-income couples who are time-poor but able to pay for Happy Dogs' services. 

 

Market growth in pet insurance: many insurance companies now offer Pet Insurance as a specific insurance product or allow pet owners to get coverage for their pets in their Home insurance policies. Health insurance companies currently offer discounted rates for people to purchase wellness services that reduce their health risks, such as assistance to quit smoking and gym memberships. This may present future opportunities to partner with insurance companies so that clients of Happy Dogs get a discounted rate on their pet insurance. 

 

 

Threats 

Demographic changes in Tasmanian population: Changes to Tasmania's demographic profile, most notably the average age of the population and the declining population base in the 18-40 age bracket, may threaten Happy Dogs' ability to meet its future staffing needs.     

 

Economic climate in Tasmania: uncertain economic conditions in Tasmania may pose a threat to future company expansions by affecting clients' capacity to pay for dog minding and dog exercising services.   

 

For this task,  develop a HRM strategy for Happy Dogs Pty Ltd.  by analysing the strategic context and strategic plan for Happy Dogs and developing an HRM strategy in which you: 

 

1.Identify the strategic goal(s) of the business (Can be a goal of its growth strategy, diversification strategy or business-level strategies)

 

 2. Explain the HR implications of this strategic goal. (Which aspects of HRM will it influence? What will the company need to do that it is not doing now?)

 

 3. Set an objective for that area of HRM that the company can pursue to achieve its overall strategic goal.

 

4. Identify external or internal factors which may influence Happy Dogs' ability to achieve the objective of its HRM strategy and explain how it could do so. (What are the factors? How will it help or hinder the company's execution of its HRM strategy?)

 

5. Suggest outcomes the company could use as a 'progress tracker' to evaluate whether it is achieving its HRM strategy. (If the company was successful in achieving its HRM strategy, what will it have in 12 months' time that it doesn't have now?)