Communication & UpdatesPurpose
1. Automate the creation and delivery of post-walk reports with photos to dog walking clients, streamlining communication, providing real-time updates, improving accountability, and enhancing the client experience by ensuring transparent and timely reporting.
2. Automates the collection of walk details (date, time, route, behavior, special notes) and walk photos, attaches them to a templated message, and delivers automated updates to each client across preferred communication channels.
3. Reduces manual workloads, standardizes reporting, and increasing the scalability and professionalism of dog walking businesses via automation.
Trigger Conditions
1. Walk completion marked in scheduling software or field app.
2. New walk event detected in calendar or CRM.
3. Mobile form submission containing walk data and photos.
4. GPS end-of-walk location reached by walker.
5. Status updated to “completed” on shift or job management platform.
Platform Variants
1. Twilio SMS
- Function: Automate SMS notifications to clients with text and image links using Messages API.
- Sample: Configure Twilio Programmable Messaging API to send POST payload from walk completion webhook.
2. SendGrid
- Function: Automates email delivery using dynamic templates for post-walk summaries and photos.
- Sample: Use SendGrid “Mail Send” API to trigger automated emails with attachments to client addresses.
3. Slack
- Function: Post automated walk report summaries with photo attachments to private client channels.
- Sample: Configure Slack Incoming Webhooks to post formatted walk data and image URLs.
4. WhatsApp Business API
- Function: Automatedly send post-walk update messages including photos via WhatsApp.
- Sample: Use WhatsApp Cloud API “Send Media” endpoint with client’s registered number and photo.
5. Gmail API
- Function: Automate email report dispatch with text, images, or PDF walk summary as attachment.
- Sample: Use Gmail “users.messages.send” endpoint to construct and send emails.
6. Microsoft Outlook API
- Function: Automates post-walk report delivery via Outlook, supporting inline images and attachments.
- Sample: Use Microsoft Graph v1.0 “/sendMail” to automate message sending.
7. Zapier Webhooks
- Function: Acts as universal automation initiator for walk-complete to email/SMS/social.
- Sample: Set up Webhooks by Zapier “Catch Hook” to receive walk event and automate downstream actions.
8. Google Forms/Sheets API
- Function: Automates data intake and report generation upon form submission or sheet row addition.
- Sample: Trigger automation when new walk details and photo links are added via Sheets API.
9. Dropbox API
- Function: Automated upload and share of walk report photos, automating file-sharing.
- Sample: Use Dropbox “/files/upload” and “/sharing/create_shared_link_with_settings” for photo links.
10. Facebook Messenger Platform
- Function: Automates walk update delivery, supporting image attachments in Messenger chat.
- Sample: Use Messenger Send API “messages” endpoint for report and image push.
11. Apple iMessage Business Chat
- Function: Send automated post-walk reports via iMessage with attached photos.
- Sample: Configure Apple Business Chat API to send text and image with client session ID.
12. HubSpot Workflows
- Function: Automates post-walk communications and records a logged email or SMS per client, using workflow triggers.
- Sample: Use HubSpot “Send Email” or “Create Note” action in workflow triggered by custom event.
13. Salesforce Process Builder
- Function: Automated report creation and delivery, updating client history in CRM.
- Sample: Trigger Process Builder on completed walk status to send email using “Send Email” action.
14. Trello API
- Function: Automate card updates with report info and photo links for client transparency.
- Sample: Use “POST /cards/{id}/attachments” endpoint to add walk images.
15. Monday.com Automations
- Function: Automates client notification when a walk item is marked as done with attached report.
- Sample: Configure “When status changes to Done, notify client by email” with file upload.
16. Notion API
- Function: Automatedly logs post-walk reports and embeds photos in client linked database.
- Sample: Use Notion “Create Page” with text block containing summary and image block.
17. Mailgun API
- Function: Automates delivery of templated email messages with image attachments to clients.
- Sample: Use Mailgun “messages” endpoint for sending walk reports.
18. Pipedrive API
- Function: Automatically logs walk details and triggers follow-up emails/SMS.
- Sample: Use Pipedrive “Add Activity” plus integration with mail/SMS action.
19. Zoho CRM Automation
- Function: Triggers client emails or SMS with walk summary and links upon walk completion.
- Sample: Use Zoho CRM Workflow Rules “Send Email” action with merge fields and file attachment.
20. MessageBird API
- Function: Automating personalized post-walk notifications via SMS or WhatsApp.
- Sample: Use MessageBird “WhatsApp Send” or “SMS Send” endpoint for message automation.
21. ClickSend API
- Function: Automates dispatch of post-walk SMS/MMS or email with images and notes to clients.
- Sample: Use ClickSend “Send SMS” or “Send Email” endpoints with media file attached.
22. Intercom
- Function: Automated client chat messages after each walk, with image upload.
- Sample: Use Intercom “Conversations” API to trigger message with photo for each walk event.
Benefits
1. Automates the entire post-walk reporting process, ensuring zero manual delays and higher accuracy.
2. Automates delivery of timely and professional updates to clients, boosting satisfaction and retention.
3. Frees up staff for more walking and less admin by letting automation orchestrate communication.
4. Creates robust, automatable client records through systematic logging of walk data and photos.
5. Automating follow-up increases transparency and builds trust, leading to more positive reviews and referrals.
6. Enhances scalability as automation allows for higher walk volume with consistent communication.