Unifying Employee Engagement in Retail: PetSmart’s Central Bark SuperApp

Discover how Sheena Christensen, Internal Communications Manager for PetSmart, used MangoApps to level up her internal comms strategy and engage 50,000+ associates.

Challenge

  • PetSmart’s one-way communication platform, ‘The Dish’, had limited engagement.

  • The Dish, built on WordPress, was only accessible via shared desktops within the corporate network, barring access for a significant portion of associates.

  • As a result, a majority of PetSmart's workforce, primarily those in frontline roles, were left disconnected—leaving many associates without access to internal comms.

Illustration of two PetSmart employees looking confused and frustrated with phones and laptop, behind a cage with two dogs, and text stating most PetSmart associates weren't reachable.
A PetSmart employee in a blue uniform smiling while looking at a smartphone next to a phone screen showing the Central Bark app with messages and company news.

Solution

  • PetSmart's new SuperApp ‘Central Bark’, built on MangoApps, offers a mobile-first platform that enhances engagement across the organization by bridging communication gaps.

  • Central Bark hosts an array of content, from corporate comms to user-generated content, adapting to data-driven insights for improved relevance and engagement.

  • With an innovative approach to measuring engagement, Central Bark achieves an impressive average engagement rate that is 4x the industry standard.

A Multitude of Features

Laptop screen showing PetSmart’s corporate intranet homepage with news, team updates, top links, and events.

Central Bark is full of features that make the experience engaging and rewarding for their associates. Things like:

  • Weekly newsletters for office associates, ensuring relevant news and updates are delivered directly.
  • A "Submit Your Stories" form, encouraging associates to contribute their own content.
  • Dedicated department pages, providing insights into different sectors of the company.
  • A continuous suggestion box, prioritizing associate feedback and engagement.

Central Bark brought associates closer together, enabled knowledge sharing, and boosted company-wide engagement. The platform boasts an impressive 8% average monthly engagement rate, well above the industry standard (~2%).

Associates Love It!

Four colored boxes with employee testimonials praising PetSmart's recognition, communication, newsletter, and centralized posts, with PetSmart logo at bottom right.

Does this sound like something you need?

Make sure to watch the full video to learn valuable lessons from the PetSmart team that is driving this new standard of employee engagement forward for their company.