Automated Customer Engagement: A Case Study on Fortified Bicycle

Fortified Bicycle is a company that specializes in creating theft-resistant bikes and bike accessories. The company was founded by Vlad Pick and Tivan Amour, who launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2012 to create a theft-resistant bike light. This campaign was successful, leading to the development of other accessories and eventually, a completely theft-resistant bike. The company is dedicated to improving the urban cycling experience and has a strong focus on customer engagement and community interaction. They have used innovative methods to connect with potential customers and have seen positive responses from their efforts.

Fortified Bicycle, a company that designs and sells theft-resistant bikes and accessories, faced a significant challenge in reaching out to potential customers and spreading the word about their products. Despite successful Kickstarter campaigns and a strong product offering, the company needed to find a way to connect with potential customers more effectively. They were experimenting with Facebook Lead Ads to increase awareness about their bikes, but found it difficult to establish immediate contact with interested individuals. The traditional method of manually checking leads and sending text messages a day or two later was inefficient and did not provide the immediate engagement that the company desired.

Fortified Bicycle turned to Zapier, an app automation tool, to streamline their customer engagement process. They built a 'Zap', a connection between two apps, that allowed them to send a text message to new Facebook leads almost immediately after they had expressed interest in learning more about their products. This was achieved by integrating Facebook Lead Ads and Burst SMS, a message delivery service, through Zapier. In addition to this, Fortified Bicycle also used Google Sheets as a database for leads, allowing them to consolidate leads from various campaigns in one place. This enabled them to run reports and gain insights about the people interested in their products. Furthermore, they used Slack, Calendly, and Burst SMS to enhance the customer experience, allowing potential customers to schedule test rides and receive immediate notifications.

• The use of app automation tools like Zapier has significantly improved Fortified Bicycle's operational efficiency and customer engagement. The immediate text messaging system has not only streamlined the process of contacting new leads but also enhanced the customer experience by providing immediate engagement. This 'magical' experience, as described by Vlad, has led to most people responding back, which was a pleasant surprise for the company. Furthermore, the use of Google Sheets as a database for leads has allowed for efficient consolidation and analysis of data from various campaigns. The integration of Slack, Calendly, and Burst SMS has also improved the scheduling process for test rides, providing a seamless experience for potential customers. Overall, the use of these tools has allowed Fortified Bicycle to maintain a strong connection with their community and provide a high level of personal attention to their customers.

• Raised over $178,000 through Kickstarter campaigns, exceeding their original goal.

• Automated the process of contacting new leads, reducing the time taken to engage with potential customers.

• Consolidated leads from various campaigns into one database, enabling efficient reporting and analysis.