Share This Page

Tweet

PSI Staff | March 2017

The March/April issue of Pet Sitter’s World magazine was PSI’s 2017 Technology Issue. The issue’s cover asked, “Is technology changing the way we pet sit?”And in many ways, the answer is “yes.” While no technological advancement can replace the quality care provided by an educated, professional pet sitter, technology is changing—and simplifying—the way many professional pet sitters operate their businesses.

Whether you are looking to streamline your schedule, organize your client information, or improve your marketing, as the Apple^® slogan says—“There’s an app for that!”

One of the major game changers in the professional pet-sitting industry has been access to pet-sitter software. For more on software options, including PSI’s preferred provider Power Pet Sitter, be sure to read the special software section in PSI’s 2017 Tech Issue (starting on p. 27).

But, it doesn’t stop there. There are many apps that can come in handy as you go about your day-to-day pet-sitting schedule, so we reached out to PSI members in PSI’s private Facebook group to share suggestions for apps that have improved their business.

Please note: The apps listed below come from member recommendations. PSI does not endorse—nor can we attest to the quality and/or accuracy of— any of the apps listed. Additionally, PSI is not affiliated and/or compensated by any of the apps listed below.

Apps recommended by PSI pet sitters:

Hootsuite.  Eric Reyes, owner of Metro Pup SA Dog Walking & Pet Sitting, LLC, says Hootsuite makes it easy to schedule your pet-sitting company’s weekly social-media content and also provides great analytics to track your results.

MileIQ. This app was recommended by multiple PSI members. MileIQ allows you to track your mileage and classify your travel as business, personal, etc.  It also allows you to add other details you may need for your records to deduct mileage on your tax return.

Triplog. Also recommended by multiple PSI members, this is another app you can use to track your mileage.

Carbonite. Recommended by PSI member Terri Adams Perry, owner of Fuzzy Friends Petsitting LLC, this app provides automatic backup for your desktop or laptop files. Terry says the most useful part for her has been being able to access her documents from her smartphone, and says that you can also use your backup files in Carbonite to restore your files in the event your PC crashes. She says she uses this often when she’s on the road and gets a call to book a meet and greet. With her files available on her smartphone, she’s able to email her pet-sitting company’s welcome letter to the prospective client right away.

Wave.  This app, recommended by PSI member Kate McPike, owner of K8's Pet Care LLC, can be used for invoicing and credit card payments. According to Wave’s site, their software and their app (for iPhone or Android) are free, and fees for services—credit card processing and payroll—are pay as you go.

Canva.  Several PSI members also recommended this app, which allows you to quickly and easily create a variety of images and documents, from Facebook cover photos and Twitter headers to postcards and brochures.  Accessing the program on your desktop, laptop or through the app in the Apple Store is free, but a paid version is available that offers more options and allows you to save your company’s colors, fonts and logos.

Animoto.  Recommended by PSI member Jennifer Taylor, owner of JenLovesPets, this app allows you to quickly update your photos and video clips to create professional-looking videos and slideshows for your pet-sitting business.

Ripl. This app, recommended by PSI member Cara Armour, owner of Active Paws Inc., can also be used to create videos for your pet-sitting business. Ripl allows you to create animated posts and quickly share them across your company’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Slack. This app, also recommended by PSI member Cara Armour, bills itself as “team communication for the 21^st century.” Cara says she uses the app to communicate with her staff sitters and that it helps the group feel more cohesive.

Google Docs.  This app enables you to access, write, edit and collaborate on your documents on the go. PSI member Jamie Hoad, owner of Lazy Days Pet Sitting Service, says she uses Google Docs for recording client information. She says she’s also a big fan of other Google products, including Google Cloud (to access her Google docs and sheets on her phone) and Google Calendar for scheduling.

American Red Cross Pet First Aid. PSI member Robyn Simnioniw, owner of Robyn's Nest Pet Sitting, LLC, says she uses the pet first aid app available through the American Red Cross. It provides emergency first aid information for a variety of pet emergencies and also features a vet hospital locator.

Not surprisingly, the top recommendations also included the apps for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which make managing your pet-sitting company’s social-media pages simple and convenient.

Are there other apps you’ve found helpful for your pet-sitting business? Share your suggestions in the comments below.