raditional pet care businesses are no longer competing only with each other. Today, every pet parent is a click or tap away from a nearly bottomless pool of in-home pet sitters—from neighbors and family friends to app-based gig workers. However, a pet sitter and a full-scale pet care facility aren’t providing nearly the same service. If you’re in this industry, you’re already well aware of this. To pet parents, though, the comparison can look deceptively simple.

So, how does a pet care business owner compete? You’re likely already doing the most important part: providing wonderful, loving pet care. But let’s take a look at five other ways to make your business the obvious choice for pet parents who are weighing their pet care options.

It can be tempting to lower rates to compete with pet sitters, but they don’t have nearly the same expenses as traditional pet care facilities. Pet sitters don’t have buildings to maintain, staff to pay, specialized equipment to invest in, or strict licensing and insurance requirements to meet.

Trying to match their rates means attempting to operate two very different business models at the same price point. Over time, competing on price undermines the very qualities that make your business worth choosing in the first place. A higher price tag isn’t a bad thing—it’s a reflection of the superior care, standards and experience your facility provides.

Pet parents want to know why they should choose your business instead of the pet sitter down the road, and one of the biggest advantages a pet care facility provides is redundancy. A pet sitter is generally just one person, but if that person gets sick, has a family emergency, experiences car trouble, or can’t travel because of weather or road conditions, the pet’s care may be disrupted.

A professional facility, on the other hand, is far more reliable. A full team of highly trained caregivers, established procedures and backup systems help ensure every pet gets the care they need, even in unexpected circumstances.

Consider what else sets your business apart from the average pet sitter, which might include:

• Extensive staff training for your entire team
• Purpose-built facilities with advanced climate control, air filtration, security and fire protection
• Meticulous cleaning protocols
• Vaccination requirements
• Established veterinarian relationships
• Sophisticated task-tracking and documentation
• Enriching play spaces and amenities
• Thoughtfully structured play groups and programs

Pet care is a relatively “invisible” service; it’s mostly provided behind closed doors while the pet parent is away. Therefore, it’s not enough to simply have all these features—pet parents have to know about them and understand why they’re so important.

Look at every point where a prospective or existing customer interacts with your business, both online and offline. What are you communicating?

Your website is often the first place people encounter your business, and first impressions are priceless. Call out your biggest differentiators in page headers, offer banners, bullet lists and imagery. Lively, colorful photos, clean design and navigation, and cohesive branding go a long way.

The initial phone call is often what makes or breaks a reservation. Who answers your business phone? Are they naturally skilled and highly trained to handle calls? Each phone call is a critical opportunity to help pet parents understand the value of your services and earn a pet parent’s trust.

Do you use email, text or social media marketing in your business? These direct, repeatable marketing channels are a natural place to introduce and remind customers why your business is the best option, helping them see the details they otherwise might miss.

The best tours are about more than just showing the customer around. Help them see for themselves what they’re getting for their money. Describe your staff training and safety measures with pride, let them know what kinds of enrichment options are available to their pet, and go over all the steps you take to keep pets happy and thriving.

Customers can’t clearly understand and appreciate your differentiators if your staff members don’t. Staff training should include education about the business and what makes it special, starting as early as the first interview. A well-informed team that truly understands the value your business provides is one of your most important assets.

Price isn’t the only reason pet parents may choose pet sitters, and dismissing the entire category as a “cheap alternative” can sweep valuable information under the rug. Consider what else about these services pet parents may find attractive—and whether there are ways to meet those demands at your facility.

Pet parents may like the perceived convenience of a pet sitting app, but for most pet care businesses, booking online poses a major risk to their bottom line. That doesn’t mean you can’t meet pet parents halfway, though. Conveniences like extended hours, online reservation requests, curbside drop-off and standing daycare reservations are all ways to reduce friction on the customer’s end.

Most pet parents want prompt, reliable communication. If customers need to call your business several times, leave voicemails or receive no call back, they might turn to a sitter instead. The most successful pet care businesses miss very few calls, return messages quickly, reach out proactively when needed and closely track all customer communications.

With a pet sitter, pet parents may feel like their dog is getting a fully customized experience built around their needs. But they may not know they can get the same level of customization—or better—with a traditional facility. Instead of a one-size-fits-all play program, consider offering pet parents a choice of activity or enrichment options, as well as photos and report cards to add an extra touch.

Having a pet sitter means the pet can stay in the comfort of their own home; however, they aren’t under the care of a team of highly trained, devoted professionals. Their weight, feedings, activities and mood likely aren’t being tracked with the same level of detail. When pet parents understand the full picture of what goes into a professional pet care facility, it can become even more appealing than in-home care from a stranger.

One other important distinction between a traditional pet care facility and most informal pet sitters is that professional facilities must meet strict licensing, zoning, safety and other regulatory requirements. Businesses that avoid legal requirements that legitimate facilities must follow can gain an unfair cost advantage. Even more importantly, they can present safety and welfare risks to the pets and the community.

If this is something you encounter, there are avenues available. Every area has its own rules, so it’s important to determine which requirements apply in your region and which agencies are responsible for enforcing them. Depending on the issue and location, it might include municipal zoning, animal control, state licensing, agriculture agencies or other local authorities.

Whatever your local requirements are, submitting a complaint starts with collecting the facts. Document any objective, publicly observable information that supports the concern. This might include an advertised home boarding business, the number of pets being boarded or other evidence that local regulations are not being followed.

App-based sitters are also typically subject to the rules of the platform they use. If an individual appears to be violating platform rules or applicable laws, the platform’s support department may provide another way to submit a documented concern.

Finally, continue to educate pet parents. Licensing, insurance and safety features aren’t boring, bureaucratic details—they’re part of what makes professional pet care so reliable and accountable. When pet parents understand why those protective layers exist, they’re better equipped to make informed comparisons between providers.

Pet sitters have permanently altered the competitive landscape in this industry. As technology makes it easier for individuals to enter the pet care market, professional facility owners need to be increasingly intentional about how they compete.

Your greatest advantage is everything you’ve already built: your team, your facility, your systems, your expertise, and the experience you provide to pets and their people. Strengthen what makes your business superior, shout it from the rooftops and make it as easy as possible for pet parents to understand why you’re the better choice, every time.

Laura Laaman is president of Outstanding Pet Care. If you’re interested in the strategies discussed in this article and want to grow your revenue and profit with our proven, guaranteed services, schedule a consultation by calling 1-888-836-8740 or visit www.outstandingpetcare.com/contact.