If you have been pet sitting for a while then you have probably slipped into routines of how you perform different tasks.  How you answer the phone, conduct a client interview, perform a visit, and follow-up with clients. Do you have these routines written down or are they all in your head? If you are like me they are in your head! 

Getting routines written down on paper can help you to see opportunities to improve the way you do things and make regularly performed tasks more efficient.  When you start growing and need to get help from assistants or sitters having a written set of steps will save you time when you assign them tasks and make sure they they perform the tasks the way that you want them done.

Creating systems is just getting your routines down on paper in an organized format - the best way to do this is to create flowcharts that show the steps involved in each task and how they link together.

A simple method for creating systems is to ask yourself three questions:

1) What are we doing?  What are the tasks that have to be done for your business to generate, serve, and follow up with customers?

2) Where are we going?  What is the desired outcome upon completion of each of these tasks? 

3) How do we get there? What are the steps that have to happen to reach the desired outcome?

Lets look at an example -

Step 1 – Answering a call from a potential new client

Step 2 – The desired outcome is that they will book pet sitting visits and schedule an initial interview.  Another outcome will be to get their contact details – phone number and email address – so that you can keep in touch with them and follow up.  This means that even if they call and cancel (the neighbor has decided they can watch the pets this time!) that you will have their details and can send them coupons or flyers to entice them to use your service in the future.  A third outcome may be to find out where they heard about you so that you can track the effectiveness of your marketing.

Step 3 – The steps that you have to go through to get them to book will vary depending on the client but you will always have to :

Greet the client. 

Ask them about their needs and their pets and when they will need your services

Explain the features and benefits of your service and your pricing

Ask them when they would like to schedule their initial interview or consultation

Ask them for their address, phone number and an email address (so that you can send them welcome information)

Ask them how they found your service.

This is a simplified step by step process for the initial call – in reality on a system flowchart the next step on the call would depend on their response you have received from the previous question. However, I hope this example has illustrated how the 3 steps can be used.

These 3 steps were designed by process expert Beth Schneider of Process Prodigy.  I love Beth’s straightforward way of explaining the process creation process. 

I am currently working on my first set of business systems.  Do you have documented systems for your pet sitting business? How have they helped you?  Tell us by leaving a comment!