The Challenge

Airtable’s product is a flexible project management system that companies can customize to match their workflow and data needs. Their SaaS (Software as a Service) platform organizes a team’s information in one place. Companies like Netflix, Expedia, and Shopify rely on Airtable to improve collaboration and increase productivity.

Airtable wanted to hear from decision-makers across different industries about their considerations, concerns, goals, and motivations when evaluating SaaS platforms. The company looked to Centralis to explore these topics and define discrete personas among technology buyers.

The Process

Centralis conducted one-on-one interviews with twenty IT professionals who had recently considered software purchases for their company. We asked them about every stage of the process when considering SaaS platforms, including what triggered the process, who the decision-makers were, and what they did to evaluate and implement new software.

Centralis identified core patterns based on participants’ motivations, goals, and processes. These patterns illuminated key similarities and differences in users’ approaches to the purchase process, producing four memorable personas.   

The Impact

Our personas gave Airtable a tool to encourage empathy and tailor their sales approach to meet the needs of different types of IT professionals. The personas invite the sales and marketing teams to see their product from the potential customer’s perspective, which helps them provide quality service and deliver the information customers need most when deciding to purchase.