ABOUT BILT
As revolutionary as Google Maps was to driving directions, the BILT app is a game changer for the assembly, installation, maintenance, repair & warranty experience with 3D interactive Intelligent Instructions® that are voice & text-guided.
We convert manufacturers’ CAD into interactive, cloud-based 3D instructions that can be accessed without WiFi.
BILT’s product overview includes tools required, parts included, then gently directs the procedure step by step. Tap on a part for more information. Zoom in to see intricate parts more clearly. Rotate the entire image 360 degrees for the best possible perspective.
Superior to paper instructions or a YouTube video, BILT gives users the ability to easily forward, replay, or skip ahead to any step and go at their own pace.
With BILT, customers can register the product, track the warranty, and store receipts. BILT supports manufacturers’ efforts to go green by minimizing paper instruction manuals and inserts. BILT is a virtual filing cabinet of information for everything you own.
BILT has proven to increase Net Promoter Scores, star ratings & product registrations, while reducing returns, calls to customer support, assembly time & errors. BILT’s 3D experts have mastered the art of instructions and are dedicated to enabling consumers and technicians alike to become wildly successful at even the most complicated tasks.
BILT empowers brands with analytics on each product to enable continuous improvement of both the product and the instructions. Manufacturers maintain control of their content; updates to instructions can be made in real time, so they’re never obsolete.
INNOVATION, AGILITY & RESILIENCE
The concept of a 3D assembly experience originated one evening in June 2012 when a software sales executive and his wife spent a frustrating night together trying to assemble an IKEA nightstand. The wobbly table ultimately ended up on the curb, but their dilemma underscored a job to be done: create something better than paper instructions. BILT was formed in 2015.
The founder and his wife talked to the manager at their local The Home Depot, who indicated the greatest obstacle to many sales was the customer's insecurity about installing their product correctly once they got it home. If BILT could instill customer confidence with superior instructions, they knew they would have a winner. To test the concept, the couple put 12 Weber gas grills on their credit card and got permission from The Home Depot manager to set up a Saturday morning assembly challenge. Participants of all ages preferred the BILT 3D instructions by a landslide.
Following a venture capital debacle, the founders turned to friends & family for seed funding. Initial investors gave as little as $500 to help get BILT off the ground.
After winning major clients like Weber-Stephen grills, ASSA ABLOY (Yale Residential locks), Bell Sports, Liberty Garden, and Teeter Fitness, disaster struck in the form of tariffs and the trade war. Series A funding was delayed several months as the market recovered.
While our retail targets adjusted to the shock of the trade war, the BILT team shifted focus to industrial accounts that require technical training, such as locksmiths and access control technicians, construction workers, and HVAC professionals. We call this initiative BILT Pro.
As a result of this focus, BILT was awarded The Most Innovative Construction Tool by the National Association of Home Builders in January and was continuing to add major brand partners, including The Home Depot, when the COVID-19 pandemic began. BILT paused regular operations to create 3D instructions for DIY face masks, respirators, and a DIY ventilator in conjunction with San Diego State University.
To diversify revenue through the COVID uncertainty, BILT sought military contracts to create 3D instructions for equipment maintenance with the Air Force and Navy. In July, BILT was awarded a Phase 2 SBIR contract with the Air Force.
THE BILT TEAM
BILT attracts and retains top talent because of the collaborative, optimistic work environment that empowers each employee to innovate. BILT also gives generous stock options to each full-time employee. Because of the COVID slowdown, BILT was forced to furlough about 1/3 of the workforce and cut pay for remaining employees in April. Despite the cuts, BILT has retained 99% of the original workforce. The BILT staff is guided by the principles in "The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves" by The Arbinger Institute, which cultivates a caring and supportive workplace. Four teams split customer support responsibilities for end-users, which keeps everyone grounded and in touch with real users whose lives our product impacts.
The team at BILT includes instruction designers and marketing managers from a variety of creative backgrounds, including graphic design, motion graphics, and film. We put these skills to good use during team building events. In a pre-COVID meeting, small groups had two hours to write & produce a humorous BILT commercial, and we hosted our own version of the Academy Awards. The winner for Best Editing, titled "BILT Schmo" (a pun on BILT Pro for professional users) is included in the media submissions below.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT
The most significant victory this year is recruiting loyalty guru Fred Reichheld to sit on BILT's Board of Directors. As co-creator of the Net Promoter System, bestselling author of "The Ultimate Question 2.0" and advocate of customer capitalism, Reichheld's 50 years of customer experience expertise will lead BILT into a new era of exponential growth.
THE PANDEMIC
During the COVID-19 pandemic, billions of people stayed home to reduce the spread of the virus. Between April and May, almost 250 million Americans were under some form of government-mandated lockdown. As people began working from home, BILT recorded unprecedented spikes in app usage. Consumers scrambled to turn their homes in to schoolrooms and offices; ecommerce sales increased exponentially as people ordered furniture and backyard equipment online, and BILT helped them assemble and install their purchases.
Because consumers were cautious about allowing repairmen, plumbers, electricians, and locksmiths into their homes, DIY downloads jumped almost 400% in the plumbing category alone as toilet paper shortages spurred bidet sales and entire families were home all day sharing facilities. Consumers who had never attempted to install ceiling fans, door hardware, or kitchen faucets turned to BILT for 3D interactive assistance. Because the cost of installing these products is often just as expensive as the products themselves, consumers found they could save half or afford an upgraded model by using BILT.
THE CONFIDENCE
Another trend BILT data analysts spotted during the pandemic was an increase in the number of repeat BILT users. Some consumers were so amazed at their own proficiency at safely and easily assembling or installing they sought other products or projects they could master with 3D interactive instructions. BILT currently has a 4.8 rating in the App Store with almost 8K ratings. It is satisfying for BILT’s instruction designers to read user reviews:
“If Avengers Endgame was an app, this would be it.” –Alexander Kenney in Google Play.
“Love!! Ok so my husband and I are known to get quite loud when trying to assemble something new or tackle a project…This app is a GodSend!! No fussing, no fighting, and what would have probably taken us 2 hours (mostly fussing) took us 15 minutes!!” –StacieT81 in the App Store.
“Amazing app!! The see thru graphics really set this apart from YouTube instructions.” –Sam O. in Google Play.
“Where has BILT been all my life? For anyone who has ever looked at the 2-dimensional pictures and terribly written descriptions included in almost every set of instructions - celebrate! BILT’s 3D imaging allows you to remain laying on the floor in awkward positions to fix or install whatever you’re fixing and installing but now the views can match your view, no matter what angle you’re looking from. Simply awesome! Products that have BILT intelligent instructions will now move to the top of my list when choosing between Products A and B. I still want to have the satisfaction of installing things myself but am happy to finally see the way the process is supposed to be done!” –David wheelz in the App Store.
“First time using. I love this app. I hate reading instructions and this app literally walked me step by step. Thanks for making my life easier. (Happy face emoji)” –StylezC24Fit in the App Store.
“Dyslexic people of the world rejoice (followed by hearts, exclamation marks and thumbs up emojis)” –jksPD in Google Play
THE EMPOWERMENT
Yale University estimates 20% of the population is affected by dyslexia, which represents 80-90% of all learning disabilities. Because BILT does not rely solely on text, but also has moveable, expandable images and voice guidance, chances for success are dramatically increased for users with learning challenges. Beyond diagnosed dyslexics, many other users express relief at the possibility of having visual assistance for projects.
