I am a little confused and don't really know when I should click "book now?" When the client first asks if I am available to sit or after the meet and greet? I am curious on what other sitters do?
You should click on the "Book Now" button after your M&G or whenever you are committing to the job. The client then has 72 hours to pay for the sitting engagement. If you click before holding a M&G, the 72 hours could expire but don't worry the job can easily be resurrected. Also, clients interview more than one sitter, so you might not see them pay right away. Just as a matter of practice, though, I don't book unless I've met the client and his/her dog.
I agree. I never click book it until after the M&G because they may be interviewing other sitters or it may not be a good fit. If it's a client that is new to rover, I explain how the system works and that they should book the stay if they choose me. I give them the option of booking the stay or letting me do it. Regular clients I just review the dates and prices then book it.
I agree with Karen and Cari. I also request approximate times before clicking book now, include that in the message, and price review.
Yes, I also request approximate dropoff and pickup times because that could trigger daycare charges. If there is more than a 2-hour gap between times, I charge a daycare fee dependent upon the total amount of time difference.
The "Book it Now" button is an official offer to sit the dog(s), or if the client initiates, an official request to have you be their sitter, so you only want to click it (or accept it) if you're sure you want this client and you have made any rate adjustments necessary. As Karen said, this is ideally done after a meet and greet, so you can be fairly confident the dog and owner are compatible with the services you offer. For some stays a M&G may not be possible (I've had a few requests for daycare or overnights from clients who live out of the area or were requesting very last minute when other arrangements fell through), and then it's up to you to decide if you're willing to take the risk and book them without meeting them first (I recommend against this if you're a new sitter or otherwise unequipped to handle a quarantine kind of situation in your home for the duration of the stay, but that's another topic). However you decide to handle it, treat that Book it Now button as a binding contract; don't press it until you're sure you want to.
Thank you for the response. maybe I just need have a different outlook on it.
After reading your explanation above, I see your point. However, the way I look at it, the meet and greet is not just about the animals and how they get along. There may be any number of other reasons aside from conflict between pets which would make you not the best sitter for a particular dog. Many things you could discuss without meeting in person, but some you can't. One dog I watch has a lot of completely unpredictable fears. Some of them go together; she hates awnings, umbrellas, ceiling fans, or other objects over her head. But she also randomly puts on the brakes going into certain buildings and has fear reactions to a lot of strangers (but not all, and no one's been able to find the pattern). Had she had a reaction to me or my home, I wouldn't have been the best option...
this is what makes me pose the question. I normally only have 1 dog (if any) & I have been trained in handling Dog behavioral issues including aggression.So if I have no dogs I'm always willing to say yes. I know right away if I am available or not, (I would never back out on a client. if I commit, I commit so I totally get that point) I also get that the meet & greet is good for the clients, it puts them at ease. but at the same time, I don't want to not show up on someone else's search because I keep this client pending until after the meet and greet. A part of me feels like clicking book now kind of commits the client to me (kind of like scheduling a recheck appointment before you leave your vets, your more likely to... (more)
Even if you "Book it" immediately, without having a M&G, the client is still not bound to you in anyway. They may be out meeting other sitters. I see that you probably have the qualifications to accept any dog, plus you are a Premier sitter, which alone guarantees you being at the top of the list. While this is a business to many sitters here on Rover, the fact that I am bringing a strange dog into my home does affect how I deal with requests. If you crate dogs--which you should include in your profile--then you can probably be less picky about who you accept. Those of us who do not crate dogs but allow them fairly free range in the home may want to be a little more selective. But it sounds to me like you aren't all that confused and know exactly how you want to proceed.
I apologize if somehow I have offended you in anyway. I don't have a set way I want to do things. I really was asking to get the opinions and views of other sitters. Even though I am a primer sitter I still have the struggles of staying bust through rover. So the suggestions that others have offered on here do help me in making sure that I am right along the same path as other sitters as we are all trying to expand our number of clients, so I thank everyone for their suggestions.