SIMULATE Eliminated Login Headaches and Cut Support Tickets with Skio

Plant-Based Startup Built on Repeat Orders

SIMULATE launched in 2018 with mission to revolutionize food production and consumption through plant-based alternatives like their famous NUGGS chicken nuggets. Based in New York, the scrappy startup identified subscriptions as key revenue driver—repeat NUGGS orders sustain growth.

Danielle Katan joined as Fulfillment Operations Manager leading small customer experience team that must stay laser-focused on product development and growth. As startup with limited resources, they cannot afford operational distractions that pull bandwidth from core business activities.

Early subscription adoption was critical for sustained revenue, but flawed subscription infrastructure was diverting team attention from what mattered most: building and scaling innovative food products.

Recharge Created Daily Support Chaos

SIMULATE's Recharge setup was burning team bandwidth through constant login failures and operational glitches. Basic problems like customers unable to access accounts were daily occurrences, generating support ticket floods that threatened customer experience.

"On Recharge, we got so many support tickets for basic things like login issues. That may seem simple at first, but it can be a make-or-break for the customer."

Duplicate orders and errors plagued operations as customers encountered duplicated products or discount codes between Shopify and Recharge. By the time the team caught errors, their 3PL partner might have already shipped orders—meaning wasted product and money.

Frozen food timing was critical for NUGGS delivery, but Recharge's login failures and checkout bugs introduced delays that put timely delivery at risk. Clunky off-site checkout flow (checkout.rechargeapps.com) wasn't user-friendly and led to abandoned subscriptions.

Integration problems meant PayPal wasn't properly supported and UTM tags didn't carry over, creating disjointed, error-prone subscription experience that forced Danielle to constantly apologize for problems that should have been non-issues.

Skio Migration Ended Login Nightmare

SIMULATE switched to Skio when Recharge pain became untenable, feeling immediate relief as login troubles disappeared completely. Customers no longer needed separate Recharge accounts or password management—Skio automatically creates accounts with passwordless login via 4-digit SMS or email codes.

Subscribers stay securely logged in during shopping sessions without dreaded "forgot password" loops. The migration was quick and painless, with password and account access problems becoming extinct from day one.

Skio's seamless Shopify integration eliminated off-site checkout confusion while supporting proper PayPal integration and UTM tracking that Recharge couldn't handle.

The platform transformation freed the team from daily firefighting, allowing focus on growth rather than technical support for subscription infrastructure problems.

One-Click Experience Eliminated Support Friction

Skio streamlined subscription management into simple, almost one-click modifications that put system responsibility on the platform rather than customers. Previously, subscribers wanting to swap product flavors or change renewal dates faced multiple confusing steps that often resulted in support tickets.

The clean, streamlined UX meant customers could edit subscriptions without tedium or confusion, with the interface handling heavy lifting behind the scenes. Fewer clicks and less complexity increased portal usage while reducing churn from frustrated subscribers.

Partnership extended beyond migration through active feedback solicitation on feature requests and product improvements. Open communication lines ensured SIMULATE's needs helped shape platform evolution, making Danielle "fiercely committed to growing [SIMULATE's] subscriber base on the platform."

Collaboration approach gave confidence that new challenges could be tackled together rather than forcing workarounds or platform limitations.

Support Tickets Plunged, Focus Returned to Innovation

Zero login/password issues through passwordless 4-digit system

Significant support ticket reduction post-migration

One-click subscription modifications replacing multi-step workflows

Seamless Shopify integration eliminating checkout confusion

The transformation enabled SIMULATE to focus on their core mission: formulating great products and scaling marketing. With tech foundation solid, they resumed launching new product variations confident that subscriptions would work reliably.

Team bandwidth previously consumed by subscription troubleshooting redirected to product development and growth initiatives that drive business forward.

Platform Partnership Enabling Food Innovation

SIMULATE eliminated subscription operational headaches that were draining startup resources from core innovation work. With reliable subscription infrastructure, they're ramping up marketing campaigns to convert one-time buyers into subscribers while expanding beyond nuggets into new product lines.

"We never have to worry about tech issues now and can get back to what we do best: build, launch, and sell great-tasting products."

The partnership enables focus on subscription optimization through loyalty rewards, personalized promotions, and retention strategies that boost subscriber lifetime value while supporting their mission to upgrade the world's food system.