@Angela_L @Vanessa_A
This question kind of dovetails with a post a few weeks ago of why HO don’t read or respond to PS letters applying to posted pet/house sits. I have always automatically gotten an email from TH whenever I have any kind of message in my inbox. However, I was told by another HO that she doesn’t get messages to her email alerting her to letters in her TH inbox. This caused a serious problem for us the first time we were going to pet sit for her, as we did not have a reply to several letters we sent to her inbox over a period of three weeks. Just as we were ready to cancel, she finally opened her inbox, saw our letters and responded to us. Cancellation averted!
So my question is, “Do HOs have to opt in to receiving email notifications of messages in their inbox?” I always assumed they just automatically got them by virtue of joining TH.com.
Angela and Vanessa, thanks in advance for your input on this question.
Melanie
Hi @NOmtnClowns any member can unsubscribe from receiving email notifications which will include all news, alerts and offers.
When a member reports to Membership Services that they have not received any emails on checking their status we may find that they have unsubscribed and inform them they can change this anytime in their account settings, or the team will assist.
If any member is experiencing issues with emails the Membership Services Team will follow this up with our CRM team to make certain they are keeping fully up to date and not missing any important communications.
This email information is in the website Help Section
The real problem was that they weren’t ignoring them, they didn’t know they had opted out of being alerted about inbox messages. I guess maybe they checked the box not to receive TH emails, not realizing that it opted them out of all (even personal) messages. I think this may be true more times than not, as I often notice now days when I apply for a sit that my letters (especially follow-up letters) often go unread for several days to forever. I’m trying to figure out if this is a reason why (which feels like a much nicer explanation than that people are just self-absorbed!)
@anon36831737 I think (and from my experience) some HOs once they have ‘secured’ a sitter then want to deal with them by personal email, whatsapp, mobile, text and any other method than using the THS inbox system… I have spoked to HOs who have said ‘Oh now we have found somebody, we wont renew our membership’ This can be a real problem as you will know and for me I have taken on board the THS advise that as sitters as much as possible we should deal with HOs through the inbox as it provides a record of who said what and what was agreed, etc. It has helped me a few times now when I have had problems with a sit and needed to contact member services being able to refer them to whats been said in the inbox. I have tried pointing out to a few HOs now to contact me through the THS inbox but some have left numerous messages unopened and not even responded within a reasonable timeframe to that same message being sent to their mobile or email. It makes for some really shakey sits that I never go back to.
@Angela_L yes thanks Angela. The THS inbox is a great way for all concerned to know whats ‘going down’ and if used properly can head off problems before they arise. these days where a HO refuses to communicate by the THS inbox I always double up from a phone or email/text conversation…'nice talking to you today by…and as agreed…i willl …you will …etc. It might not stop something going wrong but at least it gives a record that can be tracked and show that I am holding up my end of a arrangement. I think all sitters (and HOs because I am sure some sitters dont check/use THS inbox as they should) should be advised at any opportunity to use the system provided.