Weave, the premier customer communication platform for small and medium-sized businesses, was named to the Forbes 2019 Cloud 100 list last week--a feat that would have only existed in the founders’ dreams in the early days for the Lehi software start-up.
Background
Persistence and stamina were non-negotiables for founders Brandon and Jared Rodman from the beginning-- developing the early version of the product out of Brandon’s attic in Lehi, Utah. Determined to innovate and press forward despite setbacks, Brandon paid employees out of his personal bank account-- depleting it to nothing. He also emptied both his $50,000 savings account along with his and his wife Lindsay's Roth IRA accounts. When times got really tough, they both sold their cars to fund the company and had to share Lindsay's grandparents' old Taurus to get around.
Despite these many sacrifices, Brandon and Lindsay were still $20,000 in debt and had no money to pay their mortgage or the $200,000 they owed to a software development firm that built the early version of the Weave platform. But they deeply believed in the vision and the product, so they pushed on, eventually welcoming Chief Technology Officer Clint Berry to the team in 2012 as they pivoted and began perfecting what would become the platform Weave customers use today.
In 2014, Weave became the first Utah company to be selected by Y Combinator, a startup accelerator that has launched over 2,000 reputable companies, including Dropbox, Airbnb, Stripe, and Reddit. Working with Y Combinator was the break the team had been hoping for and helped dramatically turn things around for the struggling start-up. Their long days of hustling and being scrappy eventually paid off--and Weave is now, five years later, in rapid growth in terms of customers, employees, and verticals.
The Product
The Weave platform is a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone system coupled with software that exists on small businesses' desktops and mobile phones. The solution provides businesses with over forty key features including two-way conversational texting from a business’s phone number, appointment reminders, and text-to-pay features. It's also HIPAA-approved, so Weave's customers' in the healthcare space can rest assured that their client and patients' personal information is closely safeguarded.
The platform was quickly adopted by the dental industry but has a fast-growing presence in many service-based industries, including optometry, automotive, the health and beauty industry and veterinary medicine. The company plans to continue innovating the platform for expansion across all service-based businesses.
The Customer Experience
The rich features of Weave’s integrated communication platform significantly improve businesses’ efficiency and productivity while also bettering the customer experience. Businesses can log notes about their customers and see recent visits, balances, overdue appointments, etc., and that information is used to create a personalized customer communication experience . Weave's mission statement perfectly reflects that concept:
Weave's mission is to bring businesses and the people they serve closer together.
Weave recently published a study revealing that millennials with pets demand personalized care to stay loyal to a veterinary clinic and that fidelity begins with tailored communication. The study findings reiterate how important customer experience is to people--especially millennials.
"Millennials have grown up with technology, and expect that tech will enhance all experiences throughout their lives, including everyday purchases like veterinarian care for their animals," CEO Brandon Rodman said. "Millennials require tailored services, and that starts with better, more customized communication from their veterinarian clinics that is clear, kind, and timely. You can't provide personalization without the right technology."
The Connection
There is a very real human connection created by Weave's platform with the people who are touched by it. The founders know first-hand about the struggles of small business owners go through to get their businesses off the ground. And they understand the daily grind these founders endure to continue serving their customers. Weave was created to streamline the processes of building solid customer relationships that help create loyal customers so businesses can focus on what they do best.
While hard work and devotion got Weave through difficult beginnings, Rodman is adamant that Weave's true success comes from their emphasis on people and customers. In the Weave office hangs a sign that reads 'People, Not Customers'. And that's what Weave's product is all about. They're creating an honest, authentic experience for their clients' customers. While technology makes the product work, it is only possible because of the significant human dedication from all employees at Weave.
“We’re still in the early days of our story,” said Rodman. “We have a long way to go, with a lot of difficult goals to achieve, and it will certainly take a lot more work. But, with the dedication of each Weave employee, we will make it happen, and I promise it will be worth it when we make it to the top.”
For more information on the Forbes 2019 Cloud 100 list, click here.
For more information on the veterinary study conducted by Weave, click here.
Click here to learn more about Weave’s customer communication platform.
