BARKIN BLENDS

Zia Irra Alegre and Ruby Lauren Manuel

Note: Real names were not disclosed; pseudonyms were used in writing this case per
request of the owners.

Introduction
Barkin Blends Dog Caf is a pet-friendly caf located along Katipunan,
Quezon City right across Ateneo de Manila University. As perfectly summed up by
its tagline Have a sip in a cup with a pup, it offers a unique twist to the caf
experience by allowing its customers to interact and play with resident dogs.

Vision: To create an art of happiness among people with dogs as the

greatest form of stress relief.
Mission: Barkin Blends Dog Caf is committed to the happiness of all
our customers by providing a delightful experience with our dog
residents at an economical price.

With the positive reception and market position in the rising pet caf trend in
the country, though having operated for only two years, the family is optimistic to
expand soon by branching out within Metro Manila and other prospect locations.
Humble Beginnings
Barkin Blends is a family-owned business and is the first dog caf in Manila
which recently just started operating on September 6, 2014. The idea was inspired
by a family trip to Korea where pet cafes seem to be a growing trend. The Alejandro
family members are dog-lovers, and with Barkin Blends, their initial goal is to share
the experience of a one of a kind stress relief especially towards those that do not
have time to own and take care of pets. The family believes that the bond between
humans and dogs enhances the lives of everyone and every dog. The caf offers a
unique service in providing an avenue of relaxation for guests as they enjoy a cup of
coffee in the company of cute puppies and dogs. At the onset, there are 20 resident
dogs in the caf. Currently, Barkin' Blends solely operates at its Katipunan branch. It
is typically open every day from 12 noon to 9 p.m. except on Tuesdays due to store
maintenance and for an added rest day to the resident dogs as well.
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Management
Being a family start-up business, the organizational structure of Barkin
Blends is apparently flat and roles are flexible. Each family member plays multiple
roles. Beatrice Alejandro, who is the main owner of the business, handles most of
the operations together with her mom, Jackie Alejandro. Their responsibilities also
include direct supervision of the staff. Currently, they have a total of 12 staff.
Beatrices two siblings are hands off with regards to the actual operations of the
business. Specifically, her brother James who is currently working in Japan,
remotely helps with the technical aspects of the business such as the maintenance
of the Barkin Blends website. Beatrice and her sister Martina both handle the
marketing function.
Beatrice considers Barkin Blends being a family business as a strength. She
mentioned that with their current setup, apart from flexible management and faster
decision-making, people are committed with closely held common values and longterm perspective. She also highlighted the good
internal communications among the management
team.
Products and Service
The caf is separated into two areas: the
Human Zone and the Dog Zone.
The Human Zone is the dining part where
one can order food and drinks. Their menu offers
coffee-based beverages, frappes, teas, pasta, rice
meals, sandwiches, burgers, pastries and
pupcakes. Prices range from as low as Php 60135 for beverages and Php 100-220 for meals.
Most of their menu items are cleverly named after their resident dogs. Supplies for
milk tea, coffee beans, and other raw materials
are outsourced.
The Dog Zone is the interactive zone
where customers can play with the resident dogs.
Currently, there are now 30 resident dogs who
follow a shifting schedule to prevent the dogs
from being stressed out. The Barkin Buddies
consist of Golden Retrievers, Beagles, Pugs,
Basset Hounds, Poodles, Boston Terriers, and
many other canine breeds. The dogs themselves
are what drives the income the most, thus veterinary expenses and daily pet
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maintenance play the biggest costs as well. To help minimize the expenses, Barkin
Blends staff are also tasked to cook food for the resident dogs as a cheaper
alternative.
A maximum of 40 guests at a time can stay inside the Human Zone and Dog
Zone respectively. The cafe will not let in guests once the limit has been reached;
should the guest wish to wait for his/her turn, he/she will be placed in a waiting list.
The average waiting time to get inside the Dog Zone is almost one to two hours.
The place has free Wi-Fi so guests can surf while
waiting for their turn.
In order to stay in the Dog Zone for a
maximum of two hours, one must pay an
admission fee of Php 190. The fee is inclusive of
one free drink. Sanitation measures are required
before mingling with Barkin' Blends' resident
dogs. Visitors are strictly required to follow
specific rules for the benefit of both the humans
and the dogs. The Dog Zone rules are given
below:
Dog Zone Rules1
Safety for human guests and dog residents is Barkin
Blends utmost priority. Before entering the Dog Zone,
customers are expected to observe the following:

3.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

1. Submit your ticket as you enter the Dog Zone.

Strictly no ticket, no entry. Please note that a
single entry purchased is non-transferrable. The
two-hour provided by the ticket can only be
consumed by a single person.
2. Kindly change your footwear to the slippers
provided as you enter the Dog Zone.
You may use the lockers provided to store your belongings. Always bring your
valuables with you and do not leave them unattended. We are not
responsible for any lost or damaged items.
Please keep your locker key safe at all times. The loss of your locker key will
result in a Php 500 fine.
Sanitize before and after you leave the Dog Zone.
Bringing food is not allowed inside the Dog Zone.
Only sealed drinks are allowed inside the Dog Zone. Ensure that your drinks
are kept on the table at all times.
Do not feed our Barkin' Buddies any kind of food or drink.
Do not wake up sleeping Barkin' Buddies.

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10.Do not carry our Barkin' Buddies. You may simply sit on the floor to play and
mingle with them.
11.Do not tease or taunt our Barkin' Buddies. Please keep your watches, car
keys, jewelry or any other lose or hanging accessories away from them.
12.Do not pull our Barkin' Buddies' tail or ears or do anything that could
physically hurt them. In the event that our Barkin' Buddies get an injury, you
are held responsible for all veterinary care costs.
13.Please avoid shouting, screaming, or making any loud noise that may startle
our Barkin' Buddies.
14.No horse playing in the Dog Zone.
15.Expectant mothers are not allowed inside the Dog Zone.
16.Children 12 years of age and below must be accompanied and supervised by
an adult at all times.
17.Outsider dogs are not allowed inside the Dog Zone.
18.Taking pictures is okay but no flash photography.
19.Please ensure that you are free from cough, colds, or fever.
20.If you need any assistance, our service crew is happy to help you.
Sanitation and Safety
Most reviews2 commend Barkin Blends for its high regard to sanitation and
safety. The Dog Zone is clean at all times. Attendants are armed with mops,
dustpans and cleaning sprays to clean after the dogs right away. The resident dogs
have soft and silky fur, and they smell good as they are groomed before the caf
opens. In the event of unforeseen incidents, Barkin Blends have an ABC (Animal
Bite Clinic) doctor who specializes in dog-related cases. So far, only minor incidents
such as a harmless dog scratch by accident were the only reported cases. Most
resident dogs are known to be well-behaved and friendly except for one poodle who
is known by most guests as the moody one.
Customers
Initially, most of the customers of Barkin Blends were students from Ateneo
given its strategic location. As Barkin Blends made a name for itself as the first pet
caf in the country through word-of-mouth and several features on blogs and food
sites, their market reach grew particularly to students of neighboring schools such
as UP.
Adults and children alike go to Barkin Blends mainly to play with the resident
dogs. Some parents see it as a way to introduce to young kids to early pet
ownership and to encourage them to love animals at an early age. Some adults who
cannot own pets due to personal circumstances (i.e. some condominiums and/or
apartments do not allow pets, no time, no budget, etc.) also go to the place to get a
chance to hang out with the furry canine companions.
The Pet Caf Industry
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The trend of pet cafs started with the first cat caf called Cat Flower Garden
in Taipei, Taiwan back in 1998. It became an instant hit to tourists especially the
Japanese. Years later, other pet-themed establishments (dogs, hamsters, rabbits,
birds, even snakes and goats) soon sprung across Asia particularly Japan and South
Korea.3
The most famous dog cafs can be found in Korea. The Bau House in Seoul
opened its doors in 2001 and is considered as the world's first and oldest dog caf.
The Sunnyne Pet Caf which opened in 2007 in Seoul, in addition to their resident
dogs, allows guests to BYOD (Bring Your Own Dog). 4 In the US, its first dog caf
just recently opened back in 2015. A unique feature of the LA-based Dog Caf is
that all resident dogs are available for adoption the dog caf also serves as an
adoption center for rescue dogs, offering rehabilitation and training to prepare dogs
for their future homes.5 The Happiness of Hound is also set to open as the first dog
caf in London and the first in Europe. 6
The hype with pet cafes has already made its way to the Philippines, with
mostly cat and dog-themed cafs. The very reason why people love interactive pet
cafs is that the company of warm, furry, and loving companions is considered
emotionally therapeutic. Time spent with animals helps relieve stress and put
guests in a better frame of mind.
Competition
As the pet caf industry in the country is relatively young and still growing,
many players are entering the market.
The Bengal Brew and Wolf & Bear is a joint cat and dog caf located in Cubao,
Quezon City. This caf limits its resident pets to one rare breed. For its resident cats,
they house Bengal kittens in a tropical jungle setting. The Bengal breed consists of
domestic cats designed to look like exotic feline like Leopards, Margays and Ocelots.
While for their resident dogs, they have an Arctic wonderland setup which houses
Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. For Php 199, guests can access each cafe
for an hour with a free drink. Both cafes can be accessed for an hour for Php 299
with a free drink. For two hours inclusive of food and drink would cost the guest Php
399. The caf serves hot and cold drinks and house specials as well as cakes,
pastries, and savory rolls.7

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Pups and Cups Dog Caf is almost

similar to Barkin Blends except its
interior is designed to look like an outdoor
park with plants and benches.
It is
located in BF Homes Paraaque. For the
same price of Php 190, inclusive of one
drink, guests get an hour and half of time
to hang out with resident dogs like Dobby
the pug, Simba the Pom, and Arrow the
Corgi.
Customers
can
also
enjoy
appetizers, paninis, pasta, rice meals,
blended coffees, frappes and fruit teas. 8

The
Philippine
Animal
Welfare
Society (PAWS) Purina Pet Caf lets people
experience a pet cafe within the convenient
confines of a mall. It is located in Trinoma,
Quezon City. The pet caf aims to raise
funds and donations for the PAWS animal
shelter program. It is open from Tuesdays
to Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The
featured dogs and cats may vary from day to day. The PAWS shelter features native
cats (puspins) every Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and alternately, for the rest
of the week, they feature dogs (aspins). 9
For a minimum of only Php 150 food purchase or pet food from Purina, guests
can enter the pet caf and bond with the animals. Visitors can tell PAWS staff what
food they wish to order from the restaurants around. Once inside the pet cafe, they
can hang out with the animals and expect their food to be available in 20 minutes.
The pop-up PAWS pet cafe will only be there until October 30 but as it is an
undeniably big hit among mall goers, a repeat and/or permanent stunt can be
expected. Other copycats or new players may also emerge as pet cafs inside
malls is still considered uncharted territory.
Marketing Strategies
(1) Doogles
In order to stay relevant in the game and to maintain its position as the first
dog caf in the country, aside from its strategy of keeping prices affordable within
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its target market range, Barkin Blends heavily depend on its creative marketing
strategies.
For its activities and promotions, they conduct events such as Customize
Your Own Ecobag at their art activity area which they call Doogles. At Doogles,
guests can customize their own tote bags, pencil cases and many others.

(2) The Barkin Blends Store

Barkin Blends also recently launched its own The Barkin Blends Store
which offers official Barkin Blends merchandise. As of now, their product offerings
are limited to t-shirts.10

(3) Social Media

Barkin Blends is also active in different social media platforms such as
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Currently, it has 10.5K followers under its
Instagram handle (@barkinblends).11 In terms of advertising, Barkin Blends strives
to keep their posts and content unique from other cafs. The owner of Barkin
Blends said they usually post photos of their resident dogs dressed in adorable
costumes related to different occasions, particularly putting more emphasis on
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Philippine holidays. Their objective in releasing such ads is to reach dog-lovers who
can be potential new customers through Instagram hashtags and Facebook likes
and shares. Such posts can also make regular customers miss their resident dogs
since most of their followers are repeat customers who already interacted with the
dogs and have somehow formed a special bond with their respective beloved
Barkin Buddies.

Although social media is proven to be a more effective and cheaper

promotional strategy, it is a double-edged sword. Barkin Blends had its fair share
of destructive criticisms from some netizens. According to the owner, the worst and
most extreme feedback they got when they were starting out was that their dogs
are being injected with some sort of special chemical to make the dogs behave
accordingly. Beatrice was quick to dismiss the said allegation. She said that using
social media nowadays is critical as information travels fast and reaches out to
people, be it true or false. As the positive feedback for Barkin Blends far outweighs
the negative, they do not consider the perils of social media as a challenge and just
take such negative criticism as typical part of any business.

Issues
Aside from the growing competition, Barkin Blends also faces some issues
with regards to operations, customers, staff, and future expansion.
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Most customers find the Human Zone or dining area too small so the place
can be crowded during peak hours. Some customers complained that they were not
actually able to try to dine in the caf due to unavailable seats so they were forced
to leave and eat somewhere else after playing with the dogs. Pastries and
sandwiches also quickly run out and usually only last mid-day.
Entering the Dog Zone is problematic as well since some customers gather
around or sit on the floor in front of the gate, and this creates traffic of people as
the entrance and exit are blocked. Others complain that the waiting time takes too
long and the parking space is also limited.
There were also feedback from some customers who experience fellow
customers bickering at them over comfort room matters. Barkin Blends has one
small common CR for male and female guests and people usually form a long line to
use it. One woman, upon going out of the CR, was startled when the woman next in
line accused her of cutting into the queue. Another one experienced a customer
banging the CR door while she was inside using it.
Some irresponsible customers also do not seem to follow rules even if they
have been reminded to do so. They violate the house rules even in full view of the
caf staff such as bothering sleeping resident dogs and carrying and passing the
dogs around. There exist some lapses on adequate supervision in implementing the
Dog Zone Rules. There were also negative reviews with regards to how some staff
treat customers. Staff in the Human Zone were deemed to be quite rude by some
visitors.
Despite all these, Beatrice is certain that in the next five years by then she
must have already earned that MBA degree she can eventually focus her full
attention to the family business again. When that time comes, she can ultimately
make her business goal, the expansion of Barkin Blends to another branch within
Metro Manila, possible.

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I.

Problem Statement
Barkin Blends faces several issues with regards to its internal operations
such as long waiting time, limited spaces, weak implementation and control of
customer compliance to house rules, rude staff, stockout and role conflict in
management. Nevertheless, the Alejandros consider the aforementioned issues
as commonplace to a start-up business and do not consider such as something
that would significantly hinder the familys plan of branching out soon. With the
positive reception and the undeniably leading market position in the rising pet
caf trend in the country, owners of Barkin Blends are confident to pursue
further expansion. However, with all the grumbles and opportunity costs, it is
apparent that there is a substantial room for improvement in Barkin Blends
management of resources, particularly vis--vis its internal and external
stakeholders. Addressing its numerous short-term problems is just as crucial
prior to pushing towards its long-term plan of expansion, especially now that
new competitors are starting to emerge.

II.

Analysis
5 Cs
(1) Customers

The common profile of Barkin Blends guests fall in the ABC market. Based
from experience, the owner noted that most customers belonging in the
upper bracket have the tendency to be demanding and prefer to be attended
to quickly and pampered. Also evidently, Barkin Blends patrons are primarily
dog-lovers. Being situated across Ateneo campus, most of their customers
are students from Ateneo de Manila University and other neighboring schools
such as UP, Miriam College and others.
(2) Company

SWOT Analysis
Strengths

Market Position
Barkin Blends is the first-mover in the industry of dog caf in the
Philippines giving it certain competitive advantages. First and foremost, it
has the potential to make a lasting impression on customers, which can lead
to brand recognition and customer loyalty. It also has more time to refine its
processes and to perfect its products and services. It may also have an
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advantage in controlling resources, such as an exclusive contract with key

suppliers or talented employees.

Shareholder Communication
Being a family-owned business, apart from flexible management and
faster decision-making, there is a good internal communication among the
management team. Inevitable conflicts that occur at times are easily
resolved as people are committed with closely held common values and longterm perspective. The adage blood is thicker than water holds true.

Inclination to Arts
The people behind Barkin Blends is a family of creative and artistic
individuals, no wonder they are able to come up with unique marketing
strategies. Barkin Blends conduct events such as Customize Your Own
Ecobag at their art activity area which they call Doogles where guests can
customize their own tote bags, pencil cases and many others. This expands
the market horizon of Barkin Blends, making it not only about animals, but
also about arts.

Physical Location
Though the caf is physically out of the common sight of passersby as
it is located at the second floor of a building along an obscured street, it has
never been a weakness according to the owner because word-of-mouth and
advertisements have recompensed it all. In point of fact, Barkin Blends
physical location is its strength as it is the only pet caf along Katipunan.

Weaknesses

Overlapping Roles
As a family business, the organizational structure of Barkin Blends is
flat and roles are flexible. Each family member plays multiple roles. Beatrice
handles most of the operations together with her mom, Jackie. Their
responsibilities also include direct supervision of staff. Beatrices two siblings
are hands off with regards to the actual operations of the business. Beatrice
and her sister Martina both handle the marketing and promotional function.

Limited Spaces
With the increasing rate of demand, Barkin Blends is encountering
opportunity loss with the number of customers not being able to enter the
store due to unavailable seats and limited space. This has also resulted to
complaints in waiting time climbing up to unreasonable lengths and in the
perturbing traffic of people which blocks the entrance and exit areas. Parking

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spaces are also limited which makes other potential customers with cars
transfer to other restaurants instead.

Stockout Issue
The pastries and sandwiches of Barkin Blends usually become
unavailable at the latter part of the day and this has quite become habitual.
Restaurants by standard should have all their products available in day-today operations. Few times of having out of stock goods may be normal, but if
it happens frequently, current operating procedure with regards to
forecasting of stock delivery should be scrutinized.
People Management
The issue on various customer complaints on waiting time, queue
conflicts, people traffic, rude staff, and even customers violation on house
rules denote a gaffe in the quality of management in both the customers and
the employees.
Action Plan for Long-term Vision
There is a desire to expand in the future but the existence of action
plans towards the long-term dream is vague.

Opportunities

Market Demand
As the spaces of the venue become little versus the knocking
customers, this is a clear sign that Barkin Blends market demand is
increasing.

Pet Cafes in Malls

Pet cafs located inside malls is still considered uncharted territory
with only PAWS pop-up pet caf being the first one to try such venture.

Threats

Social Media Criticisms

Barkin Blends already experienced a fair share of destructive
criticisms from some netizens. The worst feedback received when the caf
was starting out was that the dogs were said to be injected with some sort of
special chemical to make them behave accordingly.
Though the said
allegation was quickly dismissed, gossips like this can be perilous for the
business. Information via social media travels fast and reaches out to a wide
range of people, be it true or false. Worst case scenario, such misinformation
and negative blog reviews can create panic and discourage potential
customers from visiting the store.

Customer Expectations
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The owner has noted that majority of their guests are in the upper
class and somehow demanding. This is a challenge to keep the team on their
toes as these people are hard to please. Little slips can possibly lead to big
complaints, and worse, can coerce some customers to transfer to other
competitors.

Growing Competition
Barkin Blends may be the first-mover, but it cannot be denied that it is
only young and growing; and while it is still on the verge of establishing itself
in the market, many players are now emerging and entering the pet caf
industry such as the Bengal Brew and Wolf & Bear, Pups and Cups Dog Caf,
and PAWS Purina Pet Caf all of which have the capability to eat a portion of
its market share.
(3) Competition

Bengal Brew and Wolf & Bear is a joint cat and dog caf located in Cubao,
Quezon City. This is not far from the location of Barkin Blends along
Katipunan, which is also in Quezon City. Therefore, this can potentially steal
some of its customers, especially that multiple reviews have expressed their
appreciation on the interiors of the venue. The spaces are palpably bigger as
well. For their resident dogs, they have an Arctic wonderland setup which
houses Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. These are great breeds but
Barkin Blends has a clear competitive edge in variety. The caf also houses
Bengal kittens in a tropical jungle setting, which strengthens its competitive
advantage in terms of wider scope of the market because Barkin Blends
obviously has no cats. Bengal Brew and Wolf & Bear caters to both dog and
cat lovers.

Pups and Dogs Caf is located in BF Homes, Paraaque. For the same price of
Php 190, inclusive of one drink, guests get an hour and half of time to hang
out with resident dogs. The location is far from Barkin Blends though, making
it a lesser threat in the market share.

PAWS Purina Pet Caf lets people experience a pet cafe within the confines of
Trinoma mall. This means customers have the option of shopping and going
around conveniently in a wide space in case there is a need for waiting.
Parking space and comfort room are also not a problem here as all these are
extensively obtainable in the mall where the business is located.
The pet caf exists for a noble cause as it aims to raise funds and donations
for the PAWS animal shelter program. This may be more attractive to those
who have genuine concern for the greater welfare of animals, which are not
only dogs but cats as well.

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The caf is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, wherein it can probably capture
customers who are available on Tuesdays because Barkin Blends is always
closed on this day. Its operating hours from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. is shorter
however, giving it a disadvantage to Barkin Blends 12 noon to 9 p.m.
(4) Collaborators

Most raw materials for its product offerings are outsourced from local
suppliers and are accessible easily. The management has the responsibility to
contact them. This link is a relevant factor with regards to the stockout issue
of pastries and sandwiches every after mid-day.

Barkin Blends also has a standby ABC (Animal Bite Clinic) doctor who
specializes in dog-related cases in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

(5) Country

The pet caf industry is a relatively young and thriving industry. The hype
with dog-theme and cat-theme pet cafs has been successful in penetrating
the country as it is common in a Philippine household to own pets particularly
dogs or cats. As the first pet caf in Manila, Barkin Blends shaped the
market niche of dog cafs who provide happiness among the growing
community of Filipino pet lovers by providing a delightful caf experience
with dogs as the greatest form of stress relief. It also cultivates awareness
regarding the value of loving dogs.

III. Recommendation
Short Term

Orientation for New Visitors

Adults
Barkin Blends can assign a staff to do a quick orientation to reiterate
and remind new visitors about their policies before they enter the Dog Zone
instead of merely relying on customers reading the rules themselves. Further
questions and clarifications from guests can then be entertained and
answered during the orientation, ensuring the mutual understanding between
both parties.
Children below 12 years old
If some adults commit violations despite reading the rules themselves,
then it is highly likely more challenging for kids given the latters level of
comprehension and attention span. An orientation for kids using a different
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approach that will make the rules easy to grasp can also be conducted
separately. Demonstrations on the dos and donts on how to pet the dogs
can be shown especially for kids who has zero petting experience.

Strict Implementation and Monitoring of Dog Rules

Barkin Blends attendants should be more observant and stricter in
implementing the Dog Zone rules. CCTVs should also be regularly monitored
to watch for irregularities and pattern with regards to violations committed by
some guests. Findings from these audits should be shared and discussed to
the attendants in a weekly huddle to prevent such from occurring again.

Liability Waiver
Barkin Blends can also issue a liability waiver and have it signed by
visitors after the orientation, prior to entering the Dog Zone. The resident
dogs can get rowdy or moody and accidents can happen. Even if they are
used to crowds and being touched by strangers, it is important to protect
customers from any legal liability.

Discounts and Loyalty Card

To entice more customers, Barkin Blends can offer discount packages
for family, groups of students or friends, and/or couple visitors. Likewise,
they can also offer a discounted rate (with no drink) for toddlers or kids below
3 ft. To encourage repeat customers, they can issue Barkin Barkada loyalty
membership card which comes with different perks such as freebies and
discounts based on cumulative scores earned from each visit.

Conducive Environment
Further improvements can also be done with regards to making the
caf more conducive. Barkin Blends can add soothing background music
this has been a proven way to calm animals. Dog toys such as chew toys or
balls can also be added to create a better play environment and interaction
between the dogs and the guests.

Sleeping Zone for Dogs

A glassed-in quiet zone can also be built within a portion of the Dog
Zone to serve as a Sleeping Zone for the resident dogs to avoid overhandling. With this, guests can still see them but the sleepy dogs are
protected from being touched too much and they can rest when needed.

Improvement of Stock Delivery System

A review of the current stock delivery system should be done. Buffer
stock volume for products such as pastries and sandwiches should be
increased to an optimal level to avoid stockout and to be able to meet daily
demands.

Utilization of Doogles

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People waiting in queue for the Dog Zone can opt to create arts and
crafts as a form of boredom buster. Barkin Blends can utilize its art activity
area Doogles and conduct regular art activities. This can also ease human
traffic created by people crowding outside the Dog Zone entrance.

Feedback Forms
A simple feedback form can be given to each visitor for them to rate
the overall level of experience and service they had at Barkin Blends. Other
insights and suggestions can also be gathered using such forms. This would
also give the management and staff themselves a reflection on how they can
further improve their people and service management skills. Feedback from
these surveys and corresponding action plans and resolutions would also be
deliberated during the teams weekly meeting.

Long Term

Organizational Structure
With the current setup, the management style and flat structure may
be working for now but given the probable expansion, an improvement of its
organizational structure should be considered.
The ambiguous and
overlapping roles can create role conflict and confusion in the long run.
Setting of boundaries and assigning of specific roles for each family member
must be delineated and discussed by the family.

Renovation and Interior Design

A renovation to further expand the Human Zone can be done as most
customers complained about limited seats during waiting time. Perhaps
renting another floor of the building in the event of future vacancy would be a
workable solution. Additional comfort rooms can also be added thereafter.
Improving the stores interior design and aesthetics can also be looked into
specifically to compete with its closest competitor Bengal Brew and Wolf &
Bear.

The Barkin Blends Store

The Barkin Blends Store can diversify and offer other products aside
from shirts such as keychains, pins, magnets, school supplies like notebooks,
stationery and post-it notes. It can further offer dog accessories, toys and
other dog supplies. A pop-up physical store can also be set up beside or
inside the Barkin Blends caf so customers can look around while waiting for
their turn in the Dog Zone.

Expansion
Lastly, after solving its internal issues with regards to operations,
organization structure, staff management, and customer violations and
complaints, it can then proceed with its plan to expand to another location.
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Before setting up a new branch, the Alejandros should ensure implementation

and compliance to standard operating procedures on its pioneer branch in
Katipunan. Upon establishing quality and smooth operations, then they can
continue with their vision of expanding to other locations in Metro Manila.
Feasibility studies and cost-benefit analysis should be conducted prior
to choosing the next location for Barkin Blends. Barkin Blends can perhaps
take cue from PAWS pop-up pet caf and set up its next branch inside a mall.
They can also consider other strategic locations such as Makati or Fort where
many corporate yuppies are looking for a place to destress, near schools
since students largely comprised its main customers, in prominent
subdivisions since it caters to the middle to upper class market and/or near
condominiums where residents are usually not allowed to own pets.

REFERENCES:
1

http://barkinblends.com

https://www.zomato.com/manila/barkin-blends-loyola-heights-quezon-city

http://mentalfloss.com/article/56592/brief-history-cat-caf

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3285920

http://www.laweekly.com/restaurants

http://www.thehappinessofhounds.com

http://cnnphilippines.com/life/leisure/food/2016/10/12/9-pet-cafes.html

http://ph.phonebooky.com/blog/9-adorable-pet-cafes-to-check-out-in-metro-

manila
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http://www.metro-pets.com/around-the-metro/paws-pet-cafe-in-trinoma-a-

big-hit
10

https://store.barkinblends.com

11

https://www.instagram.com/barkinblends

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