Scaling Success: Insights from CallRail’s Chief Product Officer
In the fast-paced world of tech, maintaining a great customer experience while scaling a product quickly is a delicate balancing act. Ryan Johnson, Chief Product Officer at CallRail, has mastered this art. With a wealth of experience in various sectors, including online marketing, education, and financial services, Ryan shares his expertise on fostering innovation, prioritizing customer needs, and navigating the challenges of rapid growth.
The Evolution of CallRail
CallRail, a platform designed to track the digital journey of customers, has come a long way since its inception 10 years ago. Initially focused on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and the agencies that support them, the company has expanded to support other channels like SMS and chat. Ryan, who joined CallRail six years ago, has played a pivotal role in scaling the company while ensuring a seamless customer experience.
Maintaining a Great Customer Experience
Ryan emphasizes the importance of listening to customers and their needs, innovating on new products, and having systems in place to support volume growth. He highlights the challenges of onboarding as a product grows, citing the need to analyze data and patterns to ensure a seamless self-service experience. By applying a playbook of diverse experiences and backgrounds, Ryan fosters a strong team that can adapt to the evolving needs of customers.
Fostering Innovation
To encourage bottom-up innovation, Ryan instills confidence in his team, reminding them that they are closest to the customer and have valuable insights. He also provides dedicated time for deep thinking, ensuring that the team has the breathing room to strategize and innovate. This approach led to the creation of CallRail Labs, where customers can offer product feature suggestions and feedback, and new features are released every two to three weeks.
Acquisitions and Outsourcing
With experience in acquisitions, Ryan advises product managers to be open-minded and curious, forming partnerships and relationships with leadership to make the most of the opportunity. When deciding whether to build or buy, he considers factors such as market analysis, risk, investment, and the path to providing value to customers. CallRail’s partnership with AssemblyAI is a testament to this approach, leveraging the strengths of both companies to create innovative features.
Personal Insights
Ryan’s passion for auto racing has an unexpected impact on his product work. The focused, high-stakes environment of the racetrack allows him to break out of his comfort zone, think differently, and apply those lessons to his product strategy. By embracing the unknown and being willing to learn, Ryan inspires his team to do the same.
As CallRail continues to evolve and grow, Ryan’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in shaping the company’s future. His commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and teamwork serves as a beacon for product managers and leaders alike.