BC Business
The retail management software provider is looking to become the leading enabler of connected consumer electronics by 2032.
Back in the late ’90s, Regina, Saskatchewan was buzzing with up-and-coming entrepreneurs, but not many businesses were thriving off that wave. So the founders of retail management software provider iQmetrix decided to take advantage of it by starting a people-first company.
Joanne Helm, who studied business and marketing at the University of Regina, was attracted to the company’s vision. She started working for it part-time while she was in university and now, 12 years later, she’s the senior VP of strategy.
“Our mission is to be the number one enabler of connected consumer electronics by 2032,” she says. “Every single decision that we’re making as a business right now is tied to that.”
This March, Vancouver-based iQmetrix acquired a product pillar from New Jersey’s Synchronoss Technologies Inc. for US$14 million. Synchronoss is a SaaS business that helps brands around the world serve customers through a host of digital services and platforms, including cloud and messaging. The acquired pillar includes tech assets like Synchronoss’ Digital Experience Platform (DXP) and Activation Solutions as well as the individuals who supported and created the product.
Helm claims that the acquisition is going to help make customer experiences for iQmetrix’s clients (many of which are mobile carriers) better and more consistent: “We’re going to give you the ability to have very clean pricing and promotion channels throughout all of your business whether that’s online, in-store, etc. We are going to enable you to activate anywhere.”
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The acquired technology is the “how” behind that, as it will allow telecom operators and retailers to create, orchestrate and manage digital experiences across all channels through simple drag-and-drop configurations. The move is an investment for iQmetrix, says Helm, which is looking to grow from helping retailers run their stores effectively to helping retailers think first and foremost about the customer experience. “When we think about that customer-focused journey as users wanting to buy a new device, how do we make that as simple and sexy as possible?”
With the acquisition and tech stack also comes a new office in Bangalore, India and some 100 new employees. Now supported by 415 team members around the globe, iQmetrix is hopping on the 5G and eSIM train to help carriers connect their clients with latest technologies. According to Helm, the consumer flexibility of buying a device in Canada but being able to travel all over the world without thinking about it is going to help the company make it easier for people to connect digitally.