Conclusion Of Pausing Application Test - Updated Post

The 5 application cutoff move has completely changed the THS application process, and for the worst, let’s be frank. It might be great for THS yearly revenue and budgeting forecasts, to have more new members, but it’s detrimental to the quality of the platform.
It’s also completely ridiculous for sitters that have worked hard to build a strong profile all throughout the years to start withdrawing from sits for the sake of a “better sit”. And so we are clear, we all started somewhere, and yes it was challenging to get our first one, but here we are today, with multiple reviews that confirm we are trustworthy, so everyone can get there.
So many HO that were on the platform for a long time have complained, and same for pet sitters. We have missed on so many sits since last year, simply because we were asleep while a sit was posted. We absolutely despise that change, and THS will not take older members opinions into consideration, wanting more members to subscribe and pay a monthly fee. That has a direct result on the potential quality of new sitters.
That said: as much as we need now to rush our application in order to “get in” before the deadline, I simply cannot believe trusted sitters that have years of experience and built a solid reputation would start applying and then withdrawing after having committed, because of a better opportunity. I’m sorry, but we spent years building our reputation, and it’s certainly not because of this 5 application change that we will start abandoning home owners. Let’s not forget that between the moment we send our application, get in touch with the HO, organize a video call, chat, then confirm, there is enough time to withdraw an application, before the last committing and final step of confirming on both side in the system, occurs.
So maybe THS needs to start implementing a rating system, when sitter and or home owner get rated by the amount of cancellations, and other related behaviours, that are detrimental to THS, the way airbnb will notify in the reviews that this listing has been cancelled 5 days prior to the start (for example).
That might make new comers that aren’t so familiar with commitments and THS’ terms and conditions, think twice before letting a HO down, and taking another’s sitter’s space. Obviously emergencies exist, but let’s be honest, too many HO have complained of it to be a series of emergencies only. We understand that travelling has changed a lot in the past couple years, and It certainly is a mix, but it’s starting to sound a lot like sitters are just shopping around and picking better opportunities even after having confirmed a sit and that’s simply not ok, especially when it comes to pets sitting, not just home sitting.

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