How does Rover justify its 20% on the sitters income?
Rover needs to cap their fees at $200 a month, that would be based on $1000 bookings. And this is ALOT! Rover's services are automated. We seldom talk to a real person. As we increase business, Rover's services do NOT increase. Rover what do you do to deserve more than this? I have booked $4000/MOS in repeat biz. Why do you deserve $800? Why would I pay $800 month for automated services? And I learned you are charging the owners too? I cannot think of another company/service that charges this HIGH AMOUNT IN ANY WAY, be it financial advisors, insurance premiums, subscriptions to a variety of services, memberships..... And these other companies provide so much more value! Can you help me market more? Do mass mailings? Give me Freebees? Provide promotional materials? Pay the deductibles on your "medical" insurance? Give me some ideas, take aways of justifying the value of charging so much? I would think you would DECREASE your fees if the volume of services INCREASE. Quantity Discounts, Price Breaks, you know like MOST businesses do to reward their customers. We/the sitters are your customers!
Wow - over $4000 booked at $45 night (your boarding rate)=88 booked nights/ month. Way to stay busy, Pat. Kudos!
Yes, this is correct Deb :-}
I am getting referrals on top of this from my existing clients. Referrals NOT through Rover although I am putting through Rover do to the mass number of clients in a short period of time. Rover is only providing automated back office at this point in time. Rover does NOT provide sitting services,
I take up to 4 dogs at a time for an estimated 22 nights. My success is through word-of-mouth referrals. Rover could make more money by attracting more dog sitters capping the fees. Dog sitters can only take on so many dogs. Lots of biz to go around. I turn dogs away.
Sitters are not protected. I've had property destroyed, clients slander me, and when I contact Rover they go into the we're not liable spiel. If anything goes wrong, I'm legally liable. I've been bitten, and Rover refused to address it, while demanding I address a customer complaint. Shady....
Pat: That add’l info helps. I suspected that the 88 dog nightly bookings did not all come through Rover & learned of your services from word of mouth. For those who do not come through Rover, it may be worth it to not convert them to Rover clients and book them yourself. I do for some walks visits
Advertising. Rover is saving all of us a ton of money in advertising. Pairing up with Rover saved my pet care business. But enough word of mouth connections might be worth looking at the suggestions in some of the other answers and comments for you - depends on client turnover rates.
Completely agres. The 20% should be capped as they provide nothing additionally. l am very tired of their poor customer service and disfunctional app.
@Mallory M. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks the app is dysfunctional, from the issues it caused I almost lost my 1st client. Also yeah there’s no reason the fees should continue at the same rate for the limited amount of what they provide.