Is a video call with potential sitters important, or even essential?
Would you decline a sitter who wouldn’t agree to a video call?
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There are many threads on this topic.
Click on the spy glass at the top right of your screen then type in Video.
I would. You are letting someone into your home, taking care of your pets. I would decline someone immediately if they wouldn’t allow a video call.
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Many members on here think it’s the holy grail, others don’t understand why. Many experiences sitters began sitting long before video calls were even thought of. I have done many successful sits without video calls, but I wouldn’t refuse to do one if asked. I am a sitter though, not an owner.
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@TheEnglishFlaneur, there was a discussion thread on this topic created only a few weeks ago … Owners who opt out of video calls - #43 by Marj
Suggest peruse.
In brief, views on importance of video calls vary for both pet parents and housesitters. It is our impression, from threads, that most pet parents and most housesitters either prefer or require a video call prior to confirming a sit. If a pet parent declined video call then we would withdraw application. No question. But views vary.
As experienced housesitters, we would not accept a sit without a video call. Through experience, we find that the video calls are an integral part of due diligence of fit between pet parents and housesitter; in clarification of any important topics that were omitted in listing (often the case); in sharing two-way info on travel plans, related commitment, and any date flexibility; and more.
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I would decline a sitter if they didn’t want to do a video call. I want to see the person who will be taking care of my dog and my home.
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You can clarify issues and share plans with a phone call.
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Or in a written message, which I much prefer, then I have everything in black and white and I can refer back to it when needed.
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We’re sitters and we only video chat when the HO’s ask for it, but we always know a lot about the locations we apply for, and as long as HO’s can answer our question about any medical conditions then we’re happy. From an HO’s point of view, we’ve got five star reviews that mention both fantastic pet care, spotless house, etc, so HO’s rarely ask us to video chat first, they just quickly accept us.
However, a sitter not agreeing to a chat when an HO has asked, then that’s a very different story, I suppose it depends on how comfortable you are with that scenario.
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@HappyDeb, you’ve make an excellent point … comfort zone.
We may not be typical. Many of our housesits are international. We’re often taking international flights to complete housesits. On full-time basis. Juggling diary commitments. Sometimes to countries, nevermind cities, that we’ve not previously visited. Given our resultant commitment of time, funds and effort; given an appetite for a positive experience; and given a few surprising experiences then we require video calls. We’d far rather decline an uncertain housesit opportunity rather than suffer unpleasant surprises. But when we confirm then we are committed.
But if housesits were local to our home geography; we knew area; travel time/effort/cost was limited; and perhaps if pet parent cancelled then we could simply travel home … then we may well require lesser due diligence.
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@TheEnglishFlaneur We are HOs and sitters.
We decline sitters who won’t do a video chat. It’s important to us to see who is going to be in our home. Simply put, phone calls do not provide that level of verification.
As sitters, we won’t accept a sit without a video chat. We have found them to be essential in making our decisions.
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And as a sitter I want to see the animals and get an idea of the home I’ll be staying in and the owners’ attitude
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Appearances can be deceptive - Ted Bundy came across as a nice guy.
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As a sitter I once asked a home owner for a video call. They said they rather go with the other application than do a video call. That was fine with me. A few days later they wrote me back. The other person didn’t work out. I already had another sit lined up.
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This is a very good point. Also, if someone has deliberately misrepresented themselves, or downright lied, in their listing, or profile, they are still going to do the same in a video call. Accomplished liars can be extremely convincing.
Doubtful that anyone thinks video chats are guaranteed ways to spot psychopaths or such. But they’re still better than phone calls, because you get more info from seeing and hearing someone vs. just hearing them.
Basically, you’re not going to convince someone who values video chatting to not do them. If you don’t want to do them, you’ll end up narrowing your pool of partners, whether as a sitter or host. Everyone has their own priorities and choices to make.
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@Maggie8K I am not trying to convince anyone to stop doing video calls, that’s an individual choice.
However, I do like to reassure those people who do not wish to do them that it is perfectly possible to be a successful and highly respected sitter without doing them.
I will do one is absolutely required but I certainly never ask for one.
I don’t think you gave that impression, at least not to me. I was referring to a generic “you,” which is why I mentioned that, whether someone is a host or sitter, they’d be cutting their potential matches by not video chatting.
As for whether someone can become a successful sitter without video chatting, I’d venture that it was easier back in the day. Many people didn’t even know how to video chat before the pandemic, so folks wouldn’t have that expectation. With video use skyrocketing with the pandemic and more and more people using it for school, work, telehealth, etc., it has become increasingly the norm.
With tech use, people don’t revert. Like at various points, most people didn’t type, drive, know how to use a land line telephone, use computers or cell phones, use GPS, the internet, apps and so on. And yet we expect all those things as everyday practices nowadays.
Video chatting is moving in that direction, and in some areas — like in education and many industries — is a given. That would make it increasingly hard for someone to sit or host without video chatting. For longer tenured THS members, it can be easier to sustain, because they have the advantage of having amassed reviews back in the day. If you were starting out as a fresh THS member, not video chatting would be less likely to work.
It appears that we frequently misinterpret one another’s comments.
I would move on. I get a lot of applicants. I try to fill sits quickly. It doesn’t matter to me what the reason is that the sitter is refusing to do it. I don’t have the time or mental space. Maybe they are a great sitter who is camera shy or maybe it’s a power play or they hiding something. If I ask this and they are not comfortable to the point of refusing, I don’t have time to futz with this. Other people want the sit and it’s not a problem for them.
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