... to not take bookings from this client in future?

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

I posted this yesterday but it wasn't read:

I have a small pet sitting business and normally send photographs of the animals to the owners - not every single visit, but several during the course of the pet sitting assignment, but I do message them every day to let them know everything is fine. This always works well. Most don't expect photos or videos and are grateful to see them when they do get them.

One customer has gone away today, fed the animals before they left, and I have been round this evening. It was around 9.30 as I had an evening meeting and had to travel on public transport which is only every half hour after 7pm, and then pick up my car. I'd already had a message asking if everything was OK and replied that yes it was, but I hadn't taken photographs this evening.

I received a message back asking for photographs tomorrow. I've looked after these animals before, and was asked for photos of each of them, possibly if they were eating. When I sent this I was asked for videos. It's very time-consuming and these are shy animals that hide, and I'm going to scare them hunting them down for photo opportunities like paparazzi.

They also have a webcam targeted on the areas the animals go, so they can see they are safe, happy, eating etc, that the food has gone.

Do you think it is anxiety over the pets, or is it that they can't actually believe I've been to feed them if I don't send pictures every single time? I feel unnerved to have it demanded of me. What do you think?

Update today:

I said that I would see them around 5.45. At 7pm I received a text from one of the owners chasing up, asking if everything was OK, and if I had been. I replied when I saw it, about 20 minutes later, that yes it was, and I hadn't replied immediately because I was at a yoga class. I took photographs and sent them on and told them I had also taken the dustbin out for them, and that the animals were fine, eating well and happy.

They come back, asking me to agree on when they can expect to receive an update for the rest of the week, as they would prefer knowing exactly when to check WhatsApp rather than constantly checking.

I asked them if there is a specific time they want me to call (bearing in mind I have a life!)

I received this:

Could you please visit them at 6? On Saturday, could you please come between 12-1 pm? In both cases, can you please send an update and pics straightaway? Thank you. Have a nice evening.

I've decided that I will no longer accept bookings from them. As I will see at least one of the couple professionally, though, my plan is to be on holiday/fully booked up in future - also bearing in mind the possibility of negative reviews.

I feel policed, not trusted, and very anxious. This is not how it should be! I don't have this with other clients, and I'm not having it with these, either.

Am I unreasonable or are they?

I’d probably say they are demanding rather than unreasonable.

I think it is reasonable for you to turn them down for future pet minding if you find it too much.

I don’t think it’s pet anxiety to expect a picture, probably so they can be sure you are actually going when agreed. If this is too big a requirement for you then obviously you are free to not rebook with her.
Im surprised none of your other clients expect photos. I’m sure this is a problem you will come up again in the future.

Any pet sitter I’ve had had always sent a photo before they left the property, it’s really a 2 minute job.

If they have a webcam and can see their bowls and them eating. How do they think the food is getting in their if you’ve not been? I could understand if they didn’t have a webcam to check themselves.

Any pet sitter I've used has sent me updates.....as a previous poster says its a 2 min job....

They sound nuts.
But you don't have to do exactly what they ask. You could just tell them you'll visit between x and y o'clock every day ( and this could be a pretty big window) and you'll email/whatsApp as soon as practicable thereafter, and this would normally but not always be within 2/3/4/ hours.
You need to set the expectations to suit you. If they want you to work around them, they should have said so in advance and you could have agreed or not, and set your charges accordingly. This situation is partly of your making, you never should have asked what time they had in mind.! It makes it sound as if you will make yourself available 24/7 at their convenience. You can politely set your own terms.

Have you not read my post (admittedly it is long).

I send updates to every client after every visit. These however, want photographs on every occasion of the (very anxious and shy) animals eating, videos, visits at specific times and updates at specific times.

Of course I update clients regularly. I have been doing this long enough to know that it is part of the service.

Totally up to you not to take further bookings from them. It is hard to know if they are particularly anxious owners or are checking up on you. Maybe they have had a bad experience previously.

Going forward it is probably worth discussing expectations about feedback with clients in advance and agreeing what level of feedback you are prepared to offer/they would like. This could vary from a daily text confirming all is well to contacting only if there is a concern. Similarly whether this includes photos. If you prefer not to do videos, you can say it not something you offer.

I'm sort of on the fence about this

They do sound INTENSE!

But, on the face of it, they asked when you'd be going the rest of the week so they know when to expect updates. Instead, you asked them if they had a preferred time...they gave you their preferred time and you think this is unreasonable that they have done as you asked and given you these timings?

You are absolutely within your rights to turn them down again (and I probably would) but based on your update, I think you probably should have been firmer and just told them when you could get there.

Yes, it is a two minute job, and I don't mind sending pictures, but I do object to being hassled and policed, demands that I do it every single time at a specific time of the day so they know what time to look at their phone. How difficult is it to check WhatsApp? I have never had this with any other customer in six years of this job.

I didn't say no other clients expect photos, actually. I said most don't ask for photos or videos. Neither did I say it is "too big a requirement". It is the demands on a daily basis for pictures and videos of them eating when they are nervous and anxious. They have a webcam so can see the food is being eaten and can see the animals are fine.

When I go away myself, I don't want pictures. I just want to know they've eaten and that things are OK. Once a day. That is my personal requirement.

I'm not getting at you, but it seems to make sense to send the message/pic/vid at the time you take them?
Or send every client the messages once per day at the same time?

I think the important thing is consistency.
Then your clients know where they are

I've done that with others. This couple typed out a list of "instructions" for the last visit, which did ask for pictures. They have now upped the ante without discussion.

Op of you are in the north west I'd hire you. They sound like hard work and I wouldn't be arsed with them.

In your OP you literally say 3 separate times that you don’t send photos every time.
Fine if that’s how you want to work but it’s not an unreasonable expectation for a photo at the time.

They also aren’t being unreasonable to want to know when you will be entering their property rather than an open all day whenever you feel like it. Maybe they have people coming to do other jobs they need to coordinate etc.

You obviously don’t gel with them so just don’t book them next time.

They sound like high maintenance.

However you asked them what time you wanted them to call. I'd have said you will visit between x and y and send an update at a time daily (at a time to suit you). They sound hard work but that they are not sure what to expect and you have not made your working conditions clear to them either

The thing about photo updates is that they are instigated by me, not the client, or have been. That is just how it has happened. Nobody has ever actually asked for them before, but I do send pictures occasionally, but without fail every customer gets a text update.

Normally, I tell them I will update daily, and send occasional pictures. These are, in every case, lighthearted, cutesy things, not proof of visiting. Until this pair, nobody has ever asked for anything more than that.

Communication with every client is always very good.

This couple have been, as a PP says, very intense. It's the tone, the policing, that I feel unsettled with.

What animals are they??

For the first time in a while we have got pets who will need sitting at home, so read this with interest. I'm with you OP. It's a bit mad to specify the time slot when you should visit. You run a business and presumably schedule to suit it.

If it were an appointment+time based service like a haircut then a customer would ask what time is possible and work to that.

I would do as others have suggested and give them the window you expect to work to, but not more. And I would push back on the eating as it isn't kind to disturb animals if they aren't in an eating mood. Not if the Webcam is there as a fallback.

They sound like hard work. Our cat sitter sends a couple of updates and photos when we're away which is more than enough. I trust her to look after them, I don't need photos to prove she's there and the cats are ok.

This is the attitude of every other client.

House cats.

Yeah they're too much like hard work OP.
If they ask again I would say no sorry it's too difficult for me to work to such a precise time schedule that you need.

Everything that DelphiniumBlue says above.

I used to do the same as you OP

I would absolutely not be accepting a booking from them again if it were one of my clients

I found it’s very easy to drive yourself into the ground especially during the summer months and demands like this just made me more stressed.

I always make sure there is more than enough food so they can pick and graze. They have adequate water and the run of the house. They are absolutely fine.

Given that they also have a webcam, I think they're being unreasonable. But if they had specific 'demands', they should have agreed them before they went away rather than shifting the goalposts now. Just finish the job this time OP and don't accept any future bookings from them.

We get updates everyday