Implementation, day to day use and support are excellent

We love automated invoicing and billing ease of use time saved with clients doing their own scheduling legitimacy we secure as a business having our own app Clients love the ability to schedule their own appointments checkin and checkout report cards

We’d like to see a customer chat feature We also feel it would be helpful for clients to add beginning, ending visit times, number of visits per day and it automatically schedule repeating visits for them.

Ease of use! It was simple to set up (took less than an hour). Clients love the ability to track and book their appointments. Being able to use my existing invoicing software

Clients can’t download pictures from the app but can from their email. Can’t edit an appointment from the professional app

Won't be renewing if the annual fee & Braintree fees remain as high as they are.

I appreciate the simplicity and clean interface. As well as the ease of billing and converting leads to clients.

Where to start... As a small business owner I feel the cost of the app combined with the Braintree fees is pushing me to not renew. I also am frustrated that I do not get direct alerts to my iPhone when new appointment requests come through. Instead it goes to email. As a busy dog walker I often don't check my email until the evening & early morning. This has lead to missing those last minute pet sitting requests. Lastly, I don't like how there are certain functions as a business owner I can't do. Instead I have to contact support. For example, deleting clients that have dropped off.

It’s been excellent

I’ve had scout for my business since August 2020 and I’m still learning new thing about the software. It’s made me and my business look more professional and clients love it.

That we have to pay to use the online payment process but it is okay.

Scout has solved all of my organizational/scheduling problems, and has also entirely managed my billing for me, and for these two reasons alone I'm really thrilled with the software and plan to continue using it indefinitely. The added benefit of being able to keep my clients updated about their services in real time is the icing on the cake! Being able to communicate with clients in this way has also really cut down on the amount of time I need to spend outside of service appointments in discussion with them - leaving more of my downtime for me. Love this app and despite a few issues around increased functionality and options, would strongly recommend it to anyone in the industry.

This software is so easy to use - easy enough that all of my clients thus far have been able to use it with minimal troubleshooting from me, and they all LOVE it, even the ones who were initially sceptical or just not as excited about the benefits of the app. On my end, the simplicity of the app and desktop software made it easy to jump into using quickly - a very minor learning curve. I don't have any employees at this time but if that day ever comes I feel really confident that it will be easy for anyone I hire to pick up and use this software.

The one thing I have noted a couple of times is that the simplicity of the software does at times mean there are fewer options to for how you can use it. I checked into a couple of other similar platforms and was immediately overwhelmed by how many options were available to customize them to my own specific needs - so not having so many options was a selling point for me, but there have been times when I wished the app worked in ways that it simply does not yet. Having said that, the developers are awesome about requesting and listening to feedback from users, and they even have a system in place for users to publicly discuss and weigh in on potential changes - using the Trello website you can even see the updated progress that is being made towards implementing new options and changes. Also the developers are incredibly good about responding to any and all problems that might come up, no matter how small, in an almost shockingly short amount of time! So the customer service is another huge selling point.

This software seems like it was built for us. We have been doing sitting/walking since 2001, so have learned some lesson along the way. Most experienced companies are learning the same lessons and then mitigating them in one of a few ways. Scout is great because it's clear they have learned these same lessons and take you right to the solutions that matter. Here are the heavy hitters for us that Scout "just does". Employee issues (scheduling/availability, payroll/commissions, accountability/quality assurance). Logistics (home access details, workflow, job assignment). Customer (auto-invoicing, auto-billing, walk status, walker location, request appointments, electronic agreements, etc). What this means is that we can reduce manual effort which both increases accuracy as well as free up time to focus ON the business instead of IN the business. In addition to these awesome software features, it is dead simple to use and the support team is spectacular. New releases are happening constantly and they come directly from customer feedback.

Right now it requires two apps (one for customers and one for walkers) while only allowing administrative access via webpage. It would be nice to have a web interface for customers and administrative duties, and then consolidate to a single app (while also adding administrative functions). From our communications with the dev team, this is going to be a part of one of their big releases, so I guess this "Con" will be short-lived anyway.

I really like the email feature of Scout. I like how I can send certain emails to all my clients at the same time, or to certain ones as needed. The emails sent from Scout to my clients look very professional with my company colors and logo. I also love how you upload your service agreement and Scout keeps track of who signed / agreed and when. Unlike other pet service apps Scout allows you to write notes for the owner throughout the service rather than only after the service has been completed, and we can upload multiple photos for the owner to view. I find the "file vault" feature of Scout to be extremely helpful by keeping important documents organized, and it is easy to upload documents into each client's profile. Customer service has always been quick to respond and eager to help or answer any questions.

There are a few features from Scout that I would like to see improve. It would be extremely helpful if there was a scout admin app so that we could approve / alter walks via an app rather than a link through safari. It would also be helpful to get push notifications on our phone for appointment requests in addition to receiving an email. I've also had trouble with the billing process. As the administrator I would like to see exactly what my client is going to be billed as soon as the service is scheduled. I would like to be able to bill them before the service is over because as a pet sitter I require 50% payment ahead of time for certain services. At a meet and greet a client also tried to input their payment information and kept getting an error message. I had to allow for an alternate payment method just so the client could sign into Scout and I could show them how to schedule an appointment, etc. One last suggestion would be to have a website that allows clients to make appoints because several older clients prefer to use a computer rather than a smart phone. As of right now those without smart phones have to contact the administrator via phone or email and the administrator has to go into Scout and create the appointment for the client.

I added "pet owners" to the title of this review because I believe it.... If you are in this business and not offering your customers the "peace-of-mind" that pet owners need, you are doing them a disservice. The Scout app has become our No. 1 selling point to new customers. It is also the reason we retain business. A text and blurry photo just won't cut it anymore. Every time we walk a dog for the first time, the client emails or calls to say, "This is amazing!" They love the notes, GPS and photos.... I exploit the Scout app on our website and in all of our materials... Aside from love and genuine care, Scout is the greatest benefit you can offer your clients and their pets. From a customer service standpoint, executives are amazing. They care about their customers, always looking for input and respond to any issues in minutes -- and they truly care about the success of my business.... Honestly, bring the Scout platform to my business was the single best decision I have made to date.

Aside from the ease-of-use, billing/payment features, and customization, the Scout app has kept us organized and efficient. It maintains a level of accountability for the walkers that could not be achieved without it.

I struggle to find anything that I would like to see improved. If something comes up, they are quick with a solution.

Overall this software helps pet businesses to keep track of their team and their calendars. Their timer on their app and push notifications are life savers for teams and communication.

The ability to schedule your team out for future visits and having an application where they can view their upcoming visits is extremely helpful.

The GPS tracking was off on some visits which would alarm clients. However that is something that is a variable that is beyond their scope.

On the client side, being able to provide my clients with peace of mind via the built-in accountability features: report card including pictures, notes from sitter/walker, and GPS location. On the sitter/walker side, I like the simple interface where they can access notes directly from the client and the business, they can see the daily list of places to be, keys they need and alarm codes. On the business side, I enjoy the new messages feature, no monthly charge (great for slower months--they happen!), and the fantastic customer service. Even though it is a start-up, they put every client first. They don't charge you more for better service, they just provide great service.

On the client side, they have some difficulty learning how to set up the app--which means I have to baby them for the first bit, until they understand. Also. the "repeat" feature is hard to know when the last day is--causes some scheduling confusion. On the sitter/walker side, the calendar cannot integrate with any other calendar. Just means you have to stay checking the app daily. Also, the sitters only get notified when they are assigned a job within 24 hours or so, instead of for every appointment. On the business side, I've heard they are creating an app for the business owners, which I think will be beneficial, since we are often on the go too.

I think it works great for the price.

I like that this software has GPS tracking and a lead form.

I wish the app worked better for my iPhone user customers

Overall, very positive. We’ve had a few issues with customers phones not being updated or the app being a little wonky but the team at Scout is always right on it and happy to help. We never feel like we’re left to fend for ourselves because they’re just a simple chat away.

I love the simplicity of using it. The software seemed very familiar from the get-go and most of our customers have no questions at all on how to set up. This saves us a lot of Bach and forth emails.

It does lack some features such as iCal integration, and branding capabilities. They do seem open to suggestions but those are things that would make this product a 10/10 for me

The best feature of this software is the ease of use - its very intuitive and there’s little to no learning curve to get the most out of it.

It would be helpful if the app or mobile version were a little more user friendly.

I tried a couple other apps before this one and I can't believe the difference! Scout is so easy to use and is constantly adding more functions and updating to make things even better. The app interface is simple, clear and beautiful, so I feel great using it to represent my business with my clients. The schedule syncs right up to the invoicing and bills my clients automatically - I can't count how much time and energy this has saved me, it has completely transformed my business. Last and best, the customer service is out of this world good. They have a live chat option with REAL PEOPLE, not even a bot. 11/10.

I would like to be able to access more options as an administrator via the app as opposed to having to do this from the browser.

Overall the experience has been good. Working with this company has made my small business run more smoothly and organized. I'm a le to keep track of on going appointments and what happens during the appointment and documentation of notes is a plus. The app is very user friendly.

Easy to use and set up. Has ways to customize and add business log. Makes invoices easily to send to customers and keeps track of revenue. Can modify and adjust appointments and send notifications to clients without hassle of going through multiple screens. Customer service feed back is great and they respond quickly to fix bugs or glitches.

Product is relatively new to me. It does have a few bugs that are fixable. Being able to add an appointment after the date has passed. Or being able to add a credit without the invoice closing out and sending g an automatic email to the customer.

Ever since we've adopted Scout into our business, it's been night and day. It makes our services more transparent and easier for the customer to book. Scout's customer service is also amazing. You never feel they're too busy to help and they always get back to you if they aren't able to help right away.

I don't think there are any cons. The team is very open to feedback and ideas from its users. I think it's going to continue to evolve into an even better product.

Ease of usability was the most important factor for me when choosing a pet sitting software. I tried out many different platforms over the course of a year and Scout is simply the best. It's a very attractive platform and I hardly have clients asking me feature questions. It's designed with the user in mind. I found with other platforms that there were so many unnecessary functions offered that it made the process confusing and added a learning curve.

There are a few features that this software is lacking, HOWEVER, the awesome support staff is working on all of them. Scout is very receptive and responsive to feedback. Even though it is missing some minor features that I would use, I know they will take their time during development and do it the right way.

This software is "Made by Dog Walkers for Dog Walkers" (they should be using that tag line somewhere!) , so they definitely get it. It's not just some tech folks building something because they think it's cool and can be useful. It's built becuase they know what needs to actually be in the app to create value for their user base. For me personally, the key value is the automation of many manual processes and providing mobile, real-time data.

User interface, functioanality, and performance.

Need to get full front-end functionality of the app on mobile. Most of it is there already, but they are working on it in the new version coming out so no worries on my end.

Simple, easy to learn, very affordable. Customer reps are amazingly responsive to questions and open to suggestions.

Would like option to customize billing cycle for each client. Wish there was ability to create a template for regular clients so don't need to enter visits each time.

Great software a must for pet sitters & walkers, the GPS option is excellent and helps my clients feel at ease. The pet report could be a little more elaborate but works well.

The APP for Pet sitters should have the same options available as the desktop site. At the very least it would be helpful to bill clients from the app instead of having to login to the desktop site

It meets all your needs and more, and the team is always making upgrades which is really great.

It would be great if Scout could be mobile friendly for business owners. But this is the only con, and it isn't really a big deal.

It is great for the employee organization within the company!

The actual automation/customer portal for everything! I really love being able to have clients be involved in scheduling

I dislike that the business owner doesn't have too much control over invoicing (opening invoices for clients, no ability to prepay via app, maintain customer balances, etc). I feel like the app is running my company, not the other way around. My staff dislikes the glitches, inability to log out, etc

Love Scout! Easy to Keep track of schedules and billing.

I love the ease of Scout, I was able to set up all of the settings myself with little help.

I wish there was an option to text my clients. I am not a huge fan of the walker platform, but it’s easy enough

Makes my life easier and gives such a good impression with our clients. Thanks

The UI is so impressive. Ease of Use, video tutorials. I really appreciate Rep reaching out to see how things are going with start up.

I wish there were more admin rights for staff members that can log into the online access vs only 1 admin account. I want someone to help run the business but not all the access.

Amazing customer service, [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] has done an amazing job developing this software.

This app is a must for dog walkers. It gives you and your clients the ability to book appointments, manage staff, automatic invoicing and billing as well as payment collection.

Absolutely nothing. This app is a must have.