Writing reviews

[Lokstar]

We tend to give longer reviews especially for longer sits or for first time hosts, and ofcourse for any sit that is particularly special.

We recently completed a wonderful one month sit, for a first time host, which we really enjoyed. Lovely villa, pool & one cute doggy. Wonderful warm welcome. We overnighted before & after - reciprocating home cooked meals for each other. We had great contact throughout and the HO was extremely appreciative about everything on her return and wanting us back. Etc

We wrote an enthusiastic and pretty detailed review, which she, and the sit, certainly deserved, to give her a great start on the platform.

Her review of us was very short- just 2 lines..

“& We’re absolutely fantastic. They took great care of R and walked him.”

Ofcourse it is very positive and all 5* and it was written before we were even 5 minutes gone! So we appreciated the speed (we hate having to chase a review!) and the postivity! But we did feel she could have taken the time to write a bit more about her first sitter experience! Most first time hosts (in our experience) speak about what a great experience it was, how reassured they felt, something about us as people, e g friendly, kind, professional, reliable etc, how clean the home was, how relaxed the pet was on their return, recommending us to others, saying they’d love us back etc etc!!

I know.. I know.. expectations eh?! but sometimes they are hard to avoid especially when you’ve really put your heart into the sit.

But perhaps to an HO Reader they see “absolutely fantastic” and feel that says it all! Maybe all the extra detail is boring to them? Who knows?!

When we were brand new sitters we used to make suggestions to newer hosts as to what we’d appreciate them including in our review so future hosts get a fuller impression of us. We don’t do that anymore but, in this case, it might have been a good idea as the host confessed, on our arrival, that she (with her daughters guidance) had chosen us solely based on our application message! She had not actually read our profile or any of our reviews!!

[Highfive]

I feel your pain! It seems very cursory and the selection process too! That’s the reality sometimes, I’m sure.

Experience as a sitter has taught me to be very thorough in my research of the sit on offer and all its details, especially past reviews! However I still get swayed by the photos or because it’s a last minute cancellation and I’m tempted to save the day because I can..

I’ve never backed out of a sit and some have gone seriously pear- shaped!

All I can say is the comments build a profile’s strength, along with the consistent high star rating. Some people are very brief and concise in their review and unemotional. I guess we have to take the rough with the smooth. I think the Home Owners who choose me after thorough research of my reviews of others and their reviews of me know I will go into detail for the benefit of the whole business..

I’d rather a short review but full of praise than one that I feel is inaccurate and does me a disservice, going on at great length!

There is always that space for a response and reaction.. so far I have used that just to reiterate what a lovely time I had and my grateful thanks.

It’s always a bit tense waiting for reviews, even when I feel it’s been a great sit.. I suppose it’s one of the reasons House sitting isn’t for everyone to put themselves through!

I still get people saying to me, “What you do all that and don’t get paid?”

There are lots of ways to be repaid without using money.

No one likes feeling short changed!