Pay Me to Interview for the Job!

July 29, 2023: Episode 114

What?! This sounds absurd! How many times have you been paid by a potential employer for an interview? I will take a gamble & say never.

This is how I view charges for pet service consultations. The service provider is essentially interviewing for the position. The pet parent is the employer, as they are seeking services. They are interviewing multiple candidates for the position. (Sits & Wiggles recommends interviewing multiple candidates, although we know that not everyone does.) The pet sitter, walker, etc. is providing the service, & is looking to be hired. So why would or should the pet parent pay for the chance to interview pet professionals? Employers don't have a motivator to pay interviewees. The job is the motivator for the service provider, or applicant / candidate. This is the same with pet parents. They've already offered a motivating factor. I don't think pet sitting & dog walking consultations should cost anything. The pet pro should be able to "wow!" the pet parent during this time. I don't feel that it's right to charge for sitting & walking consults. My opinion is unpopular among the pet industry. Arguments are few. The main ones are:

1. My time is valuable & I should be paid for that time.

2. I don't want to undervalue myself.

3. I pay my staff to attend the consults, so I should charge the potential client.

I will dispute each of these.

1. The client's time isn't any less valuable than the sitters' time. They're not being paid to meet you. THIS IS A COST OF BUSINESS, just like setting up booths at community events, distributing flyers & business cards, etc. Your time is certainly valuable. However, you are investing your time & energy into your business & whatever product or service you're providing to your community. Do you demand payment from the people who take your business cards or other marketing materials? Of course not. It's not the potential client's responsibility to pay you for the time you invest into your company.

In addition, unlike most professions, pet sitters & walkers are entering your home while you are absent. We are caring for your beloved animals. We are held to a higher standard, as you are trusting us with life, safety, security, privacy, etc. We are unsupervised while we work. We may interact with your neighbors. You need to feel comfortable enough to trust us. Earning your trust is something we don't take for granted. This is another reason why I don't feel that it's right to charge. Why would you pay me for me to try to earn your trust?

2. You're not undervaluing yourself. This is an opportunity to gain business. It's also an investment in the potential relationship between you, the client, & the animals. In addition, this process affords you opportunities to increase exposure, learn & update your skills, etc. Whether or not your consultation develops into a working partnership, you have invested your time & energy into your business.

3. The small amount of potential lost earnings in a 60 minute meeting with a potential client is minimal in comparison to losing that client before ever meeting them. I WOULD NEVER CONTRACT WITH A STRANGER TO CARE FOR MY ANIMALS & MY HOME WITHOUT FIRST MEETING THEM. I ALSO WOULD NEVER PAY FOR A PET SITTING OR DOG WALKING CONSULTATION. Yes, this is my own opinion, yet it is shared by many. If I were your potential client, I would not even meet you if you charged for pet sitting or dog walking consults. Therefore, you have lost 100% of the potential to earn any profit from me. Absolutely, every entrepreneur is free to make their own decisions for their company. I simply wanted to explain my thinking in why we don't charge for pet sitting & dog walking consultations.

Yes, Sits & Wiggles DOES CHARGE FOR PRIVATE DOG TRAINING CONSULTATIONS. Am I contradicting myself here? No, as training is a completely different matter. During the training consult, some training does take place. In addition, the trainer will assess what skills the pup does have, what challenges they're experiencing, & develop a plan of action to assist the pup & parents on how to reach their training goals. This meeting is much more intensive & goal driven than the sitting & walking meetings. We do offer a free half hour phone consult for training clients, which takes place prior to the in person meeting. This is an opportunity to ensure that both parties are on the same page with values, training styles & philosophies, etc. The pet parent is then welcome to move forward with the consultation or locate a different provider.

I have another thought to share. I will not contact a company who doesn't clearly state their rates & services on their website. Like most people, I don't have time to listen to a sales pitch. I need to know up front whether your rates align with my budget. Clearly listing your rates saves both of us a ton of time. Being transparent is a way of showing respect to the client, in my opinion.

Nakala Matthews