PPFaschion

Of course pets need bow ties — just ask Bruno Sena Fortunato and his wife Priscila da Silva Fortunato, the owners of PPFaschion, a pet accessories brand from Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro.

They launched their business in 2012 after their neighbor, who owns a pet shop, turned to craft hobbyist Priscila for help making pet accessories — including bow ties and sashes — when he could not source quality products.

Inspired by the popularity of her early creations which Priscila sold at local fairs, PPFaschion has grown into a business with its own workshop and a steady stream of clients country-wide. But as they grew, so did customer demand. Overwhelmed with inquiries, and finding it difficult to efficiently organize its communication, PPFaschion turned to the WhatsApp Business app in January 2018.

“We were anxiously waiting for its release as we knew it would professionalize our communication with clients and separate our personal and professional contacts,” says Bruno.

Today, PPFaschion sells more than 70 kinds of accessories, including bow ties in polka dot and paw print — and uses the app to communicate with its suppliers and more than 100 clients. The couple credits the efficiency of the WhatsApp Business app with a 30 percent increase in revenue.

Bruno likes to record and track customer orders using labels and says the app’s away messages feature has made PPFaschion a more attentive business.

Maria de Oliveira Medeiros, a pet shop owner agrees. “Bruno will always send photos of new items on WhatsApp,” she says. “It is so practical.”

With Brazil’s pet grooming industry booming, Bruno and Priscila see bow ties as the beginning of a bigger business plan. Next up? PPFaschion is expanding to sell pet shampoo, conditioner and perfume, and Priscila hopes to open a brick-and-mortar store soon — all of which is possible by running their business more efficiently and successfully.

As Priscila says, “We would not survive without WhatsApp.”