Lost in a new software – we've all experienced this. This is despite days of training, detailed online tutorials, or thick PDF manuals. A theoretical introduction is always different from practical application. The Munich-based startup Userlane has addressed this problem: Interactive step-by-step instructions are designed to enable users to immediately operate a software at a high level without prior knowledge or to quickly navigate a website.
If we can believe the founding story, the idea for User lane During a trip to the mountains, founders Felix Eichler, Hartmut Hahn, and Kai Uhlig got lost. The rescue: the navigation system. The question that arose during this little adventure: Why don't we let software programs navigate us so we can reach our destination easily and conveniently? Brainstorming sessions at the Eisbach River followed, and shortly thereafter, Userlane's founding charter was signed at Marienplatz.
Software made easy with interactive step-by-step instructions
A navigation system for software applications – how is that supposed to work? Step by step. Users are guided directly into the actual software and navigated from one point to the next with the help of interactive step-by-step instructions. This doesn't just stop at theory, however; concrete work tasks are also completed. Learning by doing, in other words, without the user needing any prior knowledge. And it's precisely this approach that gives Userlane an edge over other solutions, as the founders explain. Hartmut white:
"Unlike other solutions, our guides are truly interactive and work within the software itself. This has the great advantage for companies that users not only consume instructions, but also complete tasks directly within the application following a guide."
This live demo on the topic “How to create a Wikipedia article” shows what this might look like.
The positive consequences for a company are obvious: Training and support costs can be reduced. The use of the user onboarding solution can lead to an increase in conversion rates and user engagement. Furthermore, the churn rate and support requests can be reduced. And another aspect that is particularly exciting from an employee's perspective: knowledge of a specific software used by the company is no longer necessarily a hiring criterion if the user can learn how to use it easily, quickly, and independently. Training by another employee is therefore no longer necessary, and expertise is not lost through employee turnover – which is, in turn, exciting for employers.
Positively surprised by the good response in the market
The potential of Userlane did not remain undiscovered for long: In addition to the main incubator of Commerzbank, the High-Tech Gründerfonds is also on board with seed financing of the Munich technology company. The startup also won the Breakthrough Award 2017 and at Start-up competition – Digital innovations of the Federal Ministry of Economics. And is business going so well? Surprisingly well, as Hartmut reports:
"To be honest, we're currently positively surprised by the positive response in the market. So far, we've been able to attract numerous customers from the software and e-commerce sectors as well as corporations to participate in pilot projects, which we're particularly pleased about. Our goal is to win more customers from outside the EU next year and further increase our current momentum."
Challenge No. 1: Finding the right people
But Userlane also faced a few challenges on its path to success. Recruiting was the most important one. Even though the team has grown from 3 to 20 employees since September 2016, it was – and still is – not easy to find suitable colleagues. They need not only to be technically qualified but also to have a certain drive to make a difference. The team is particularly crucial for a startup – as Userlane co-founder Hartmut knows:
"As founders, we're primarily building a company, not just a product. That's why it's so important to us to attract the right talent and develop them so that we, as a team, can keep pace with our commercial growth. So, if you're interested in a challenge, we're always open to exciting people, regardless of their field!"
So, while talent is constantly being sought, the search for the right location is no longer a priority. Founders feel exactly at home in Munich, especially due to its proximity to international technology companies and the high density of B2B startups:
"This allows for quick, uncomplicated exchanges over a beer after work or at one of the numerous meetups. Perhaps things are different for B2C startups, but as a B2B company with a technology focus, Munich is clearly number one for us in Germany."
And the mountains for the next trip aren't far away either — as long as you have a navigation system, nothing can go wrong!
