We know you’re busy caring for your furry clients. So, it’s extra important to have an app to manage your business. A good booking app should help grow your business while giving you more time to do what you love.
In the article, we dive into PocketSuite, the all-in-one scheduling app for pet business owners, and teach you how to use the app to grow your business.
What is PocketSuite?
PocketSuite is all-in-one software to grow your pet business. It offers intuitive features to automate business management tasks and communicate with clients.
PocketSuite is mobile-first, so you have access to all our features on the go. From booking to payments to contracts, you can manage your business straight from your phone.
Whether you’re a budding solo pet sitter or a seasoned pro with a team, we have solutions to help you attract and retain clients.
Here’s how to use PocketSuite to grow your pet business.
#1 Automate Online Booking
Automation is a must when it comes to scheduling clients. On PocketSuite, you can customize your booking site, so clients are free to book your services online.
You or your client can confirm appointments within minutes, depending on your settings. Your availability automatically updates to reflect new bookings. Just remember to set a buffer and lead time to give yourself (or your team) a breather between sessions.
We know a smooth booking process is essential to retain clients and increase your revenue. So, whether they’re looking for 1:1 or group sessions, your clients have total flexibility with scheduling. And you get more time in your day.
Here’s a tip: Attach forms and contracts to your services so clients can fill them out or sign them when they book you for a session. That way, you’re ready to go on the day of the appointment.
#2 Create Pet Profiles
Pet profiles keep your client information, bookings, and purchases organized. Create a pet profile for each of your client’s pets and attach them to separate appointments, invoices, forms, contracts, and more! Plus, you can add custom fields to the profile to track birthdays, vaccination records, or other client preferences.
#3 Get more leads and reviews
Clients want a pet pro they can trust, especially when they’re coming to their home or taking their pet to your home. So, their first stop will be your Google business page to check out reviews and services. You can optimize your Google business to get discovered and land more bookings. Use the following tips to make sure your Google business profile shows up in search results when clients search “pet sitter near me”:
- Update your business info. Make sure your service hours, description, and contact information are accurate.
- Add a “book now” button to your Google Business profile. It will link directly to your appointment booking site, so you get more leads.
- Ask clients for reviews. High-quality reviews increase your search rankings. More good reviews mean more bookings. Also, respond to bad reviews to quell worries from potential clients.
#4 Host a reservation
PocketSuite makes it easy to create multi-day or overnight services with our reservations feature. Reservations are perfect if you offer pet sitting or in-home boarding services. With the right booking software, you’re sure to book more clients in your reservation slots.
Here’s how Reservations transform your business:
- Create and edit multi-day or overnight appointments in seconds.
- Charge by night, day, or fixed cost to suit your business model.
- Manage flexible check-in and check-out time slots with ease to keep everything running smoothly.
- Add capacity limits, rooms, and equipment to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Every time a reservation is booked, the app will generate a list of pre-defined tasks for you. We call them – Smart Tasks. That way, you don’t have to keep all those checklists in your head or on a spreadsheet. You can track everything that is supposed to happen during that stay directly within PocketSuite, including:
- Measuring and preparing food and water at meal times
- Taking dogs out for walks and playtime
- Checking temperatures, or administering medications
You can see it all in the app. Goodbye to clipboards, spreadsheets, and manual checklists!
#5 Accept Payments
What is the best way to get paid quickly? Offer multiple payment options! With PocketSuite, you have the flexibility to accept payments on your terms.
Clients can pay for your services online or in person. We offer multiple payment methods, like tap-to-pay on a mobile phone and Buy Now Pay Later. With multiple payment options, you can get paid faster and create a better experience for your clients.
And, because your time is valuable, be sure to set a cancellation policy and fee in the PocketSuite app. That way, your client’s saved card will be charged automatically if they’re late or miss an appointment.
If you’re looking to grow your pet sitting business, you need to get paid on time. You send custom invoices, add items or expenses, and even schedule invoices so they’re sent to clients automatically. And remember to go into the app and set your payment reminder frequency.
#6 Sell products online
When you’re a dog lover, you see dozens of ads for pet care products every day. As a pet pro, you can flip the script and grow your business by selling those products yourself.
With PocketSuite, it’s easy to set up an online store to sell retail products to your clients. Simply list the products on your site, set pickup or delivery preferences, and get ready for fulfillment. Whether you’re selling pet toys or pet food, you’re sure to see the orders come rolling in. It’s a great way to boost your revenue and build trust with your clients.
Here’s a tip: If you have products that pair well with a service, you can set them as add-ons in the PocketSuite app. This way, they’ll be upsold to your clients when they book you for a service.
#7 Bundle your services
No pet pro is the same, and neither are your clients. To grow your pet business, offer your services as a bundle that fits your client’s needs. With PocketSuite, you can bundle your services as packages.
With packages, you make more money from a single booking. For example, your clients will pay upfront for 5 at-home boarding sessions.
Feel free to add a discount to a package before listing it on your booking site.
#8 Text Marketing
To grow your pet business. You’ll need a solid marketing strategy. PocketSuite has tools that can help. In the app, you can nurture and grow your client base with SMS text marketing.
Text marketing is the easiest way to:
- Get reviews from clients
- Ask for referrals
- Re-engage past clients
- Announce product promotions on your online store
- Send out seasonal service promotions
With PocketSuite’s automated Smart Campaigns, you can connect with clients via text.
#9 Streamline Client Communications
Client retention is key to growing a high-income pet business. To keep your current clients happy and engaged, you’ll need to stay in touch with them.
Client communication is a priority. So, PocketSuite has advanced in-app client messaging. You see all communications and updates from your clients in the app. And you can even create and save message templates to share with clients quickly.
And be sure to take advantage of the dedicated business line offered to all premium subscribers.
Can PocketSuite help my business grow?
Absolutely! PocketSuite is the all-one app to run a pet business. You can schedule appointments, accept payments, and get contracts signed straight from your phone. We have all the tools you need to grow a high-income pet business.
