This blog post was written by the newest member of the Time To Pet team, Jenna Griffis. With a background in customer service and a compassion for helping others, Jenna joined Time To Pet in August as the Customer Onboarding Expert and has enjoyed getting to know clients through the Onboarding Calls. Jenna has taken her knowledge of Time To Pet and anecdotal evidence from the calls to compile this list of helpful tips. Some of her favorite things to do include playing the guitar and spending time with her Golden Retriever, Joy.
It can be a daunting task to start using a pet sitting software, especially if you’re making the switch to a different program. Learning how to effectively use different settings and features is crucial to feeling comfortable with any software, and the more comfortable you feel, the easier it will be to onboard your clients. In this post, we’ve compiled a list of five important tips and tricks to know when beginning your journey with Time To Pet so that you are ready to hit the ground running.
Step 1 - Download The Time To Pet App
First things first, you’ll want to download the Time To Pet app in your mobile app store. This will allow you to see how your staff view visits when out in the field. You can download the Android App from the Google Play Store and the iPhone App from the Apple App Store (or you can search for "Time To Pet").
Step 2 - Create Test Clients
Another useful tip for getting to know the software is to create a test client and log in to the app to see their view. Use an alternate email address for this "test customer" so that you can log in to the app as both a Staff Member and a client. You’ll be able to complete test visits, send post visit reports, and view all of these as a client would.
Step 3 - Get To Know The Client Portal
Did you know that you can log in to the portal as a client? This handy tool allows you to see what any of your clients would see, which is beneficial to getting to know how Time To Pet works on the client’s end. After you’ve created your test client, spend some time configuring your Portal Settings and log in as the client from their Quick Actions menu. You’ll be able to see how specific settings affect what they are able to see when logged into their portal.
Step 4 - Configure Your Scheduler Layout
Configuring your calendar in Time To Pet to match your busy schedule as a pet sitter will help you to feel more organized and efficient. Since there are so many settings for your Scheduler, you should spend some time tweaking the layout to match your preferences. Create and organize your Schedule Blocks so that your clients know the times that you are available for services.
Helpful hint: You can also choose to show these Schedule Blocks on the calendar view of your Scheduler. These will appear in gray in the background, making it easier to see what availability is shared with your client.
Step 5 - Create Test Templates
Templates are a great way to automate the process of scheduling and billing for your recurring clients. This tool will be your best friend if you have a lot of clients who do dog walks on a recurring basis. Take a few moments to create some templates using your test client to see how these appear on your Scheduler, as well as what it looks like to approve the template for each period.
Bonus - Take Advantage Of The Gallery
This feature allows you to view photos from all of your visits. You can filter these photos by date, download them, and post them to your website and social media. Never again will you have to ask your Staff Member to send you the photo of the dog they walked that day! Plus, your clients will love that you can send them photos of their best friends at any time.
Use these tips to guide your learning as you get to know the settings and features, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a Time To Pet expert!
