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Pet Sitter Guide
Pet Sitter Orientation Guide
About TMT
*Take Meowt , LLC was established in October 2017 and branded in 2019.
*The company started with one client. As the client list grew so did the need for professional sitters. Through time, effort and quality service, Take Meowt has grown to 15 Sitters and 150 clients, and continues to do so.
*Word of mouth is a major part of our growth and it is our professionalism, reliability, integrity and knowledge that keep us going strong.
*We have a strong set of values that we follow, and this foundation will serve our company well, as we become the best pet services company in the Lake Norman area. Stick to the Values and you’ll always succeed.
Our Values
Integrity – Do what you say you will do, even when no one is looking.
Honesty – Always tell the truth, even when it is hard to do. Our service is built on trust and honesty with others lively hood.
Passion – Do what you really care about. If you like pets and animals, this work is simple. Pets just need love and care. TMT is awesome in the fact that: we as a team help deal with the hard part: the humans.
Partnership – Be indispensable to the client, respected by your team mates, and loved by the pets.
Knowledge– We learn something new everyday: Ask Questions, Verify and share info, stay up to date with your clients/pets.
Our Mission Statement
As a care taker, its important to believe that pets are family. They feel as we do: love, sadness, pain etc. So, When pet parents have to leave, knowing they cannot travel with their fur baby, that can be incredibly stressful. Especially in an emergency.
To help with that stress; We provide professional, reliable, loving care for our clients’ pets in the comfort of their own home when they can’t be there.
What does this mean?
We arrive when we say we will. We will care for the pets as instructed, and accompany the pets for as long as promised. We will quickly update the client of the state of their fur baby and home, then plan accordingly for our next assignments.
Confidential and Proprietary Information
Information which is of a confidential or proprietary nature to Take Meowt , our suppliers and clients are considered valuable assets of TMT and should not be disclosed to any outside person.
If you decide to terminate your contract with TMT, you are required to return all company property including client information lists, leads and technical information.
Non-Disclosure of Confidential Information
At no time shall an independent contractor directly or indirectly obtain, disclose, reveal, use for an independent contractor or any person, or aid others in obtaining, disclosing, revealing or using any confidential information of the Company, other than as may be required in the performance of duties for and as authorized by the Company.
Bonding & Insurance
Since your work with our company, this requires you to handle other people’s property and to deal with money. TMT supplies bonding and liability insurance coverage as it relates to the company’s liability in servicing our clients. We cover their home and pet.
*Additional insurance coverage would be the responsibility of the Independent Contractor.
Pet Care Assignments
Service Level
Below is the service that TMT promises their clients:
Our standard pet sitting service is 30 minutes and includes:
- neighborhood walk/backyard play
- scooping the litter box/ yard
- “oops” accident cleanup
- clean bowls & fresh water
- treats/food as needed
- medication administration
- LOVE!
- We can also water plants, turn on/off lights, open/close curtains or blinds and bring in the mail. We will also roll out trash bins for pick up and return the next day.
- All of our pet sitting services include a complete update emailed to you after every visit to let you know how the visit went and how your pets are doing.
In addition to care of a client’s pets and home, clients may request additional services during the visit. Any additional services required will be communicated in the client profile or in the notes on your assignment. It is important to review each client profile every time you are given an assignment in order to satisfy the client’s requirements.
Even if you visiting a client’s home that you have been to before, pet and house care requirements can change, so it is best to make sure you have the most up to date information.
Visit Lengths
Short Visit- 15 minutes.
Standard Visit/Dog Walking – 30 minutes.
Extended Visit – 45 minutes.
Premium Visit- 1 Hr.
Overnight Visit- 10pm-7am.
Over Day Visit- 8am-9pm.
You will always know how long you are expected to be at each pet sit by what is referenced on the visit on your schedule.
NOTE: Sometimes a client may be home or have someone else in their home and still wants a visit for their pets. In this case, you can care for the pets but, after completely caring for the pets, if you feel it best to not stay the whole length of the visit so as not to disturb someone who is in the home, that is fine.
Video Monitoring
Many clients today have video cameras to monitor activity in their home. Alarm systems keep track of when the system was disarmed and armed again. Neighbors may be watching the house and keeping track of your visit. Sometimes a client is actually home – they may be home sick or home early – and monitoring what you do with their pets. As long as you are providing quality care and following the client requirements for each assignment, it won’t matter if anyone or anything is watching. If we are aware that a client does have some sort of video monitoring, we will indicate this on their profile with a tag (however the absence of a tag does not necessarily mean there is no camera!)
Client Keys
You are responsible for the care, custody, and control of all keys and client files in your possession.
All keys are coded; they must never be marked with the client name or address. Keys assigned to you will already be tagged. Do not, under any circumstances, change the information on the tag. You are to keep client keys locked safely away when they are not in use and (unless specifically required for an assignment) must return keys to the office upon completion of your assignment.
Please confirm that you have keys for upcoming assignments and if not, your request for keys must be made at least 24 hours in advance of the first visit of the assignment by contacting the office. Key pick up arrangements will be made with you based on your location.
You can verify that you have the correct key for an assignment by checking the Client Key Tag Code that is on the tag with the code in the Client Profile (in Home Access section).
Client Payment
You may be notified that a client will be leaving a payment for TMT. Please check to see if payment was left and pick up. You can drop off the payment at the locked drop box outside the TMT office as soon as possible. Other wise Payments and tips are made through the portal.
Payment For Your Services
Payment for your services is made by direct deposit to your bank account every other Friday. The payment will be for all your completed visits for the two week period that ended the Friday before the direct deposit date. The amount paid to you will reflect the rate for each visit plus any client tips that may have been received during that period.
You will be able to opt in to receive a notification text the day before your payment is direct deposited that will show the amount paid for your completed visits and any tips received.
Lock Box & Drop Box Instructions
We use a combination of a lockbox and a dropbox to allow you to pick up keys and other items you may need for your assignments. You can also drop off or pick up keys, checks, payments, envelopes, etc. into the dropbox when requested.
The lockbox/Dropbox is located at 1076 Mt Ulla Hwy. Mooresville, NC 28115.
The Lock box holds the key to open the Drop box- The combination is 9824.
Key Requests
You will need access to a client’s home in order to care for their pets. There are multiple ways that clients allow us access. Clients may provide keys, may have keyless entry, request we come through an overhead garage door and in some cases, SBPC has installed key lock boxes on the client’s property. Profiles may be tagged with icons that identify if a key is not required or is on the client property. Please review the Schedule Icons document in the online Pet Sitter Guide to identify what icons are used on profiles and what they mean.
Please review the client profiles for your assigned visits to make sure that a key is needed. Check the Home Access section of the profile to see if keys are required or there is some other way to access the pets. Clients who have keyless entries or keys hidden on their property may be tagged with an icon that will show up in the visits on your schedule.
In the case of shared assignments, we sometimes use a portable lock box. Check the visit notes for the current assignment to see if a portable lock box is being used for the assignment. Don’t assume a portable lock box is being used because it was used on a previous assignment. Check the client profile and visit notes to be sure. If a portable lock box is being used, you may be asked to install or remove from a client’s home. Check the online pet sitter guide for instructions on how to install/remove a portable lock box. The lock box code will be provided as a note in the visit on your schedule.
You must request keys for your assignments if they are needed. We ask that you request keys if needed for assignments at least 24 hours’ in advance. You must request keys – we do not automatically put keys out for pick up when assignments are made.
Requests for keys are to be made by sending a message through the scheduling system. The subject line should say Key Request and the body of the email should list the client names that you need keys for.
Once your request is received, we will either put the key in the Huntersville office drop box or make arrangements to get you the keys you need. We will reply to your message letting you know that key is available for pick up at the office.
Please do not text or email key requests. Given the volume of text messages and emails received each day, it is very easy for those requests to get overlooked.
We know that there are last minute requests and you may not have 24 hours’ notice yourself of a particular visit. If you have a last-minute request for a visit, we will make arrangements to get you keys if needed.
We hope this helps streamline the process of requesting the keys you need for assignments. Thanks so much for all you do for our clients and their pets.
Schedule Icons
The following icons and/or buttons will or may appear on your schedule. You can click on them in your schedule to complete a particular task or get specific information. Here is a list of the icons and what they mean.
Installing or Removing Portable Lockbox
When you are sharing an assignment with other sitters, you may be asked to install or remove a portable lockbox at a secure location on the client’s property so that keys may be used by different sitters. Generally, installing the lockbox on the front door knob or handle is sufficient but depending on the type (like a lever handle), that will not keep the box secure. If that is the case, you can attach to a railing, hose faucet, etc. Just make sure the box cannot be removed without actually opening and that it is easily accessible to the rest of the team. Instructions about the box location, code, etc. will be in the notes on the visit for the client.
Independent Contractors
Scheduling System Introduction
You can login to your schedule and profile on the system using your smartphone, laptop or home computer. Your login information is the same no matter what you use. For the purposes of this information, we will use examples from logging in from your phone.
Logging In
Using your browser, go www.Takemeowt.com
Click the Pink “Client Login” Button under the logo at the top of the menu bar
You will be taken to the Login screen. Enter your User Name and Password
You will be taken to your Dashboard. From here you can see your schedule, update your
profile (including your User Name and Password), access your Availability calendar, etc.
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Viewing Your Schedule
Before you are given assignments, we will send you an email, text or call you to see if you are available. Once we know you can take an assignment, the visits will be put on your schedule. You will also receive a daily email for your scheduled visits for that day.
Requested visits will show up on your schedule and will be in a red field. This indicates that you must either accept or decline the visit.
To accept a visit, click on the visit and click on the blue Accept button. The visit will turn yellow on your schedule. If you need to decline the visit, click on the red Decline button.
We will be notified. If you want to send a note or question about the visit, you can click on the gray Note button and type in the information. We will be notified and get back to you with a response. NOTE: If you want to accept multiple items on your schedule, you can click the stacked box at the top of the schedule next to the date and that will choose all items so you can accept multiple visits at once instead of going through them individually.You can view your schedule in several different formats – Table View and Calendar View. Within Calendar View, you can choose to look at your choice of multiple days – 1 day, 3 day, etc. Both views will have the same functions. You can use the format you prefer.
Calendar View
Table View
Client Information Profile
All the information you will need to complete a client assignment will be available through the system on your schedule. This information contains the client name, address, home information (alarm systems, keys, etc.) as well as any additional services required during the visit. Each pet in the home will have their own profile within the client profile that will provide you with the type of pet, name, picture, personality, routine, feeding instructions, any medications required or special instructions, etc. You can get to this information by clicking on the hyperlink in the client name on your schedule or under Petcare from your Dashboard.
We highly recommend that you review the client profile BEFORE each assignment as information can change regarding home care, pet care, etc. Clients update profiles regularly so it is important that you make sure you have the most up to date details.
If you find that there are notes left at the home by the client that are different than the profile, follow those notes. If you have any questions about details in the profile, call the office for clarification.
Starting and Completing Assigned Visits
All assigned visits must be completed within the client’s requested time frame. See additional information in the Scheduling Section below.
When you arrive at the client’s home, open your schedule and click on the blue Arrived button. The color of the visit will change to blue indicating that the visit is In Progress.
Once the visit is complete, click the green Complete button. This will indicate that you have completed the visit and the color of the visit will change to gray.
If you need to provide any notations to the office regarding the visit, you can click on the gray Add Note button. These notes will only go to the office; they will not be seen by the client.
Complete the Journal Update
Completing the Journal Update
Unless otherwise instructed, you must complete a Journal Update after every visit. This provides the client with confirmation that the visit was completed, when you started and when you finished as well as details about how the visit went and what tasks where completed during the visit. The update gives general information about how the pets are doing and what they did while you were there. We strongly encourage you to send photos along with the update as this feature is a very important part of building the client relationship. Clients just love seeing comments and pictures about how cute their pets are. Pictures can also provide important information to the client in the case of a concern about how a pet is doing.
Click on the blue Add Journal button at the bottom of the visit. Once the form comes up, all the standard schedule information will already be there – client, visit, date, pet, etc. – as well as the start and complete times of the visit.
Use the checklist to indicate what the pets did – pee, poop, etc. – and what you did. Medication, meals, fresh water, treats, walk, trash taken out, plants watered, mail collected, etc.
There is a field at the bottom of the form where you can make comments to the client about how cute their pet was, that cuddles were given, etc. This is the section where you can communicate with the client something special about how things went. It does not have to be lots of information and you do not have to repeat any of the items that you already checked off from the list.
Add a photo (or photos). We recommend that you take the photo before you start working on the Journal Update as the action of taking a photo can sometimes log you out of the system.
You can add a photo 2 different ways in the Journal Update. There is a blue Add Photo button at the top of the form. Click that and then choose the photo from your phone you want to add. You can also finish the form and then click the green Add Photo and Email Client button.
Once you complete the form, click the blue Email Client button.
Trouble Logging In/Sending Updates
If you have trouble getting a signal that prevents you from logging in to your schedule or sending a Journal Update, go ahead and start/complete the visit as usual. Try again when you get to an area where you have a signal again. If you still cannot login, send a text to the office letting us know that you are having trouble and provide a short update about how the visit went. We will forward to the client and let them know that a full update will be sent once service is restored.
Normally, the system captures the start and end times of a visit but if you find that you must send the update later because of this situation, you can manually input the start and end time of a visit on the Journal Update.
Once you have clicked on the blue Add Journal button, click in the Arrival Time box at the top of the form.
Choose a time from the drop down chart. On the left side of the chart, AM hours are at the top half and PM hours are at the bottom half. Minutes (in 5 minute increments) are to the right side of box.
Click on the Departure Time box and choose a time from the chart.
Make sure you pick the correct time – AM or PM. The time you have manually entered will now appear in the Journal Update.
NOTE: Although the times that you manually entered will be displayed for the client in the Journal Update, your actual Arrived and Completed times will be picked up once you click those buttons and will appear in the visit itself. The client will not see those times.
Tags/Icons/Notes
There are a number of different icons or Tags that you may see in the visit on your schedule. Each identifies information about the visit that you need to be aware of. You may also see Notes to you on a visit from the office or directly from the client. You can also add notes to a visit that will only be seen by the office if needed.
Services and Scheduling
Please make sure that you pay attention to the service type.
That will tell you how long the visit needs to be (30 minutes or 45 minutes, etc.)
Once a client chooses a service, they choose the time frame for completion of the visits. These are called Time Blocks.
EarlyMorning (7am–9am)
Late Morning (9am – 11am)
Early Mid Day (11am – 1pm)
Mid Day (1pm – 3pm)
Afternoon (3pm – 5pm)
Evening (5pm – 8pm)
Bed Time (8pm – 10pm)
These time blocks will show up on your scheduled indicating the time frame that client requests the service be completed. The client may also add a note to the visit that could indicate a preference of time for the visit. If you can accommodate that request that is fine but you still have the time frame indicated on your schedule to complete the visit. You may have multiple visits within the same time block. You can decide how to prioritize the visits and do them in any order as long as you complete the visits within the time frame indicated for each client.
The only time this would not be the case is if you are scheduled for a Client Meet & Greet (actually meeting the human client) or an Introduction (meeting another team member at the location to be introduced to pets and routine). The time on your schedule for those particular visits will be scheduled at an exact time. The visit will be tagged with an icon to identify.
Servicing Area
Mooresville
LKN
North Davidson
Mt. Ulla
Amity Hill (South Cleveland)
Troutman
28115
28117
28036
28125
27013
28166