“Let me give you some time back.”
It’s a workplace phrase rarely received without appreciation. Be it 40 minutes or 14, extra time is always welcomed by those who never seem to have enough of it — like the 40 percent of multi-account users at marketing automation platform, Klaviyo.
Following Klaviyo’s increased focus on global expansion, multi-brand and multi-regional users reported feeling bogged down by the repetitiveness of handling multiple accounts across different platforms for user management, billing, and reporting. Managing three accounts meant three times the work — which meant decreased efficiency.
But where users saw an obstacle, Klaviyo saw an opportunity to make its preexisting product more powerful, and its users more productive.
The fruit of this improvement was Klaviyo portfolio, a new feature designed to centralize and streamline the management of multiple accounts and reduce the need for account switching.
4 IMMEDIATE BENEFITS OF KLAVIYO PORTFOLIO, ACCORDING TO THE KLAVIYOS WHO BUILT IT
- Deeper insights with a global reporting dashboard
- Faster execution with multi-account cloning
- Better forecasting with centralized billing
- Simpler operations with multi-account user management
All Hands on Deck
To roll Klaviyo Portfolio out efficiently was a companywide effort.
“More than 100 Klaviyos collaborated to make the launch a reality,” shared Lead Product Manager Jenna Donahue.
To start, Klaviyo laid the groundwork.
Donahue was tasked with conceptualizing the feature release cycle — translating ideas into tangible features within the app — and worked closely alongside nine design and engineering teams to further analyze user feedback and shape an experience that balanced feedback with feasibility.
One of the first features prioritized was multi-account cloning. High-quality design was imperative, and Klaviyo turned to Lead Product Designer Peter Mutascio to lead the charge.
Working closely with Donahue, Mutascio organized a cross-departmental team to establish a vision. From there, they created scaffolding and poised the teams to bring the product to life.
“We began by obtaining approval from the senior leadership team, then we worked closely with our engineering and product partners to ensure alignment on vision and execution,” Mutascio told Built In. “We also collaborated with marketing, content, and sales teams to craft the appropriate narrative and story.”
Among those spearheading the project with Donahue and Mutascio was Senior Software Engineer Jack Carrubba.
To bring the aforementioned vision to life, Carrubba’s team focused on standard UI components across their domain.
Using request-for-comments documents to communicate designs before implementation and Storybook to document their components, the team seamlessly collaborated with its peers. The result was a new workflow guiding users through a series of UI pages for customizing clone configurations, specifying accounts to clone, and naming campaigns on an account-by-account basis.
Once users submit their choices, they can navigate freely within the application and receive notifications once their cloning process is complete.
“The cloning feature alone has saved customers a lot of time, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their business,” Carrubba said.
Implementing Improvements
Users were folded into the creative process throughout the development of Klaviyo portfolio, and, one month before the official launch, it was introduced to a select group of early adopters.
“The response we received was overwhelmingly positive. It was encouraging to see that the features we were developing resonated with our customers, and we were able to implement improvements prior to the official release,” Donahue said.
It wouldn’t have been possible without such large-scale collaboration and communication, and the shared commitment of everyone involved.
“Working with so many Klaviyos helped me develop relationships that will set me up for success in the future,” Carrubba said.
“Collaborating with so many taught me how to work together towards a cohesive vision,” Mutascio added. “Additionally, I honed my ability to communicate decisions.”
And though the launch was a win itself, for many Klaviyos, it’s only the start of an ongoing journey.
No Day Like Launch Day
Launch day kicked off early, and the team’s preparation resulted in a smooth rollout for everyone involved. Constant communication kept teams agile and well-equipped to address inquiries and onboard customers, and the team kept a close eye on user feedback.
TESTIMONIALS FROM KLAVIYO USERS
- “That unified view is going to be huge for me. Oftentimes, something happens to one brand, and we want to see if it’s happening to another. Klaviyo Portfolio is an easier way for me and my team to notice trends quickly.” – Courtney M.
- “Klaviyo Portfolio is going to really help us. We can spend less time doing small duplicating tasks, and more time updating and making changes account-wide.” – Zinta N.
- “Now, we can view the accounts and the billing plans and the respective usage independently. That gives us more accountability.” – Victor Y.
The launch represented the culmination of months of hard work, and Klaviyos celebrated with rounds of praise during the company’s weekly all-hands meeting.
“There’s nothing like releasing a feature that is met with fanfare,” Mutascio said. “Our customers are loving it, and we cannot wait to improve upon it in the near future.”
