We’ve previously covered the general differences, potential liability, and vast contrast in hiring and training between a pro pet sitter and a pet care app. In this final post on the topic, we’re discussing the differences in communication and transparency that pet parents experience when working with pro pet sitters versus on-demand pet care apps.
When pet parents hire a pet sitter, they give them unsupervised access to their home and pets. Pet parents, especially those new to in-home pet care, rightfully have various questions about how the service works.
Communication
At Shoreline Happy Paws, we use Time to Pet for client bookings, payment, and real-time visit notifications, including photos. Our clients comment on how easy TTP is to use. And, they love the peace of mind it gives when they are away.
We check in with our employees every morning to verify their assignments for the day. We also track them via GPS throughout the day to ensure their safety and the timeliness of their visits. Our software securely stores pet, home, and emergency contact information, ensuring our services are never interrupted and always top-notch.
With pet care apps, you communicate with the care provider via an app, but there’s no way to know if the person that you’re communicating with is the person they say they are. They don’t report to a supervisor that can verify their identity and the quality of their services.
Transparency
At Shoreline Happy Paws, we observe office hours between 8 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday and offer weekend meetings via appointment. Additionally, if our clients run into a situation that requires immediate attention, they can contact us directly on our office phone, which rings to our on-call management team. As Founder and Chief Pet-Loving Officer, I am available for client questions and concerns. I am wholeheartedly committed to our clients’ peace of mind as well as our team’s exceptional standards.
Transparency also includes being consistently transparent with our employees. We conduct ongoing evaluations in which our employees review our managers and company. They give us feedback about their routes, schedule, clients, and overall job satisfaction. These evaluations allow us to learn how to best support and equip our team to make the job safer and more enjoyable. Our goal is to keep them performing at their best, reduce burnout, and prevent turnover.
When using an on-demand pet care app, however, pet parents engage a global brand (aka technology company) and an independent contractor. Pet parents request services via the app and hope that contractors, who make themselves available at their will, are available. If they need to speak to someone live, they are routed to a call center, likely outside the country. Then, they have to hope the agent that answers is willing to prioritize their request or concern.
Local & Reputable Pro Pet Sitters
With Shoreline Happy Paws, you get a locally-based, highly trained team of pet sitters and dog walkers that is dedicated to helping make your life easier and your pets’ lives happier. You get seamless communication, transparency, and, most importantly, accountability.
We provide quality care dog walking and pet sitting services in the CT Shoreline. We are based in Old Saybrook and serve surrounding areas. To learn more about our exceptional company, contact us via our online form, call 860-964-0464, or email info@cthappypaws.com.
