Has anyone has a potential client decide not to book because they found out something that was listed clearly on your profile and they didn't read it?

I have had that happen to me several times over the years and have realized it's just part of doing business. Clients don't always read your profile for a myriad of reasons. I would include the info about your being a smoker and not having a yard in your initial reply message just to be clear to the potential clients. I add a sentence that the dog must be crate trained if it's a long stay because I do leave for short periods of time and I've had client dogs get into stuff while I'm gone while not being crated.

I agree with Serina about not changing your daytime work schedule. Just give them options of dates and times that work for you.

I work full time Mon-Fri and clearly indicate this in my profile, however I can't count the number of times I've had owners not realize that until I tell them, either in a message or at the meet and greet! I definitely have lost some clients because of this, so I've started reminding them of it in the initial message:

"Hey Owner. Your Fido sounds like a sweetheart! I would be happy to discuss watching him for the dates you listed. How does he do when left alone? As my profile states, I do work full time, so he would be alone for 4 hours at a time on those days (8am-12pm and 1pm-5pm). I always come home for a long lunch to let pups out, but want to make sure he would be okay with being alone. He will always be left inside, either with living room access or if you prefer, crated. When would be best for you to set up a meet and greet? I'm available this week after 6pm, or most of this weekend. Please let me know what will work for you!"

This has saved me the effort of having a M&G, only for owners to act shocked when they find out I work and their dog will be alone during the day. So for your questions, I would make sure it's clearly listed on your profile, but also remind owners of it in the messages! Something like "As my profile states, I do live in an apartment without direct access to a yard, so all outdoor activities will be on a leash. I also live in a smoking household, so please keep that in mind!" or something along those lines. I think reminding owners that it is in your profile puts the responsibility back on them to ensure they are reading all parts of every sitter's profile!

Also agree that you should list the dates and times that work for YOU to do a meet and greet. I give owners a few options, but won't drastically alter my schedule for them, and will always send a reminder the night before!

A meet and greet is an interview. There is no "work" involved so it would difficult to explain why you need money since there are no services being provided.

Instead use the message system to check basic things BEFORE you set up meet. For example the only "deal breakers" for me is kennel trained and barking. So I make sure to clarify in message that is important to me and that I don't want their dog stressed out. Etc. This has helped both of us save time/energy. Also a very simple thing to do, is simply confirm either day before or day of that they're still going to meet.

It would be wiser still to schedule meet on days/times you're not working. I know you're busy, but eventually you go home ;) initiate the date that you're available. For example saying: I'm open to meet this week either thrusday or saturday. (Your days off) Which day works better for you? Or if they tell you they want to meet Wednesday and you work, something like "I'll be available after 7pm. I prefer to meet dogs in the daytime though, what about Saturday?"

I understand you frustration. Prior to agreeing to a M&G, I ask many questions in an attempt to determine the dog's habits and if it may be a match and have declined M&g requests that are not matched and explained why (i.e. all dogs I care for are walked on leash to do their business, so if your dog is used to only using a doggy door to go out in your yard, then I might not be the best match for boarding).

I consider that the meet&greet is for the benefit of both the pet sitter and pet parent to establish if there's a match. During some M&Gs I've had, the pet parent wanted to book, but their pet wasn't a match. If I had charged for the M&G I may have felt obligated to book, so then why bother to do a M&G? Some sitters don't do M&Gs and choose to just deal w/any behaviors that surface.

Yes early on I have had an owner try to drop off a dog that 1) didn't get along with other dogs (I host up to 3 dogs at a time ) and 2) not get along with kids (I have a toddler!). I have learned to bring up any deal breakers right away in the first contact so that neither of our time is wasted. Some owners aren't used to the app and don't read the profile.