Does anyone else get service requests through Bark? If so, do you actually take them?

[xekuter]

My salon has only been open a few months - this week I’ve gotten two service requests through Bark, which I think I’d only vaguely heard of before and had to google and double check what it was. I’m not on the site or involved with it in any way. It’s not a request from a customer directly, it’s some sort of Bark employee ‘reaching out on their behalf’. Which seems weird to me. The scant info (that isn’t particularly useful for grooming, really) that is filled out in the Bark form, combined with using this kind of service to find a dog groomer, gives me a weird vibe like they’re going to be a problem client and aren’t worth contacting. They could’ve super easily googled ‘dog grooming near x’ or just ‘dog grooming’ and my salon would’ve come up if they’re anywhere nearby. Does anyone else get this? Do you bother contacting them?

 

[thankfullness]

@xekuter I haven't personally had to deal with this but another groomer I know says it's basically door dash for services. They are tacking service fees on to your business without asking you. So they are charging the customer a fee to find a groomer and make the appointment. She said the person was someone previously banned from her salon trying to get around the ban for their aggressive dog. Door dash has a habit of adding restaurants to their app without the business knowing anything about it and then getting complaints about the drivers or the service. I won't deal with it. If I get added (u likely die to where I live) I'll send them a removal request. Not worth the hassle.

 

[xekuter]

@thankfullness I did get a very door dash-y feeling from their site. It makes sense that they’re adding a fee because I honestly couldn’t figure out what the point was… maybe if you joined it as a member (like a handyman or someone who grooms from home, even) there would be some value. It’s just beyond wild that they’re googling businesses for people. And super scummy to add a fee that the business doesn’t know about, too.

 

[existia]

@xekuter Funny enought the salon I work for just got an email today from Bark 'requesting an appointment'. I read it, and then did nothing, because it felt like a scam email, and if not, if it was someone trying to get an appointment, then the least they can do is go to our website and properly request an appointment through us.

 

[xekuter]

@existia That’s exactly how I felt! It does seem almost like a scam email. I ignored the first one immediately, but the second within a couple days I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something. The vibe is just so bad though.

 

[jamie2]

@xekuter I think Bark adds this “service” for people who have pet sitters so they can come home to a well groomed dog.

 

[xekuter]

@jamie2 That makes me want to interact even less, not even dealing with the dog’s actual owner is a nightmare!

 

[sydneysteve]

@xekuter My reply would simply be, I am not interested in having an affiliation with your service. All requests will be denied. Please advise your customer to contact me directly so I may screen them personally.