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84 reviews
Recommended
Sandra S.
Verified reviewer
Professional Training & Coaching, self-employed
Used daily for 1-2 years
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Overall, I love the app!
I absolutely love this app! It makes it so easy for my clients to request services, to charge my clients, and to get paid! They are always adding new features to the app as well, most recently they added the option to customize the app to have your business logo instead of Scout's, so cool! another great thing about this app is that the people behind the scenes are invested and their work and their...
I did take off one star for functionality, I wish I could have just been a half a star because it's not the biggest deal but sometimes when I go to check in a dog for a service and take the picture the app restarts and doesn't check in the dog and I have to wait for the app to restart reopen the client and then take the picture again and of course it always happens when the first picture was awesome! it's happened in the past and I told them and they definitely made it better, it doesn't happen every time but it still happens every now and then.
Jenn F.
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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This is one of the best tools for a growing pet care business. The scheduling management alone prevents human error that leads to dissatisfied clients. The interactive payroll feature makes things MUCH easier if you pay your staff per appointment. Before the pandemic, I was seeing accelerated growth of the company due to more efficient management, staff management (tools for supervising work quality), and more time to actually speak with clients. I started using Scout for Dog Walking and Pet Sitting, and now use it for Dog Training appointments as well. I recommend it to other pet care companies who are trying to compete with app based corporations.
-drag and drop scheduling in the Staff calendar -customizable automatic charges for weekends and holidays -view report cards and GPS maps of past appointments for staff accountability -interactive payroll reports -automatic Sales tax on invoices -ability of client to pre-pay with account credits -secure credit card and paypal processing through braintree -staff profiles store important information -I can add administrator and staff calendars to my google calendar -client app can be branded for individual businesses -STELLAR customer service -a team that listens to customers and updates the platform with new features regularly
-can't manually add any non-taxable items onto an invoice (yet!) IE: Gratuity, Reimbursement for cab fare, etc.
Natasha L.
Veterinary, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 6-12 months
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The owner / operator, 1 man show behaves like his software is perfection. Behaves insulted when you attempt to give constructive criticism on a growing and developing product. Even when sharing comments from my clients he just dismissed me. Retorts by mentioning his ‘thousands of happy clients.’ He has never owned a pet sitting business and is missing the subtle nuances that could make this product great and is NOT open to making the product better or making his clients happy.
Fun modern design. Great potential. Pretty good price point & responsive email support. Has helped me see exactly what we need moving forward. Most of the time email support is good.
Too many seemingly simple things to list: No On / off toggle to customize preferences. Clients are bombarded with so many useless automated emails that when it’s an important one they get ignored. (No option to turn off check in / out emails). *Don't even attempt to ask for phone support even in an emergency!!!! I truly dread having to email them for help as there is attitude. Email support is often...
Hi Natasha, thanks for your candor! I am personally sad to see anyone leave, but I'm confident that we provided you with professional, respectful support in all of our interactions. We're always willing to hear both constructive feedback and criticism and do so with class. I apologize that we couldn't offer 24/7 phone support or create one-off features for your specific use case. When it comes to product decisions, we need to ensure we're spending time on the features and functionality that provide the most value to all of our customers as a whole. Given your treatment of myself and my team over the past few months, I think this split is best for both of us. Regardless, I do wish you all the best.
Brooke J.
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 6-12 months
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Overall I would give Scout 100 gold stars if I could.
Not only do I love the ease of use of this software, my clients do too! So many comment about how easy it is to book appointments, and how simple Scout has made billing (it's automatic!). Scout is always being improved upon, and the customer service is beyond top notch. You also cannot beat the cost.
No Cons! Any feature I have wanted for is on their list of "to-dos" to have out by the end of the year.
Kimberley F.
Consumer Services, self-employed
Used daily for less than 6 months
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Our clients find Scout easy to use. They really enjoy the visit reports and photos that are automatically sent to them upon the completion of each service. The customer service with Scout is top notch. Best of all the software works properly, every time. Scout is highly automated which saves me a ton of time on administrative duties compared to the software I had previously.
Scout is easy to use and reliable. In the field I need software to work properly, every time. I can't waste precious time uninstalling and re-installing an app and with Scout I don't have to. The app is gorgeous and my clients seem to love it as much as I do.
The only drawback for me at this time is that billing cannot be customized (pre-pay, packages, etc.). This is something our previous software had and I've been telling my clients "It's coming" for a little over two months. But I am confident it is coming and I appreciate that Scout takes the time and care to do things properly - you don't want glitches with payments.
Claudia M.
Veterinary, self-employed
Used daily for less than 6 months
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Loving that I now have the Upton for GPS tracking & timed report cards. Clients love it and I think it is much better than just texting someone about how their dog did.
The price for the amount of features you get. The app for customers is great and the report cards look great! I love that it is nice for my clients and looks great while doing it! Also, no glitches so far!! Works great!!
Customers can't create accounts themselves (I have to get some info and create it first, then they have to finish creating it) and can leave important questions unanswered when activating their account.
Tasha T.
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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Scout was, without a doubt, the best decision I could have made when growing my business from pen and paper scheduling to a software platform. Customer support could not have been better and the transition to their platform was basically seamless. I would recommend them again and again.
Flexibility to customize services and pricing structure to fit my unique business model.
I can’t really say I disliked anything! Having joined early in this software’s existence there were some features that I had to wait to get until they were released but really, no complaints!
enrique m.
Veterinary, 1-10 employees
Used daily for less than 6 months
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- Ease of use - Customized to my business with our logo and color scheme - NO EXTRA FEES! most other apps take a percentage of the sales. Scout has a flat fee, regardless of how much or how little you make a month. It makes it easy to budget.
- I wish they had a "chat" feature to directly communicate with our clients. The only way to communicate as of now is via email. - Their boarding/pet sitting process is a bit tedious, wish they had a way to adjust the booking and notifications to not overwhelm clients with tons of emails (an email is sent every day the dog boards)
Hi Enrique, thanks for the amazing review! We appreciate it. In-app chat and boarding/pet sitting enhancements are on our roadmap for this year
Chris K.
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 6-12 months
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The developers are always trying to improve the software to make the user experience efficient. Customer service is top notch- they will always answer any issues or confusion you might have with the software very quickly.
A little difficult to set up every feature. They offer so many features it can be overwhelming.
Leigh C.
Recreational Facilities and Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for less than 6 months
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I wouldn’t be without it
I love the ease of booking appointments and my clients also love the app and how easy it is to add pets and book appointments
I would like an option to turn off photo check in the dogs aren’t always easy subjects to photograph
Melissa H.
Consumer Services, self-employed
Used daily for 6-12 months
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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...
Matt B.
Used daily for 6-12 months
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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...
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.
Matt, thank you for the amazing review! We really appreciate it!
Kasey H.
Consumer Services, self-employed
Used weekly for less than 6 months
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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...
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...
Camille N.
Hospitality, self-employed
Used daily for less than 6 months
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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.
Thank you for your feedback, Camille. I wanted to take a moment to address some of your concerns: Pricing Our pricing is very much in the middle of the pack. We aren't the cheapest, but we aren't the most expensive either and we believe for all of the tools that you get, it's a great value. With our annual fee, you're saving 17% over regular pricing which is cheaper than 90% of the competing softwares...
Mike C.
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 6-12 months
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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...
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.
Hector C.
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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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.
Myles M.
Accounting, self-employed
Used daily for 2+ years
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I’m able to manage all my business reports. Everything I need for my small business is conveniently ready for me at scout. Weather it’s revenue, payroll reports, income, future income, etc, a nice spreadsheet is a click away.
I felt good about my purchase. Their was no form of suspicion or sketchiness about this software. I also did not feel intimidated by the user interface. And I knew if I ran into trouble or had a problem, the creators were a button away from helping me out. Absolutely amazing.
This is my first time using dog Walker software. So I cannot compare Scout to another software and judge it. So my only con I could possibly come up with is the price, it’s a little expensive per Employee, but it is definitely 100% worth it.
Katie K.
Leisure, Travel & Tourism, 1-10 employees
Used daily for less than 6 months
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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.
Corinne A.
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My name is Corinne and I'm a manager at Walk it Like a Dog in Philly. Before Scout, I used another pet-sitting website where I spent a lot time managing the schedule and trying to keep up communication with staff and customers. Since switching over to Scout, I save a lot of time, which means I get to do what I love: playing with dogs and cats! Here's a few ways Scout helps me do that: Drag and...
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Thanks for the great feedback, Corinne! Appreciated!
Kerri G.
Individual & Family Services, self-employed
Used daily for less than 6 months
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The customer support is amazing and I am very happy overall. Any features that I'm looking for seem to be in the works.
The software is easy to use. I can easily add clients, create appointments and see everything that I have set up for the days in my app. The biggest pro is the customer service. I ask ALOT of questions and they always answer right away and are very pleasant. I do love that you can brand the app as your own as well.
There are some more features that I would like to see. I would love to have an app for the administration portion of the site as I'm not always near my computer and the website doesn't always work great on my phone. There are some other features that I have mentioned to them but it looks as though most of them are in the works. The cost of the app is a bit pricey as well.
Willie B.
Consumer Services, self-employed
Used daily for less than 6 months
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I was already using software similar to Scout, but the customer service was so poor, I decided to shop around. I wish I'd done so earlier. I'm a one-person company, but I'm treated like I'm one of Scout's most lucrative clients. Whenever I have a question, I usually get a response within a minute or two. Seriously. The developers are constantly adding features while improving existing ones. They rely heavily on client feedback and suggestions, and even have a Trello page set up so I can see precisely what they're working on and which stage it's in. I've had no technical issues. I like the way it looks. I'm already pleased with it, and new features pop up every few weeks to make it even better. I think Scout is head and shoulders above its competition.
It has every feature I want from dog-walking software – scheduling, billing, credit-card processing, check-in/-out notifications, photos – and it does them all well. I love being able to add photos from my phone's roll, which lets me crop and add filters if I want. On top of all of that, the developers are amazingly communicative and transparent about the development process.
At present, adding photos from the gallery on iOS is a bit slow. But the software is updated frequently, so I assume this will be improved soon. Like others, I'm looking forward to the customer web portal (though I've only had one customer balk at having to download the app).
Claire A.
Consumer Services, self-employed
Used daily for less than 6 months
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Using scout has saved me so much time and money each week when scheduling, coordinating with owners, manually tracking walks and more. Scout has made it easy for me not only to work with the clients I have now to maintain transparent bookings, but also to help organize leads directly on my own website! Any time I've needed help or had a question, I've been responded to by the guys that actually helped...
Saving time, money, energy! Helpful responses, quick response time. Genuine staff that care about their customers! Easy billing, easy navigation, and greater transparency for all dog owners!
There are a few kinks that can be worked out, but they're currently working on updates. I wish I could confirm bookings through the app on my phone, rather than logging onto my computer. Likewise, I wish owners were able to book the same service and click multiple days (for those that are booking the same service each week, but on varying days ie. changing schedules).
Shady A.
Hospitality, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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I was having a hard time collecting payments before using Scout, and the report clients get are clean and easy to fill out. Even my older clients that are not tech savvy know how to use the app easily.
The customer service is simply amazing they are fast to respond to any and all questions or concerns. This software helps keep my clients happy and informed on how their pups did on the services they requested. Easy to use for both clients and employees for booking and to run payroll
Not being able to use the app to approve requests and to make changes on services. even though I can use my mobile device browser to do all those things that's the one downfall so nothing major.
Thank you, Shady! We really appreciate the kind words.
Nathaniel K.
Verified reviewer
Consumer Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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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.
Robert H.
Individual & Family Services, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 6-12 months
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Scout has been an invaluable tool for managing my pet sitting and dog walking business from day one. The interface was easy to use for me, my employees and my clients. Trying to replicate Scout’s functionality manually or through a less integrated system would have been much more cumbersome and time consuming. The personal customer service from [SENSITIVE CONTENT] and the Scout team is exceptionally good.
Intuitive, comprehensive software for managing contacts, employees, billing and invoicing. The scheduling and invoicing features are excellent, and the automated payment processing saved me a tremendous amount of time.
The occasional bug with scheduling, but rare and to be expected with any software.