How to Improve Your Performance Scores and Succeed on Rover
We reward dog walkers and sitters who treat their clients’ dogs like family—including surfacing their profiles higher in search results. To help you keep track of your search rank and the overall health of your business, we created the booking score and the repeat score. If your booking and repeat scores are high, you’re more likely to show up front and center in search results, get better reviews, and earn loyal clients. Read on to learn more about how to keep your performance scores high—and your business thriving.
Booking Score
Of the people who contact you for the first time, how many end up booking and leaving you a great review? Score ranges from 50-100. Note: If a dog owner sends you a request when your calendar says you’re unavailable, your booking score won’t change if you don’t accept the request. This is also true for requests that are outside of your specified service range or stated dog preferences.
Set yourself up for success by:
- Accept most requests that come your way. You don’t need to book 100% of your requests to stay ahead of other sitters and increase your booking scores. However, sitters and dog walkers who are more flexible—but also make safety their top priority—tend to book more requests.
- Set the right expectations about when you’re available to get more requests you can accept. Especially if you’re new on the site, making yourself available and keeping your calendar updated will help your booking score. If a dog owner sends you a request when your calendar says you’re unavailable, your booking score won’t change if you don’t accept the request.
- Make your preferences clear. Call out the sizes of dogs you’ll care for, if you’re comfortable taking puppies, and if you’ll care for dogs who aren’t spayed or neutered.
- Create an inviting and authentic profile that reflects the care you’ll provide. Read more about how to do that here.
- Respond quickly to every request you receive, even if you’re not able to accept the booking. Top sitters and dog walkers usually respond within an hour. Download the Rover app to make responding quickly even easier.
- Provide 5-star service. After each booking ends, we’ll ask your client to leave you a review. Focus on providing a 5-star experience and let your client know you appreciate their feedback.
- Want to accept repeat clients only, or stop receiving requests altogether? Change your settings here.
Act with safety in mind. If you don’t think it’s a good match, don’t accept the booking—period. Not only could accepting a bad match earn you a negative review, but it could also put you or the pets you’re caring for at risk. At the end of the day, the most important thing is making sure your dog clients are happy and well cared for.
Repeat Score
How many of your first-time clients book with you again—and how often? Score ranges from 50-100.
Set yourself up for success by:
- Encourage your clients to book with you again. A great way to earn repeat clients: send photo and text updates early and often.
- Be accessible. Communication is key to delivering great customer service, and it’ll help you earn that glowing review too.
- Always provide a 5-star experience. If a client ends up booking with you again—congratulations! That’s a huge accomplishment. Make sure to always provide repeat clients with the same care and customer service you gave them the first time around.Accept repeat bookings you’re comfortable with, and say “no thanks” to ones you’re not. You and the pet parent both want what’s best for their pet, and it’s always a better idea to pass on bookings that aren’t a good match.
- Give your loyal clients a heads-up before busy seasons or vacations. That way, they can request to book your services before your calendar fills up.
- Ask clients to book with you again. Did you enjoy taking care of their dog? Let them know you’d love to book with them again. As long as you booked with someone before, you can initiate a booking request the next time around.
- Never accept cash or checks—always book on Rover. Booking on Rover is required per Rover’s Terms of Service. We reward sitters and dog walkers who have a great history on the site with a higher search rank—meaning you get more exposure to dog owners near you.
The happier you make your clients and the dogs they love, the better it is for your search rank—and your business as a whole. Explore our Sitter Resources Center to learn more about building a thriving business.