Thryv is a leading provider of software for small to medium-size businesses all over the world. As the company expands, CEO Joe Walsh is looking for opportunities on how the company can introduce its software to new territories.
To that end, Walsh looks for companies that could be strengthened and expanded by its SaaS platform that Thryv owns and operates. It’s why Thryv acquired Sensis, an established marketing services business in Australia.
A Rebranding and New Local Edition Launch
Sensis has been around since the late 1800s, when Australia launched its first telephone directory. With a history and firm presence in the country, Thryv is rebranding and adding services based on what small businesses need today and adding functionality to round out the company’s service offerings.
SMB owners can look forward to the launch of new business management products, all carefully curated to meet the needs of professionals today. Those who already know Sensis can expect far more than a name change — they can expect services and packages that address real concerns and obstacles in their industry.
The VP of product and marketing, Ryan Cantor, said the products have already been adapted for Australian businesses and they’re able to integrate into popular platforms (e.g., Xero, and MYOB). Cantor remarked, “We are pleased to welcome Australian small businesses to the Thryv platform. With Thryv, small businesses can centralize their day-to-day activities through one elegant, easy-to-use dashboard.”
How Thryv Is Helping Small Business Owners
Thryv is an all-in-one business software that brings many needed tools into one place. The software does everything that a small business owner’s disparate set of current tools may do, plus much more. It offers ease and efficiency by consolidating functionality into one platform.
This isn’t just another app that employees and owners have to learn, but a platform that has been created based on the needs of a business owner. Thryv prides itself for being an organization that understands the nuance between two distinctly different types of organizations.
A small cupcake shop in Australia will have very different needs than a niche roofing contractor in America. By building in capabilities for both owners though, Thryv has managed to come out ahead in a competitive landscape. The Sensis rebranding helps highlight the software and its benefits, so small business owners in Australia can access technology that can give their business a welcome refresh.
A Mutually Beneficial Acquisition
Sensis got its start when Australia launched its White Pages in 1880. In 1975, the Yellow Pages was introduced to the country. By 1994, both the White and Yellow Pages also migrated to the internet. The company went through a rebranding from Pacific Access to Sensis in 2002.
Thryv (listed on NASDAQ as THRY) purchased Sensis for $260 million in March, a deal that came 7 years after the Australian telecommunications company Telstra sold off its 70% stake in Sensis to a private equity firm in the US for $425 million.
John Allan, the CEO of Thryv Australia and former CEO of Sensis, believes it makes sense to change the corporate identity of Sensis to match that of its parent company. It’s a natural step that aligns with the intention to grow the software offering in Australia (along with the core marketing services business).
Thryv CEO Joe Walsh and Allan are both firmly committed to small businesses. Small business owners are vital to the economy and are major employers across the world.. The name change to Thryv is symbolic of Sensis’ updating itself to become a more integral part of small business in Australia.
As with every endeavor of Thryv, the company is devoted to getting the rebranding right. Allen said, “Since March, our teams in Australia and the US have been working around the clock to bring the Thryv software solution to market.” This collaboration, completed halfway around the world, speaks to the staff’s strong belief in the project.
As it scales and launches its SaaS platform, the company considers the needs of the client and how to best meet them where they are. At the same time, in Australia, Thryv is supporting 100,000 customers (both government and business) through its traditional marketing services product, branded under the names Yellow and White Pages .
The Value of the Thryv Suite of Products
CEO Joe Walsh and his team have identified how small businesses work in the modern age. Even before the pandemic, customers were coming to expect modern tools from small businesses, and they didn’t always wait for them to catch up with the times before moving onto a competitor.
From payments to appointment setting to automated marketing communication, Thryv products help businesses put customers first. The company considers not just how people interact with businesses, but also how they find them in the first place.
In the US, Thryv owns The Real Yellow Pages, both print and online, so the team understands what it means to connect consumers to the right local business at the right time. Now small businesses in Australia can also see how more efficient software products can drive them to build and manage their customer lists, while generating everything from better reviews to more detailed invoices.
Joe Walsh doesn’t want hard-working small business owners to be left behind simply because they didn’t have the right tools available to them. Thryv products aren’t meant to make tasks required to run a business easier to check off one-by-one. For example, in the software, communication can be sent out automatically so customers feel connected. It means customers inevitably get better service, and have fewer unanswered questions.
These are perks that the Australian small business market is about to discover now that Sensis has become Thryv and has a new set of tools to offer small businesses. As Thryv looks to the future, CEO Walsh and his staff envision a much stronger foothold in the country, as well as stronger relationships between the company and the small business owners they serve.
