The whole world is aware of a popular online platform for hosting guests known as Airbnb, which provides people with a homely experience far from their own homes. We are also familiar with the success story of this platform.
Now, here comes a platform for our furry friends called Zamba Dogs, founded by Roy Cherian in November 2018 in Gurgaon, Haryana. Mr. Roy Cherian was the founder and CEO of Marketilligent, a company specializing in data analytics that was later acquired by a US-based firm called Brillio. When we consider the concept of dog daycare and boarding, it is relatively new in the Indian context. This service is popular in countries such as the United States, where platforms like Dogtopia offer dog daycare, boarding, grooming, and spa services.
Another well-known company in the United States is Rover, which connects pet sitters and dog walkers. In Australia, there is a popular company called Mad Paws, which provides pet sitting, boarding, and daycare services. This company has grown significantly by effectively using technology, contributing to its success.
The primary motive of Zamba Dogs was to provide a premium experience for furry friends when their owners are away on vacation. The idea resonated well in the region, as many people go on long vacations and cannot always take their pets with them. Essentially, the aim was to offer a premium service for dogs, similar to what Airbnb does for guests.
However, in 2019, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, people were confined to their homes for nearly a year, which hindered the company’s ability to generate revenue, ultimately leading to a complete shutdown of operations in April 2020. No further actions were taken by the founder to expand the business. The company’s Instagram page remained active until October 2019, but no further actions were initiated thereafter. The Instagram page had 699 followers and followed 162 accounts. The Facebook page had 2,000 followers, with the final post made in February 2020. After that, there were no further posts to promote the business on social media platforms.
The idea was fantastic and had the potential to create new revenue avenues, especially since it was a novel concept in India. Unfortunately, the company failed to utilize social media and other digital tools that could have generated alternative revenue during the lockdown. A challenge could have turned into an opportunity if an alternative plan had been in place to address the unforeseen circumstances.
