BarkBox Streamlines Operations with Automated Emails and Notifications

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BarkBox, a subscription service for dog treats, toys, and gifts, faced several operational challenges. The company, which also runs a charitable donations program, was struggling with the volume of donation requests from dog-related events and organizations across the United States and Canada. Each request had to be vetted and approved, a process that was causing a bottleneck. Additionally, managing in-office dog time, training requests, and remote work requests was proving to be a logistical challenge. The company needed to find a way to automate these processes without taking resources away from the development team.

BarkBox is a company that was launched in 2012 by three dog enthusiasts, Henrik, Carly, and Matt. The company offers a subscription box service that includes dog treats, toys, and gifts. BarkBox also runs Barkshop.com, an online store where customers can purchase toys, treats, and gifts for dog lovers. In addition to these services, BarkBox operates a charitable donations program, donating 10 percent of its profits to shelters and rescues. The company is committed to creating its own line of dog products, from durable toys to photogenic costumes, and aims to cater to every dog's needs.

BarkBox turned to Zapier, an app automation tool, to streamline its operations. To handle the influx of donation requests, a Zap was set up to create each unique Google Form response as a new ticket on BarkBox's support desk, Zendesk. This allowed the customer experience team to handle the requests without manual delegation. To manage in-office dog time, a Zap was created to send notifications through Slack when off-leash periods approached, reminding employees to secure food and other items. For remote work requests, a Zap was set up to automatically email an agent when they submitted a work from home request on the same day they were scheduled for a training session. This ensured that employees were aware of any potential conflicts with their schedules.

• The use of Zapier has significantly improved BarkBox's operational efficiency. The automation of donation requests has streamlined the approval process, allowing more rescues and shelters to benefit from the affiliate program. The automated notifications for in-office dog time have helped manage potential chaos and maintain a conducive work environment. The automatic emails for remote work requests have ensured that employees are aware of their schedules, reducing potential conflicts with training sessions. Furthermore, the successful implementation of Zapier has led to more BarkBox employees using the tool to automate their workflows, creating more efficient ways forward for the company.

• Significant reduction in the time taken to process donation requests, leading to more shelters and rescues gaining access to the affiliate program.

• Efficient management of in-office dog time, reducing potential disruptions.

• Improved handling of remote work requests, ensuring no conflicts with scheduled training sessions.