Essential Questions To Ask New Dog Walking, Pet Sitting, And Pet Care Clients
As a new pet sitter— the first couple calls you get from potential new clients can be challenging, especially if you've never handled calls like this before. It really helps to have a process. We've found that printing out a New Client Card can be really helpful. These new client cards should include some questions that you need to get answered for each new client. You can keep a stack of these in your car, in your office or wherever you field new client calls. You should also have [a copy of your pet sitting and dog walking contract handy](You should also have a copy of your pet sitting and dog walking contract handy).
While each pet sitting or dog walking business is different —we've found that there are some questions that should really be included. Some are obvious and some not as obvious. Here is our list of 5 questions to ask a potential new client.
For more information on how to manage meet and greets with new clients, take a look at The Ultimate Guide To Mastering The Meet & Greet.
1 - Where are you located?
While this seems obvious , it can often be overlooked. You can only provide services in your service area and you don't want to waste your time or the client's time if they live an hour away.
2 - What types of services are you looking for?
Any pet sitter will tell you that they get a lot of calls from people who are looking for a boarding facility. Sometimes this comes up right away and sometimes it doesn't. It's good to make sure you offer what they are looking for early in the process.
3 - What dates do you need services?
Similarly to "Where are you located?" —you need to make sure you have availability for your potential new client. You don't want to finish up the Meet & Greet and your new client surprises you with "Fido will see you tomorrow!"
4 - Have you used a pet sitter or dog walker before?
This is a question that doesn't get asked enough. Whether or not your potential new client has experience with your type of business could really shape the call. For example, someone who just moved to your area from New York City who has used a regular dog walker for years will be much more familiar with the process then someone who just got their first puppy.
5 - Will anyone else have access to your house during these visits?
For many pet sitters this can be a deal breaker. Some insurance policies also require that no other people have access to your client's house during the visits for liability reasons. Plus — no pet sitter wants to walk in on your client's cousin sleeping on the couch.
Some other great topics to discuss is your background, your process and your credentials. Remember — your clients are probably calling a few pet sitters and you want to make sure they understand what separates you from the crowd!
