About Wave
Wave, a prominent financial services and software company that operates in Canada and the U.S., is dedicated to simplifying finance and accounting for small businesses. With its user-friendly, all-in-one financial management solution, Wave offers invoicing, payroll, and accounting software designed to give small business owners the ability to start, survive, and thrive. To meet the dynamic needs of its clientele, Wave launched its comprehensive mobile app in 2022. Designed to provide on-the-go bookkeeping solutions, the app seamlessly integrates into users’ workflows, provides the flexibility to work from any location, and saves business owners’ valuable time.
Opportunity
Recognizing the app’s potential to provide a more convenient and user-friendly experience on the go, Wave sought to guide its web users toward the mobile app. This led the company to search for a solution that could drive app acquisition from various marketing channels and effectively convert web users into loyal app users. Additionally, Wave wanted to find a solution that would allow it to measure and attribute its paid marketing efforts — ultimately reducing acquisition costs through campaign optimization.
With Wave’s primary focus on understanding mobile app acquisition costs and improving the web-to-app experience, Branch emerged as the preferred solution. The decision to hire Branch was driven by the confidence that Branch could not only resolve the company’s attribution challenges across paid and organic channels but also ensure that users were automatically directed to the optimal experience within the app. Due to a lack of internal resources and a desire to expedite the project launch, Wave engaged the expertise of Branch’s Professional Services (ProServe) team.
Ensuring implementation and launch success with ProServe
To achieve its goals of increasing app adoption and delivering a seamless user experience, Wave implemented a range of Branch’s linking and measurement solutions, including Journeys smart banners to drive web-to-app conversions and Branch Universal Email to increase mobile engagement by deep linking readers directly into the app. The team also implemented Branch Universal Ads to track the impact of its ad spend and optimize campaign performance.
Wave’s partnership with Branch ProServe proved instrumental in expediting and optimizing the implementation journey. The intricate process involved integrating multiple SDKs, collaborating with technology partners like Braze and Segment, and configuring setups across diverse ad networks, including Google Ads.
Starting in August 2023, Branch ProServe established a clear project plan and delineated stakeholder responsibilities. Through weekly meetings, Branch ProServe ensured alignment across all stakeholders and maintained open communication channels via email and Slack. ProServe’s effective training of Wave team members — spanning engineering, product, and marketing teams — played a vital role in effective onboarding and post-launch self-sufficiency. Navigating internal complexities with ease, the Branch ProServe team streamlined the implementation process to reduce the time required to achieve operational efficiency.
“I’ve frequently engaged with professional services, which were typically mandatory but unimpressive. However, with Branch ProServe, my perception underwent a complete shift. The team not only demonstrated a deep understanding of our requirements but also showcased exceptional capabilities. Their prompt responses on Slack, coupled with a proactive approach and organizational skills, played a pivotal role in our swift onboarding process. Despite the complexities of our mobile app architecture, Branch navigated the challenges seamlessly.”
Chris Johnston, Senior Marketing Operations Manager
Wave HQ
A true partnership
The impact of the partnership between Branch and Wave has been remarkable. The entire solution — encompassing multiple use cases and technologies like email, web-to-app deep linking, and ads measurement — went live just two months after kickoff. Branch’s ProServe team demonstrated invaluable expertise, responsiveness, and a keen understanding of unique industry challenges and regulations, paving the way for a swift and seamless implementation. This collaboration not only unlocked app growth for Wave but also transformed its day-to-day operations.
Now fully operational and more efficient than ever, Wave attributes its app success to the pivotal role played by Branch’s ProServe team. Looking ahead, the Wave team is enthusiastic about the partnership and smooth rollout of Branch Journeys smart banners, believing it will be critical to win app adoption and solidify its position as a leader in financial solutions for small businesses.
“What sets Branch ProServe apart is its organized approach, respect for our industry knowledge, and steadfast commitment to delivering tangible results. It has truly been an excellent collaboration, and I’m impressed with the valuable contributions made by their team.”
Chris Johnston, Senior Marketing Operations Manager
Wave HQ
