As most of you know I work for a petsitting business. This is the 2nd owner, she has had the business for almost 2 years. She has lost SO MUCH business due to her poor business sense, or I should say customer service sense. Of course, in my favor it has worked out well. I have about 6 families who go through me now, and not her. Here is a good example of why so many people have been fed up with her, and why they no longer go through her.
I have a dog here, she is suppose to be picked up at 9:30am. The business owner gives me a contract, and on it states when the pick up time is. Last week,she asked if I would take 2 dogs just for the week(starting today), at that time she did not have times. Ok, no problem.
So 9;30 comes and goes. At 10am I call her on her cell phone, and voice mail is on. I leave a message that it is now 10am, but contract said 9:30 for pick up. She calls me 10 minutes later. She tells me she changed the time to 2:30, as she was going to pick up other 2 dogs, drop them off and pick up "Coco".. She apoligizes(like she has done a million times). I only guessed she OKd it with the owner of "Coco"(the dog who is still here). 10 minutes later she calls again and states "I have to pick up Coco at noon", owners wont be home later on this afternoon. My point, she changed the times, and never bothered calling the owner until after the dropoff time. She must of called them right after she talked to me. This is what has happened countless times, times change, never bothers calling me or owners. Arrives at owners house late, and they are mad. Then there is me. When I make arrangements with owners(outside business), we discuss times. I make sure I am ALWAYS on time, and I deliver(Or they have option to pick up on weekends, the business will not deliver on weekends).
This is exactly why so many customers have complained about the new business owner, and why they call me directly now.
How can she expect to run a business this way?
The old owner had somebody working in the office(It was just a home office)doing the phone work, and then she would do all the driving. The new owner has no office help(She use to, but they quit and never hired anybody else). So How can she be on the road and answer phone calls?
Why dont some people just get a clue?
Im really not complaining,because I have had a very profitable summer with my own customers.

By Cat on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 12:08 pm:

I can understand how that'd be frustrating! I have no patience when it comes to people being late. I even tell all my parents that I will have all the patience in the world for the children, but for adults who know better I don't. That, and charging a heafty late fee gets most of them here on time! lol I imagine if the new owner keeps this up she's going to be out of business and you're going to have more clients than you know what to do with.

By Annie2 on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 10:55 pm:

Jackie, you mentioned a problem with this owner before, if I remember correctly. I think you were also at a crossroad if you should venture out on your own, in this business.

If you have six families that rely on you directly, I think you should consider opeing up your own business. Word of mouth alone, about you, will bring in more clients.

You definitely love what you do. Do it for yourself and not for a boss. You then can employ people for yourself, with your standard of care and rules of contracts.

Go for it!

By Karen~admin on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 08:03 am:

Ditto Annie!!!!! What she is doing is not only inconsiderate and unprofessional, it is disrespectful as well!!!! That would drive me nuts. I say go for it on your own!