Tame the Mobile Beast

On this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, host Tom Butta dives deep into the challenges of breaking down business silos and fostering creativity with Nick Law, Creative Chairperson at Accenture Song. Throughout their conversation, Nick and Tom explore the importance of aligning what matters to customers with what drives profitability for the business. Nick argues that “ You're not making business decisions separate from what's good for the customer, and you're also not making  customer decisions that aren't gonna be good for business.”Together, they emphasize that a unified approach not only fosters a more cohesive customer experiencem, but also strengthens the organization as a whole. Nick points out that while operating in silos is a natural step of scaling your organization, it can create costly inefficiencies and jeapordizies a collaboration that is rooted in shared vision and principles. Drawing on real-world examples from his own career, Nick reflects on how businesses can adapt to technological advancements without sacrificing empathy and creativity. Ultimately, he urges organizations to remember that technology should enhance, not replace, the nuanced human judgment that’s essential for delivering exceptional customer experiences.—Guest Quote" The hardest thing is to reverse engineer everything from your customer. Now, it doesn't mean by the way that we surrender to everything the customer wants, but don't run a business. We're always a business. But what you need to align is what's relevant for the customer with what's gonna make you money. There’s an overlap there. It's not a silo. You're not making business decisions separate from what's good for the customer, and you're also not making customer decisions that aren't gonna be good for business. So that's the trick.” – Nick Law—Time Stamps 00:53 Introducing Nick Law and the Beast of the Week01:17 Understanding business silos02:56 The importance of collaboration in creativity06:45 Designing effective collaborations12:46 The role of vision in breaking down silos18:50 Principles vs. practices in creative work23:13 Leadership and vision in organizations26:14 Customer-centric business strategies29:17 Balancing systematic and empathetic thinking38:45 The future of creativity and AI44:59 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Nick Law on LinkedInCheck out Accenture SongConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom Butta is joined by Pietro Lambert, Vice President of Product Management at OneFootball, to talk about how the platform is delivering a unified fan experience to its 100M+ users.Throughout their conversation, Tom & Pietro cover the strategies OneFootball utilizes in creating a seamless and engaging fan experience across both web and mobile. Pietro highlights the evolution of the platform from a basic score app to the robust digital ecosystem it is today. Their goal? To be the one stop shop for anything a football fan needs, from merch and tickets to highlights and news stories.A key part of Pietro’s approach to staying close to OneFootball’s user base is what he calls “Breakfast Club,” his daily routine where he and the team review user feedback from real reviews. This live engagement not only helps his team quickly identify and address user issues, but also serves a more holistic purpose by truly connecting the team with their users.The discussion also touches on the importance of having a clear mission and aligning the entire organization behind it. Rather than prescribing solutions and building a “Feature Factory,” Pietro empowers his team to tackle the right problems, encouraging innovation and accountability. This approach ensures OneFootball stays ahead in delivering standout fan experiences.—Guest Quote"If you are close to the user and really understand what they want, you really create something that is meaningful for them. And they come back because you are delivering against that promise." – Pietro Lambert—Time Stamps 00:53 Meet Pietro Lambert from OneFootball01:06 OneFootball’s Goals02:02 The Beast of the Week: Disjointed Fan Experience03:13 Creating a seamless user experience04:45 Building a one-stop shop for football fans08:03 Engaging users with native experiences14:38 Driving user engagement with notifications17:30 Understanding and engaging your user base19:56 Balancing user needs and business goals21:29 Importance of a clear mission25:50 Tracking metrics and user engagement30:00 Community moderation and user interaction31:14 Empowering the product team33:43 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Pietro Lambert on LinkedInCheck out OneFootballConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom Butta discusses customer confidence and present-mindedness with Shama Hyder, CEO of Zen Media. Their conversation touches on a multitude of topics including how customer expectations continually rise due to leading brands, how organizations need to balance future planning with current opportunities, and the importance of strong leadership between agencies and internal teams.Shama Hyder kicks off the conversation by sharing the exciting news of Zen Media's acquisition of Sevans PR, marking a significant expansion on the West Coast. As a seasoned agency leader, Shama highlights the importance of strong leadership and cohesive teamwork between agencies and internal teams. She advocates for creating unique, co-created experiences that resonate with clients seeking innovative solutions. With current customer expectations skyrocketing, Tom & Shama emphasize that all brands need to step it up, regardless of the industry they’re operating in. It doesn’t matter if your direct competitors are behind you because leading brands such as Apple, Amazon, and Uber are the ones setting the standards. Shama views herself as a “now-ist” and explains that organizations are too often focused on innovations years away when they should be implementing today’s technology to beat their competitors. She shares her insights on harnessing AI to streamline workflows, but only after laying a solid foundation.—Guest Quote"Customer confidence is something that in the past was given, and then you had to lose it. And now it starts almost at zero or negative, and you have to prove that you have confidence and you are trustworthy." – Shama Hyder—Time Stamps 00:46 Meet Shama Hyder and Zen Media01:19 Zen Media's recent acquisition02:30 Beast of the Week: Customer Confidence04:06 The importance of perception and experience07:37 Trust and transparency in branding13:28 The role of technology and data16:54 Balancing now and next in strategy20:06 Insights on leadership and agency collaboration25:54 The mobile consumer and future trends29:07 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Shama Hyder on LinkedInCheck out Zen MediaConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom Butta is joined by Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts, a membership program that offers RVers unique places to overnight camp across the United States and Canada. Joel shares what inspired him to enter the space, what strategies he has leveraged to grow the community, and key lessons he has had on his entrepreneurial journey. Harvest Hosts was originally founded by Don and Kim Greene in 2010, and once Joel discovered the service, he saw the opportunity to supercharge a loyal customer base with user-friendly technology and expanded locations. So in 2018, he purchased Harvest Hosts and got to work. Fast forward to today, Joel and the team have grown the platform to over 9,000 unique locations with over 260,000 members. The conversation explores the keys to this continued success, including a large emphasis on consistently across platforms, which he Joel terms “web-app parity.” Through this strategy, friction and mental burden have been reduced to make booking a stay as simple as possible.  As the episode continues, Joel shares valuable lessons he’s gained throughout his entrepreneurial journey. He underscores the benefits of acquiring and scaling businesses with proven product-market fit, the necessity of strategic advertising, and the importance of building a strong team. Looking to the future, Joel outlines plans to expand Harvest Hosts' appeal without compromising its unique offerings by incorporating more community-driven features. —Guest Quote"Our users really didn't appreciate the disjointed experience. And we're always trying to make things easier, not harder. And so web-app parity was the easiest way to take the mental load off the user.” – Joel Holland—Time Stamps 00:46 Meet Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts01:39 The rise of adventuring and RV travel04:45 Harvest Hosts: unique overnight experiences10:15 Web and app parity for seamless experience13:34 Joel Holland's journey to Harvest Hosts18:08 Navigating outsider perspectives18:28 Effective survey methods19:01 In-app feedback strategies21:40 Success stories and growth22:46 Marketing and advertising insights24:39 Referral programs and influencers27:32 Lessons from a CEO31:26 Rapid fire questions—LinksConnect with Joel Holland on LinkedInCheck out Harvest HostsConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, host Tom Butta sits down with Ajay Prakash, Co-Founder and CEO of Rinse, the #1 delivery app for laundry and dry cleaning services. Founded in 2013, Rinse has been taming the laundry beast through innovative technology working hand in hand with operational excellence. Ajay shares why he set out to plant his flag in this space with his friend and Co-Founder James Joun, including how Rinse solves every pain point in the laundering process and how the type of culture they have created has led to their success. A simple concept, Rinse creates a seamless pickup and delivery service catering to busy professionals. You’ll hear Ajay credit some of the company’s success to its sophisticated technology infrastructure, which helps manage the “death by 1,000 cuts” of the traditional laundry experience. Additionally, the Rinse team has consistently removed friction from their customer experience through the combination of an advanced SMS system, a clean web experience and a powerfully simple mobile app. On the culture side of things, Ajay points out a few of the pillars the team strives to embody. His sophisticated understanding of the founder of experience offers great advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, including their decision to  scale slowly to ensure they could healthily sustain long-term operations and elevate customer experiences.—Guest Quote"As opposed to worrying about the number of customers that come through the door, worry about when they come through the door, how do you make sure they have an amazing experience?" – Ajay Prakash—Time Stamps00:28 Meet Ajay Prakash01:15 Rinse's Origin Story04:21 Creating a Seamless Customer Experience07:01 The Role of Technology in Rinse's Success10:45 Building a Strong Company Culture13:00 Strategic Growth and Operational Excellence17:11 Scaling the Business Nationwide20:02 Scaling and Supporting Cleaners with Rinse22:40 Investing in the Face of the Brand24:57 Advanced Technology28:06 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs31:44 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Ajay Prakash on LinkedInCheck out RinseConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom is joined by Yeva Koldovska, Product Manager at Headway, one of the world’s fastest-growing companies in edtech. Their conversation focuses on creating user-centric onboarding experiences, which the Headway team calls “empathy-based onboarding.”The idea behind Empathy-Based Onboarding is simple, but powerful. By tailoring onboarding flows to meet individual users’ needs and emphasizing that their voice matters, you are able to bridge the gap between quantifiable business objectives and subjective user experiences. Yeva emphasizes that her team has seen significant boosts in conversion rates with each  empathetic onboarding question they have added to the flow. Additionally, Tom and Yeva address how Headway tackles the challenge of self-development through their innovative approach of microlearning. Each of their products offer bite-sized, digestible pieces of information designed to be consumed during short breaks, making lifelong learning more accessible. Ultimately, the team is hoping their approach will also combat ‘doomscrolling’ to enhance their users’ lives through meaningful learning. —Guest Quote"You want to make your onboarding flow a pleasant experience for your users, [but] you [also] have your business goals. There is actually a way to transcend this dichotomy. And that's what we call Empathy-Based Onboarding.”  – Yeva Koldovska—Time Stamps 00:48 Meet Yeva Koldovska01:27 The Beast of Self-Development03:58 A new approach to microlearning08:11 The start of the customer journey10:19 What is Empathy-Based Onboarding?21:36 Expanding microlearning through Nibble25:22 Exploring Headway for Business and B2B solutions26:17 Addressing future challenges, including tackling doomscrolling27:49 Rapid-fire questions —LinksConnect with Yeva Koldovska on LinkedInCheck out HeadwayConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of 'Tame the Mobile Beast,' Tom Butta hosts Chris Koehler, Chief Marketing Officer of Twilio, in a discussion about the intricacies of orchestrating seamless customer experiences across multiple channels. Chris highlights the complex challenge brands face in integrating new technologies, evolving user needs, and vast data streams, emphasizing that creating cohesive and delightful customer journeys requires more than just advanced technology—it calls for strong internal alignment and a well-thought-out strategy. The conversation underscores the importance of viewing customer experience as a holistic journey rather than a series of isolated interactions, warning that disjointed experiences across touchpoints can undermine customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.Additionally, the conversation would not be complete without touching on the potential of AI, specifically how it can be leveraged to enable personalization at scale. By leveraging a unified data profile and activating it across communication channels, AI can generate more relevant content, offers, and experiences. However, he cautions that success hinges on a deliberate strategy to avoid pitfalls like poor AI management, which could lead to negative customer experiences and increased skepticism. Finally, Chris shares his insights on balancing the digital and human elements in customer interactions and the future impact of AI on marketing and customer experience strategies. His advice underscores the importance of creating value-driven and efficient customer journeys that are deeply rooted in rich, contextual data.—Guest Quote"There's so many different ways to interact with your customers across your brand. Keeping that consistent, contextual experience - it's just really, really hard. And there's very few brands that are doing this.”  – Chris Koehler—Time Stamps 01:01 Meet Chris Koehler, CMO of Twilio01:35 Beast of the Week: Customer Journey Irchestration02:45 The challenge of consistent customer experience03:49 The role of technology and organizational challenges09:53 The importance of data in customer experience12:04 AI: The future of personalization at scale20:16 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Chris Koehler on LinkedInCheck out TwilioConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this conversation, Adam Nash, CEO and co-founder of Daffy, discusses how his platform revolutionizes charitable giving. He tackles the emotional hurdles of philanthropy, such as financial uncertainty and choice paralysis, making it easier for people to contribute. Adam emphasizes the importance of community and shared goals in enhancing the charitable experience. He shares his vision for Daffy as a space for collective impact, where innovative features like matching campaigns engage families in meaningful philanthropy.

In this episode of "Tame the Mobile Beast," host Tom Butta interviews Michael Yamartino, CEO of Route, about the global challenge of lost packages and Route's innovative solution.Route, founded in 2019, has quickly become the leading package tracker for online orders, offering a seamless post-purchase experience through its app and web platform. The company has made significant strides, protecting over $15B in merchandise, saving brands more than $100M in refunds and reorders, and tracking hundreds of millions of packages.Michael discusses the pain points faced by both shoppers and brands, highlighting Route's app that combines package tracking and protection. The conversation explores Route's unique approach and customer-centric principles, with Michael emphasizing the team's commitment to frictionless interactions, from rapid response times to maintaining high customer satisfaction rates.For those interested in e-commerce innovation and customer experience, this episode offers valuable insights into how Route is addressing critical industry challenges while prioritizing customer satisfaction and loyalty.—Guest Quote“ We really want to deliver the best post purchase experiences possible for the best brands in the world. And so that will come with solving some of the challenges around things like returns, customer loyalty, and identity. There's a whole host of issues that are near and dear to our brand's hearts. And we want to be the best partner for them to solve all those issues.” – Michael Yamartino—Time Stamps 00:37 Introduction of Michael Yamartino01:24 The Lost Package Beast02:48 Route's Solution and App Features07:46 Scaling Operations and Company Principles13:54 Future Plans and Sustainability Efforts18:53 Fundraising and Business Growth23:46 Rapid Fire Questions29:12 Closing Remarks—LinksConnect with Michael Yamartino on LinkedInCheck out RouteConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

Welcome to the first episode of “Tame the Mobile Beast.” Today, your host Tom Butta is joined by Seth Matlins, Managing Director of the Forbes CMO Network. Tom & Seth discuss the challenges faced by today's Chief Marketing Officers - including declining budgets, organizational silos, and the ever-moving needle of customer expectations. Both believe it is essential for marketing to take on holistic accountability for the customer relationship. Additionally, Tom & Seth both stress the importance of finding simplicity in a world that is becoming more complex. Seth emphasizes the need for modern CMOs to prioritize effectively, “knowing what not to do as much as what to do,” in order to leverage limited resources efficiently. One final takeaway from today’s conversation is that marketing tactics can be ineffective if they are received at an inopportune time. Too often marketers forget to consider that which precedes their work. Seth highlights the need to integrate emotional context back into strategy.—Guest Quote"If we do not consider that which precedes our work [and] the driving of experience, it's much less likely that the work will work." – Seth Matlins—Time Stamps 00:53 Meet Seth Matlins: Insights from the Forbes CMO Network01:27 Who Owns the Customer Relationship?05:27 The Problem of Organizational Silos09:37 The Role of the CMO in Driving Growth12:07 The Knowledge Gap in the C-Suite21:57 The Importance of an Entrepreneurial Mindset28:43 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks—LinksConnect with Seth Matlins on LinkedInCheck out the Forbes CMO NetworkConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website