Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Collin and Meghan Funkhouser. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Collin and Meghan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

We are a professional dog walking and pet sitting company, who focus on excellent pet care and customer service. What we actually do is provide peace of mind and absolution of pet parent guilt. Being successful means we have met the needs of our clients and have kept their needs central to all that we do. It’s easy to forget it’s a person contacting you for help with their pet; who has their own fears, anxieties, needs, and expectations. We listen to what they’re telling us and customize our services to surprise and delight them. The really hard part? Surprising and delighting every single time we take care of their pet, and executing the care protocols perfectly. That’s where our training, software, and team based approach help us excel and continue to serve our clients with excellence.

Collin and Meghan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

We are a dog walking and pet sitting company that provides in-home care for pets. We come to our client’s homes to not just care for their pets, but also take out the trash, water plants, and make sure the home is secure. Our custom pet care packages let us serve our client’s needs with exactly what will help them. From giving medications, feeding, taking on walks, scooping litter boxes, and cuddling on the couch, our team of highly trained professional dog walkers and pet sitters help give pet owners peace of mind about their pets and home. We use a team based approach so our clients always know their pets will be taken care of. We provide services 7 days a week, 365 days a year to accommodate our clients vacations, work schedules, and emergencies. Our software allows for 24/7 access to booking and payment from any phone or device, so our clients can book anytime they need us. After conducting an initial Meet and Greet, to get to know the new client, their pet, and care routine, services can be scheduled on an as need basis, or set up a reoccurring schedule to lock in the days and times services are needed.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

We have been providing pet care services for over 10 years. Our reputation is built on two things: 1) open communication and 2) doing what we say we’ll do, with excellence.

We pride ourselves on the high level of communication and transparency we have with our clients. From the initial contact, through the end of service, we are a phone call or text message away. At each visit, our clients get notified we have arrived. When we finish a visit, we send 3-4 photos and a written report of how everything went. We work with our clients to develop a care routine and let them know when there are concerns that need to be addressed.

Saying we’ll do something is the easy part. The hard part is doing it perfectly every single time. The training, oversight, and protocols we’ve developed over the last 10 years allow us to provide consistent excellence for our clients. From the first visit, to the last, the quality of service is the same.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

Marketing a pet care service business has many challenges. The one that takes the most to overcome is the fact that the majority of pet care is performed by friends, family, and neighbors; people who are already known, liked, and trusted by the pet owner. Letting strangers in your home is a big leap that we have to help potential clients overcome. We have found that simply wearing a hat or t-shirt that reads, “Pet Sitter” is a great conversation starter and humanizes our company. We have had countless discussions with complete strangers about what it is that we do and how we do it. We always share how it’s important that we are insured, bonded, and pet first aid and CPR certified. Marketing through education and general outreach helps build our brand as pet care experts, and a valuable resource for pet parents, regardless of whether they use our services or not.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.funkybunchpetcare.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funkybunchpetcare/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkybunchpetcare
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/funky-bunch-pet-care-2914b8231/

Image Credits
Funky Bunch Pet Care LLC