Slow response time after applying for sit

[pietkuip]

@Itchyfeet

as the message is “Reviewing applications” My application is unread.

Yes. So “Reviewing applications” is just not true. The HO is not doing anything.

THS should change this message.

[Twitcher]

@Therese - I agree the wording should be changed from
You have 5 sitters that want to sit for you TO
5 sitters have contacted you regarding your listing
I often contact a homeowner to ask questions about their listing as we have no alternative to do so unless we ‘apply’.

[Silversitters]

@Therese do owners not get an e-mail advising them that they have had applications?

I assumed that something would be in place to alert owners when applications are received (other than having to check the website or app).

[Cuttlefish]

Hi @Therese why isn’t there an automated email that says to the HO “you’ve reached your 5 applicant limit, please respond asap to be sure of securing the best sitter for your pets.”?Auto alerts are a core part of THS comms so must be easy to set up.

[Itchyfeet]

Thanks for your speedy response.
This system is not working though as she still has not read my application. I therefore assume that she has not read this automated message.
She has not had sitters before so she probably doesn’t know half of what happens.

This was for an American sit. A day before, Thursday, I applied for another sitting in USA. Although she read it immediately, she has not responded. Again, she is new.

I will continue looking for others in the USA. This illustrates why a sitter will apply for multiple sittings.

[Therese]

Thank you all.

In order to clarify, Owners, like sitters, get notifications/emails ‘you have received a new message’. They can then go onto the website, to read and reply. Once they have reached the 5 application limit, the pop-up appears several times on their dashboard, (ie, if they have dismissed it, logged off and then on again, to read and reply to messages.) It is there as a constant reminder for them to secure a sitter as soon as possible.

I will certainly pass your comments on to our tech team regarding the wording.

[Silversitters]

Thank you @Therese for the clarification around the notification e-mail received when the owner receives a new application.

The TH terms & conditions state

5.1.13. respond to communications from other Members in a timely manner, but in any event, within 72 hours;

However this isn’t enforced or rated anywhere .

There is another U.K. house sitting website that has a reply rating system for it’s members. It is intended to make communication a faster experience for all members. A reply rating appears on a member’s home owner ad or sitter profile. This rates the member’s responsiveness to first contact messages.

[Silversitters]

Hi @Therese have the tech team come back with an answer to this ?

@Therese

I am checking the read/unread scenario with our tech team, if you can bear with me.

and again on 16 Sep

@Therese

Please bear with me, I am checking with tech team again.

[Carla]

Hello @Silversitters, Therese is currently offline, so I am more than happy to help. This quote from another thread should answer your question:

@Carla

Hello everyone, This is just an update on the question that has popped up a few times before. Apologies if there was no earlier clarification.

@meow

If the homeowner reads your application on the app instead of the website, then it will show as “unread”. So there is a chance the homeowner has read your application.

This was a previous bug that was fixed and it has since been tested. The only reason any message will show as unread is because the other member has not read it.

When any owner reaches their 5 application limit they get an email telling them they have reached the 5 application limit and to talk to and choose a sitter, as well as a pop-up, encouraging them to decline sitters if none are right and how to relist the dates.

[Silversitters]

Thank you for the update .