Be wary of Fetch Pet Care franchise purchase
Complaint
anonymous
Country: United States
Fetch! Pet Care franchise ownership
Be very cautious before you get engaged with the purchase of a Fetch! Pet Care franchise. They are experiencing a lot of problems due to compliance issues with each individual state labor law. In my experience the current Fetch! franchise owners tend to be extremely responsible, caring and animal-dedicated individuals. It's the corporate office you need to be cautious of.
The sales numbers they "projected" tended to be grossly inflated from the actual numbers of franchise owners we spoke with. Working with pets seems like such a wonderful way to make a living; however, please, help yourself by going through a thorough due diligence process. Learning your state labor laws, the cost of insurance (liability, damage, workers comp., unemployment, etc., etc., etc.) the increasing franchise fees each year you're in business, the difficulty of finding/retaining quality Pet Sitters, the number of fixed monthly expenses, and understanding the massive responsibility/stress of caring for people's homes and dearly beloved pets.
As any small business owner will tell you, all of the "small" monthly expenditures/taxes that you don't always figure, really eat into your margin and make it difficult to be profitable.
If you don't think the economy is having a significant effect on the number of people wanting to pay a premium price for pet care, you're wrong. Not to mention the significantly reduced number of people actually needing pet care because they can afford to go away! Understandably, when people do travel, they are going out of their way to find less expensive alternative arrangements (family, friends or even the dreaded kennel).
Working with animals can be very enjoyable, it's the experience working with this franchise that is so disappointing.
Be very cautious before you get engaged with the purchase of a Fetch! Pet Care franchise. They are experiencing a lot of problems due to compliance issues with each individual state labor law. In my experience the current Fetch! franchise owners tend to be extremely responsible, caring and animal-dedicated individuals. It's the corporate office you need to be cautious of.
The sales numbers they "projected" tended to be grossly inflated from the actual numbers of franchise owners we spoke with. Working with pets seems like such a wonderful way to make a living; however, please, help yourself by going through a thorough due diligence process. Learning your state labor laws, the cost of insurance (liability, damage, workers comp., unemployment, etc., etc., etc.) the increasing franchise fees each year you're in business, the difficulty of finding/retaining quality Pet Sitters, the number of fixed monthly expenses, and understanding the massive responsibility/stress of caring for people's homes and dearly beloved pets.
As any small business owner will tell you, all of the "small" monthly expenditures/taxes that you don't always figure, really eat into your margin and make it difficult to be profitable.
If you don't think the economy is having a significant effect on the number of people wanting to pay a premium price for pet care, you're wrong. Not to mention the significantly reduced number of people actually needing pet care because they can afford to go away! Understandably, when people do travel, they are going out of their way to find less expensive alternative arrangements (family, friends or even the dreaded kennel).
Working with animals can be very enjoyable, it's the experience working with this franchise that is so disappointing.
Comments
This month, I made $24 which is pathetic. My clients paid $48. They believe that I get to keep that money, so it's understandable that they don't tip as much as they used to.
I want to tell my clients, so they may or may not choose to leave a larger tip (I'm sure they'd want me to be paid more than what I'm getting, that's why they pay for Fetch services in the first place), but I know that it would open a huge can of worms, ending with my being fired for telling clients that my bosses take 50% of my pay.
Also, I've had issues with my boss before, I'm fairly sure that she kept a tip left on a credit card (I mean did not pay it to me). Another Fetch sitter friend (now former Fetch sitter) also suspected the same. It's part of why she left the company. I'll be leaving too, just as soon as I get another job. Although, considering I made only $24 this month, it's almost like I already don't have the extra income.
This is a great job for those with self discipline and some time to work. Jobs are supposed to be within 7-10 miles of home max to cut gas costs, and there are no other expenses. Once you get going, you leave the house, do a few visits in a circle route and come home a few hours later with your day complete!
I love the pets I sit for, and that's really the only thing keeping me there. When hired, I was shocked that they get to keep 50% of the money I'm paid for each job. So of the $10 to go feed, play with your cat and clean its litter, I make $5. And there's no sympathy or anything for travel time. Theoretically you only have clients near your home or work, but in reality my 2 regular clients are about 45 minutes from me via public transportation. Fetch raises prices regularly (twice in the past 16 or so months I've been with them), but as a sitter I don't see an increase in my pay because that extra dollar doesn't go far. When hired, I was assured that everyone left huge tips, and that made up for the 50% they take from our monthly checks. It doesn't. I'm positive my clients don't know that my boss takes 50% of the money they pay for me to care for their cats. With the rates having gone up twice in a year, they don't tip as much (they think I'm seeing a lot more money than I am). So all in all it's a terrible waste of time. I'm only still there because 1. I need that extra money each month and don't want to go through the drama of finding a different part-time job with flexible hours & 2. I really love the pets I sit for, I've been caring for them for over a year and they're like family. If I could persuade my clients to leave Fetch and let me sit for them independently (and I'd charge less too!), I'd do it in a heartbeat. But they won't because of Fetch's weird rules about seeing other sitters.
Good grief folks grow the he k up!!
Every franchise has issues in the beginning, just as independent business owners. We looked in to started the pet sitting ourselves, but decided to go with Fetch. While the business model had issues, today it's all worked out, and we're kicking butt!
If you love pets and care for their well being and you want to be in your own business, look in to Fetch! The franchise gives you a jump start, and saves you a few hundred/month on expenses that are cheaper through the franchise.
This business can be operated for a total of $500/month in expenses (due to franchise pricing), plus labor which I use 60% for, although that's high, but better to be higher than lower. As expenses go for running a business, this is by far the least expensive business I've been involved in (and I've been involved in a few successful businesses).
Final comment, Fetch is a fantastic opportunity, and the pet industry is nuts right now! We started our business after being laid off during the worst time in the economy, and we still took off like a shot! Unbelievable!
I love Fetch!