Engaging With Customers Via A Platform That Really Works

At A Glance

Voicesifter is Missoula start-up Analytico's flagship CRM tool, created in close collaboration with GenUI. An SMS technology-based feedback software, Voicesifter allows restaurants to improve customer engagement by gaining operational feedback, controlling online reputation and growing revenue through loyalty & referrals.

The Right Partner

Analytico founders Matt Kaler and Joe Sample started with the idea that customers needed a seamless way to provide feedback to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and that those businesses needed a way to sort that feedback. 

With backgrounds in restaurants, Kaler and Sample knew they needed a technical partner to help bring their concept to life.

“We had a concept but neither the co-founder or I had the technical experience or software expertise to get it off the ground. We needed end-to-end knowledge to support our vision, but also wanted a true working partnership." 

Matt Kaler, Co-Founder, Analytico

Using the reach of their network, Kaler was introduced to GenUI's CEO Jason Thane. Kaler knew he had found the right team for the job. Kaler and Sample hired GenUI to create a channel for customer feedback which smartly sorts responses from an initial five-star rating system.

“Feedback that’s three stars or lower gets sent to a manager right away so that the customer can be comped, or whatever they need to do to make it right. For fours and fives, we ask the customer to post the review on Yelp or Google - it highlights the positive and minimizes the negative. It’s solving a critical problem for restaurants and lots of other businesses.”

Jason Thane, CEO, GenUI

Build & Test

Kaler credits GenUI with some critical improvements to the concept.

“They came up with the idea of refining what we were already doing via Web and having it route through SMS survey media so we could engage people via text message. It was a relatively novel concept for gathering this sort of feedback, and [they did it] in a way that didn’t compromise."

Matt Kaler, Co-Founder, Analytico

For GenUI, it came down to asking: ‘What’s the quickest and easiest way that people can submit their notes and thoughts?’ SMS was the solution that came to mind. The incorporation of Twilio provided user anonymity, further reducing friction for customers. It provided a relatively anonymous venue number, so customers didn't feel like they were exposing their phone number to a manager or a restaurant owner and vice versa.

GenUI built a minimum viable product (MVP) using Node.js, AngularJS, and Twilio.

“We built the product in a lean fashion. We started with a very basic, minimum viable product. We got it out in front of people right away, gathered and solicited feedback. That shaped the course of the business decisions going forward to develop the product.”

Jason Thane, CEO, GenUI

Next came beta testing. Using five different business types, tests ran for anywhere from three to five months, depending on who signed up. The result? Every one of those beta testers came on board as a paying client. 100% beta user retention!

A Great Relationship

Analytico began onboarding at a steady clip. Development moved from the product core to building an in-house onboarding component. GenUI provided support for new acquisitions with a white-glove level of attention and service.  

“I remember it was the day after 4th of July. One of our clients was having trouble receiving their customers’ SMS feedback. I reported it to support at seven o’clock at night, and, within minutes, GenUI's CEO was replying to the support thread. How many companies and CEOs - especially of their caliber - are doing that? Just spectacular.”

Matt Kaler, Co-Founder, Analytico