Heyday Raises $5.1M to Revolutionize Chatbot Experiences

Heyday Secures $6.5 Million CAD in Seed Funding Extension

Heyday, a company headquartered in Montreal, has announced a further investment of $6.5 million Canadian dollars, equivalent to $5.1 million in US dollars, as an extension to its seed funding round.

Enhancing Retail Customer Interactions

According to Steve Desjarlais, co-founder and CEO, the company’s primary objective is to empower retailers with increased automation and personalized experiences within their online customer communications.

Etienne Merineau, co-founder and CMO, characterizes Heyday as a comprehensive, unified platform for customer messaging.

Unified Messaging and AI-Powered Automation

The platform consolidates customer communications originating from various channels, including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google’s Business Messages, and email, into a single dashboard.

Artificial intelligence is then employed to categorize messages as either customer service inquiries or sales-related interactions, automating responses where appropriate.

Chatbot Capabilities and Integrations

Heyday’s chatbots are capable of providing updates on order status and even suggesting relevant products.

The system integrates seamlessly with popular e-commerce and CRM platforms such as Salesforce, Shopify, Magento, Lightspeed, and PrestaShop.

Complex issues are efficiently escalated to human agents when necessary.

A Distinct Approach to Customer Service and Sales

While acknowledging the existence of other platforms that combine customer service and sales functionalities, Merineau emphasizes the importance of treating these as separate entities.

He believes that delivering a positive service experience naturally fosters sales growth.

“We firmly believe that providing assistance is the modern approach to sales,” Merineau stated.

Focus on Customer Relationships

Desjarlais further elaborated, “We strongly oppose the use of ticket ID systems.

A customer should not be reduced to a ticket… I am convinced that each customer represents a valuable brand relationship that requires ongoing cultivation, ultimately increasing the brand’s long-term value.”

Growth and International Expansion

Founded in 2017, Heyday reports a doubling of its recurring revenue over the last two quarters.

Its customer base includes prominent companies like Decathlon (a French sporting goods retailer), Bestseller (a Danish fashion house), and Dannon (a food and consumer product brand).

Merineau highlighted the platform’s “bilingual out-of-the-box” functionality and its success in international markets.

Adapting to the Evolving Retail Landscape

“Retailers who anticipate that the changes spurred by COVID-19 will be temporary are operating under a flawed assumption,” Merineau asserted.

“The prevailing philosophy for forward-thinking brands is ‘adapt or perish.’ Brands prioritize excellent service, but also focus on profitability.

We enable them to achieve both objectives simultaneously.”

Funding Details and Future Plans

Previously, Heyday had secured $2 million Canadian in funding.

This latest round is provided by existing investors Innovobot and Desjardins Capital.

Merineau indicated that the new capital will be used to strengthen Heyday’s presence in the U.S. market and facilitate further scaling of operations.

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