I would venture to guess that while you have been searching for a professional pet sitter you have been scanning their websites and have seen that most of them explain their services like this:
- 30 minute visit = $X
- 45 minute visit = $X
- 60 minute visit = $X
So when you come across a pet sitting business, such as Menlys Pet Care, that says that we do not charge by time, it might be a little bit difficult to understand what you’re going to be paying for.
Well this article will help you to understand what it really means to “not charge based on time” and what you and your pets will be getting for your money.
Why Not Charge By Time?
The answer is simple. Your pet is an individual right? Your dog doesn’t have the exact same exercise requirements as the dog next door and your cat is not fed the exact same way as your friend’s cat. So why is it safe to assume that everyone’s pet’s needs will be summed up in an exact number of minutes at each pet sitting visit?
Wouldn’t you rather know that your pet is being taken care of solely based on their needs rather than how long it takes?
When a pet sitter charges by the service rather than by time, it allows them to FULLY customize each pet sitting visit to the individual client and their pet. You’re charged a flat rate and the clock is not monitored while the pet sitter is with your pet. Instead, they spend every moment making sure they are following your pet’s specific routines and providing them with one on one, quality care.
How Will I Know How Long My Pet Sitter Is Staying?
When you get your hair done, do you watch the clock to see exactly how long the hair stylist is doing your hair to determine whether or not it’s a quality job? No, you just care about the quality of the cut and color you’re getting (of course, we don’t want to spend 4 hours in the salon chair but you get my basic point).
The same holds true for pet sitting. It shouldn’t matter how long your pet sitter is staying with your pets, but rather, are they giving them quality care that you would expect from a professional? Does your home look the exact same way as you left it when you return home? Were all of your instructions followed properly? And most importantly, do your pets seem calm and well adjusted?
If so, than it really shouldn’t matter whether your pet sitter stayed for 20 minutes or 45 minutes. A pet sitter that charges based on service rather than based on time, is more concerned with the quality of the visit, rather than the quantity of time spent doing the visit.
Does This Mean My Pet Sitter Won’t Do A Quality Job If They Charge By Time?
Absolutely not. I know many pet sitters who are outstanding at what they do and treat every client as if they were their own client. Charging by time doesn’t mean your sitter is going to be a bad sitter.
However, it does mean that the visits will not be 100% structured to your pet’s needs. As I stated earlier, it is impossible to put all pets into a standardized time. It often leaves the visit with too much time left over, or not enough time left at the end to complete everything (which often leads to additional bills to come home too).
It all comes down to you at the end. What do you value more? Quality or quantity?
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