Client feedback for pet sitters: spot problems after visits

Owners rarely complain to their sitter; they just book someone else for the next holiday. If a sitter loses 3 regular clients a year who each spent about $1,197£900€1,071A$1,728C$1,692 a year, that's $3,591£2,700€3,213A$5,184C$5,076 a year, about $299£225€268A$432C$423 a month of work.

Time To Pet's happiness survey is offered with every visit: the owner can rate it positive, neutral or negative, add notes, or skip it. When a survey comes in, Time To Pet tells you, with any notes, so you can phone the owner the same day. Use it to spot a pattern, such as late arrivals on a Saturday or a cat that has gone off its food, and fix it while the client is still booked.

A solo pet sitter in Winchester has about 50 regular clients and loses about 3 a year without knowing why.

About $51£38€45A$73C$71 a month in profit, at an assumed 50% margin on $100£75€89A$144C$141 a month of kept work (1 client at $1,197£900€1,071A$1,728C$1,692 a year, divided by 12). Lite is $25 (about $25£19€23A$36C$36) a month, and the survey comes with the software you'd use for bookings and reports, not as an extra.

1. 1Turn on the happiness survey in Time To Pet's settings during the trial, and check it's on the plan you choose.
2. 2Tell clients in your welcome message that the quick rating after each visit is optional and read by you.
3. 3Phone anyone who leaves a neutral or negative rating the same day.
4. 4Once a month, look for patterns: a time of day, a type of visit or a particular pet.
5. 5Note what you changed on the client's record.

• Many clients will skip it; silence isn't the same as happy, so still ask regulars how things are going.
• Don't argue with feedback in writing; call and listen first.
• The pricing page doesn't list the survey by plan, so confirm it's included before you pay.
• Ratings that name a sitter you employ are personal data about them; use them fairly, for coaching.