Successful sits: Ben's story & top tips for pet parents

Been wondering what it’s like to be a member of our wonderful, pet-loving community? We could easily wax lyrical about why joining TrustedHousesitters is so great for pet parents and sitters alike, but sometimes, it really does pay to hear it from the horse’s (or rather, the pet parent’s) mouth. 

Meet Ben: TrustedHousesitters’ Product Manager and active pet parent member. By day, Ben and his team work hard to improve the TrustedHousesitters platform, but by night (or rather, whenever Ben has packed away his laptop for the day), he’s a pet parent to two sweet Dachshunds and two lovable kitties - and so far, has welcomed three wonderful sitters into his home, with plenty more sure to follow. 

Ever eager to find out more, we sat down for a catch-up with Ben, who was kind enough to share his story and top tips with us…

“Hi, I am Ben - Product Manager here at TrustedHousesitters. I’ve been with the company for three years. I also joined TrustedHousesitters as a pet parent member over three years ago, as I love marketplaces, and loved our product and proposition.”

In his day-to-day life, Ben is constantly looking for new ways to improve and better our platform. And as a pet parent himself, he understands better than most the impact of what he and his team do each and every day…  

“Member experience is a huge area of the TrustedHousesitters product - our main focus is to help our members be successful, and find an amazing sitter or house sit. At the end of the day, our mission is to enable happy pets and a growing community for many years to come.

As a pet parent and a Product Manager, I believe that you have to live and breathe the product. For me, you need to experience using it yourself to really understand and identify our member’s needs and problems.”

Over the last year, Ben, his wife, Mary, and their adorable 4-year-old have enjoyed three lovely getaways, and each time have turned to TrustedHousesitters to find loving pet care for their growing fur family.

“I live in a small town in Sussex, with beautiful sea and countryside just 20 minutes away. It's a small cottage and our family home. We have two miniature Dachshunds named Billy and Bear, and two cats named Pickle and Pumpkin.”

By now a seasoned TrustedHousesitters member, we wonder: does Ben have any top tips for a successful sit? You betcha he does… 

Ben’s top tips for successful sits 

1. Over-communicate

Response time

“When you first post your sit and receive an application, don’t hang around. I always aim to reply to my sitter applications as soon as possible - it’s also likely that the sitter will have applied to another nearby sit, so by not responding you may miss out on your ideal sitter.” 

Set up a video call 

“I would arrange a video call or, if possible, a meet-up. Be clear on timings and dates, and mention any quirks about your pet(s) and home. Also, ask them lots of questions - this will help you to feel more comfortable in leaving your home and pet(s) in their care.” 

Be clear on responsibilities

“For example, when you say it would be ‘nice’ or ’good’ if you have time to water the garden, what you should say is ‘please may you water the garden’. Especially when you have spent months growing veg, and then there is a tough two weeks when we are experiencing 35°c heat!  

Also, be really clear about your pet’s behaviour. At 14, Billy is an old boy now - every other night he might have a little accident. I always make this clear, as it’s better to discuss this sooner rather than later and be left with an upset sitter.”

2. Preparing for your sitter  

Share your Welcome Guide

“Once you confirm a sitter, they will want to know the exact address and further details about your home and pets. Sharing your Welcome Guide will help prepare your sitter for their upcoming stay in your home.”

Discuss check-in/check-out 

“Discuss how you will hand over keys, what time you will leave and when you expect your sitter to arrive. I personally have found having an hour handover to go over the house and introduce the pets in person, works very well.”

Be clear with on-sit communication

“Do you want to receive a message and picture of your pets on a daily basis, or only if there is an emergency? Discuss this early on. For us, we prefer to see regular photos of the pets and to know that our sitter is happy and has everything they need.”

3. The finishing touches

Confirm your sitter’s travel details 

“If you have an international sitter, it’s good to get confirmation that they have booked their travel. We had a sitter send across their flight details once, which really put our minds at ease.”

Share your local tips

“I always ask if the sitter has any interests or hobbies and if they would like any local suggestions. I can then make a tailored list and know they are getting the best out of the area. I’m very proud of the area we live in and some of the hidden gems!” 

Get your home sitter-ready

“I personally wouldn’t want to live out of a suitcase for a week! So, I always ask our sitters if they would like some wardrobe or bathroom space to unpack. I also do a big clean for our sitters and ask them to leave the house as they found it. It’s really nice to come back to a clean house after a holiday. 

Finally, I often leave food in the fridge and say please do finish any of the perishable goods (it's worth checking whether they have any dietary requirements in advance). I also make space for them to put their own food in the fridge and freezer.” 

And as for any final thoughts or nuggets of wisdom, Ben had this to say… 

“Communicate, stay in touch, put the effort in and you will have an amazing sit experience. I have even made new friends from those who have sat for us!

Experiencing the platform for myself really puts what we do here in the Product Team into perspective. We have just confirmed a sitter for the holidays, and I’m looking forward to many more trips away in 2023 knowing my furry friends are well looked after, and that a sitter is enjoying our home and exploring the area!” 

Hear, hear! If you’re a pet parent just starting out on your TrustedHousesitters journey, check out our handy blog on how to create the perfect owner listing, find out the mistakes to avoid according to our member Josie, or read our step-by-step guide to securing your purrrfect pet sitter.