Winning your first shipment on CitizenShipper is a major milestone. It signals the start of your journey as a trusted driver on the platform. From here, several important changes take place: your background verification is processed, if not already expedited, your profile now shows a “Background Certified” badge and “number of times booked” statistic. You also have the opportunity to collect your first customer review, which is one of the most powerful tools for building credibility and attracting future business.

To help you begin on the right foot, this lesson highlights two key steps that set the tone for a smooth experience, not only for your first booking, but for all future ones as well.

• Step #1: Your first off-site contact with the customer
• Step #2: Documentation

Step 1: Your first off-site contact with the customer

While initial communication always takes place through CitizenShipper’s messaging system for safety and transparency, once a booking is confirmed, you’ll receive an email and SMS notification containing the shipper’s contact details. This is your signal to connect directly.

The confirmation email also includes itinerary details and important reminders, such as providing regular updates during the trip and clarifying payment arrangements. At this stage, the focus should be on alignment:

• Clarify who you’ll be coordinating with: the shipper, the receiver, or both.
• Walk through the trip outline to ensure expectations are consistent.
• Review what your quote covers and confirm the payment method.
• Establish how often updates will be shared. Regular photo or location check-ins every few hours help reassure customers and demonstrate professionalism.

Good communication from the start helps prevent misunderstandings and builds confidence in your service. Clear and proactive communication also lays the groundwork for a positive review.

Why communication frequency matters?

Customers value consistent updates as they reassure them that their pet or item is safe and on schedule. A good practice is to:

• Send an update at pickup confirming everything has gone smoothly.
• Share your location and photo updates every few hours.
• Always inform the customer of any timeline changes due to traffic, weather, road closures, or additional stops.
• Confirm at drop-off that the delivery has been completed successfully.

These simple steps not only reduce customer anxiety but also build trust and greatly increase your chances of receiving positive reviews.

Step 2: Documentation

Once expectations are aligned, the next step is formalizing the agreement. An official transport contract helps confirm responsibilities, payment terms, and timelines in writing. This template is available to make this process simple.

When a shipment involves different shipping and receiving parties, it’s best practice to include a record of disposition for dogs and cats, which clearly documents who is receiving the pet. A downloadable form is available here for this purpose.

As for health certificates, vaccination records, and other pet-related safety requirements, these will be covered in more detail in a future lesson. For now, it’s enough to remember that verifying a pet’s health status is an essential step in ensuring safe transport. 

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