For the most part pet sitters often enjoy a pleasant two-way working relationship with clients. After all, leaving a stranger with your pets involves placing your implicit trust in them. But the trust goes both ways, as you also expect to be paid for services rendered. However, some clients are a nightmare to work for and are very demanding. How can you cope with demanding clients?
Remain Calm and Professional
Losing your temper and letting clients know what you think of them will not get you anywhere, except a quick escort out the front door. When you are dealing with demanding clients you should remain calm and professional at all times.
Allow clients the opportunity to speak before you chime in. If all they seem to do is make a list of demands, take the time to digest what they have said and carefully consider how you will respond.
Be Accountable for Your Actions
Some clients become difficult and demanding due to insecurity issues on their part, rather anything you may have done to unsettle them. This is sometimes caused by a bad experience with a former pet sitter. Or a client may be worried in case you are not caring for their pets in the way they want, which can make your job as a pet sitter even more challenging.
One way to overcome this challenge is to always give an account of your actions. Keep a daily log with each client’s pet’s happenings, even mundane issues such as which streets you walked Fido or how much he ate. Clients who are genuinely concerned about their pet’s welfare will be reassured to see the lengths you are willing to go to let them know that you are a reliable and dependable pet sitter.
Offer Additional Services for an Extra Fee
Do you ever get the feeling that a client is trying to squeeze as much out of you for as little as possible? If so, you need to nip this type of behaviour in the bud. Pet sitters love their job for the most part, but they still need to make a living.
If a client is trying to overstep the mark and demands more of you than you originally agreed, let them know that you offer additional services that they are requesting for an extra fee. For example, if a one-hour dog walk is stretching into an additional 15 minutes with the cat each day you need to discuss this with clients, add this service on and bill them for it.
Demanding clients can be draining and hard to deal with. But with the proper management techniques you can overcome this problem and get the most out of your job as a pet sitter.
More from this contributor:
Pet Sitters: How to Keep Clients Coming Back for More
Pet Sitters: Should You Ask for Upfront Payment?
Pet Sitters: What to Do If You Suspect Clients Mistrust You
