Episode 137

137 Jonathan Fields - Breaking the Mold: A Nontraditional Approach to Scaling a SaaS

Today, we're diving headfirst into the deep waters of AI and organizational efficiency with none other than Jonathan Fields, the CEO and Co-Founder of Assembly, an intranet focused on communication, employee engagement and AI.

In this episode, we unravel the secrets behind the paradigm shift in document accessibility, where AI takes the reins, rendering traditional folder structures obsolete.

But it's not all about the tech talk; we get up close and personal with Jonathan, exploring the highs and lows of organizational cultures. How did these experiences shape the birth of Assembly, the platform he spearheads? We dissect their unconventional path to growth, putting user experience front and center, even if it means a slow start in sales.

In a world fixated on sales quotas, Jonathan drops truth bombs about prioritizing user engagement over flashy sales pitches. It's not just about selling a product; it's about ensuring it seamlessly integrates into the lives of the end-users.

Join us as we unpack the wisdom Jonathan Fields shares on this episode of SaaS Fuel. 🔥

Key Takeaways

00:00 Jonathan, CEO of Assembly, shifted from banking.

06:13 Recognizing effort and incentivizing with gamification.

08:34 Efficient technology streamlines access to information.

11:54 Built, robust recognition rewards, high adoption rate.

13:52 Aligning buyer and user crucial for success.

18:20 Prioritizing revenue, costs, and employee engagement in budget.

20:12 Tracking employee satisfaction and retention using surveys.

23:46 AI relevance feed highlights relevant information for users.

27:59 Remote and hybrid work challenges, promoting communication.

31:54 Slack faces challenges in competition with Teams.

37:23 Apple acquiring AI technology; personalized assistants norm.

38:52 AI can streamline work by automating tasks.

42:45 Strive for outstanding employee engagement in new year.

Tweetable Quotes

"It's going to take people a while to get there, but it is not the same as it once was. You can literally ask a question and get the answer in a second versus going into a folder, into a folder, into a folder only to not find the thing you're looking for." — Jonathan Fields 00:03:22

"Employee engagement is a really hot topic these days. And does Assembly do that and get people engaged? Is it through interest? Is it through what types of discussions? How do you create that community within the organization?"— Jeff Mains 00:04:37

Employee Engagement: "The culture suite has, in my opinion, employee engagement as you were describing, it's a hot topic." — Jonathan Fields 00:18:14

Engagement Platforms: "If you're an engagement platform, if you're an intranet but nobody's using it, you're a failure."— Jonathan Fields 00:23:05

The Rise of Remote Work: "There's no benefit to being by yourself in life. There's just so much advantages to actually being with people." — Jonathan Fields 00:28:42

"The Future of Remote Work": "It opens up the entire world as a possibility for places to live, places to source talent from. And so all the more reason to have ways to engage and to connect with other people."— Jeff Mains 00:29:31

Successful Execution: "Execution is really the key there. We've seen some companies try and do that, and money can't buy But you get a story like that, and you have both." — Jeff Mains 00:34:55

The Future of Personalized AI Assistants: "It's just that you're gonna everyone's gonna have a personalized assistant..." — Jonathan Fields 00:37:58

SaaS Leadership Lessons

1. Prioritize User Experience: Prioritizing user feedback and experience over anecdotal opinions of buyers highlights the importance of designing SaaS products with the user in mind.

2. Focus on User Adoption: The value of user adoption over forced use in company decisions signifies the significance of creating SaaS products that users want to engage with.

3. Value Employee Engagement: The impact of employee engagement and efficiency and cost savings is a critical role of SaaS in fostering a positive and productive company culture.

4. Measure Participation: Measuring participation as a key employee engagement metric highlights the importance of monitoring user activity and involvement within SaaS platforms.

5. Embrace AI Technology: The incorporation of AI technology to provide instant answers to queries demonstrates the potential for SaaS companies to leverage AI for efficiency and user engagement.

6. Evolve Product Functionality: The evolution from recognition rewards to a centralized hub for structured communication emphasizes the importance of adapting and expanding SaaS product functionalities to meet evolving user needs.

7. Quantify Impact: The presentation of hard and soft stats to quantify the impact of employee engagement and efficiency signifies the value of measuring the tangible benefits delivered by SaaS products.

8. Align Buyers and Users: The discussion about aligning buyers and users in the context of successful platform implementation underscores the importance of ensuring that SaaS products meet the needs and expectations of both buyers and end users.

9. Emphasize User Engagement: Emphasis on measuring participation rates and utility to understand and improve employee engagement highlights the critical role of user engagement in the success of SaaS platforms.

10. Overcome Implementation Challenges: The obstacles companies face when implementing employee engagement strategies underscores the need for SaaS leaders to address challenges related to leadership mentality, communication, and technology resistance in the workplace.

Guest Resources

joinassembly.com

jonathan@joinassembly.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-fields-49784956/

Resources Mentioned

joinassembly.com

Episode Sponsor

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