Spot Work | Automating Webflow contact form emails

Spot Work | Automatic email encoding conversion for a Webflow contact form

To fix garbled characters in the automatic reply emails of a contact form built in Webflow, we designed and implemented an email encoding conversion flow using Zapier.

It was an unusual requirement — delivery in ISO format — so we handled it as fast, guaranteed spot work.

Background

The client passes data to an external reservation system, and the email body had to be sent in an ISO character encoding rather than Unicode (UTF-8).

A standard Webflow form notification cannot specify an encoding, so text arrived garbled at the connected system. The requirement was stable operation at minimum cost, without major changes to the existing flow.

The problem

• Webflow’s standard features cannot specify the email encoding
• Zapier has no direct encoding conversion function either
• Because of the reservation system’s specification, Japanese text sent as UTF-8 does not display correctly
Within these constraints, we had to build an automatic conversion flow that works every time.

Approach

Webharu inserted a custom conversion step (Code by Zapier) into the Zap. It takes the submitted Webflow form data, converts it to ISO-2022-JP with JavaScript, and sends it through an external email API.

Zapier’s own email sending has some limitations, so we paired it with an external SMTP service to rule out garbled text for good. At contract time we offered a full refund if it did not work, so the client carried zero risk.

Implementation and testing

• Zapier: Webflow form → Code by Zapier (encoding conversion) → external SMTP (ISO delivery)
• Testing: multiple send patterns covering Japanese, alphanumerics and special characters
• Result: correct display confirmed in every receiving environment, with stable automatic hand-off to the reservation system

Results

• Fully automated delivery in ISO format
• Everything kept inside Zapier, keeping maintenance cost minimal
• A requirement impossible with Webflow’s standard features solved through external integration

In closing

This Zapier work is one example of a practical solution that goes beyond the limits of a Webflow form.

Webharu understands both the strengths and the constraints of no-code tools, and combines code, external integrations and automation flexibly to solve problems on the ground quickly.