Transcript
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here we go, Snowjobs Nation. We are off and running again with another... product profile episode today. For your listening pleasure. We have Yeti.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeti software is in the house. They got a whole. Mess of new stuff coming at you.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yo.
The SnowJobs Podcast: A lot of new stuff. We got Kevin Spielman, and you know who's always with me. Jeremy's always here, and we're excited to bring you this product profile episode and let Kevin tell us everything that Yeti's got cooking because it's exciting stuff.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, Kevin, welcome back. We haven't heard from you in two years. Last year we had Bart.
Kevin @ Yeti: I know. Yes.
RICK JAMES: Is that?
Kevin @ Yeti: Fortholomew. Good man.
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yep, that was a good one.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, just as mom calls him that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: just his mom And me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How's everything?
Kevin @ Yeti: And me when he was, ah you know. Being naughty.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ha ha.
RICK JAMES: ah
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How you doing?
Kevin @ Yeti: Well, that's great. yeah it's It's really, really great to be back, guys. I'm ah i'm not like the... out there all the time talking to a lot of people, but getting to sit down with you guys is ah is a privilege and a pleasure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm. you're busy in the lab rebuilding and building and
RICK JAMES: Much appreciated.
Kevin @ Yeti: I'm in there. I just took my lab coat off and I'm, ah you know.
RICK JAMES: all right
Kevin @ Yeti: but actually no joke actually i'm wearing a collared shirt not that anybody can see that but
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
Kevin @ Yeti: you know.
RICK JAMES: Ha ha.
Kevin @ Yeti: I just thought I got to look the part.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, professional.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go
Kevin @ Yeti: Very professional.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So it... It's been a while. Like I said, we didn't talk to you last year. Last year, Bart gave us the update. But this year, the news is big and breaking. And, you know, it it could only be you that that's bringing it to us.
Kevin @ Yeti: I've...
The SnowJobs Podcast: well What do you got, buddy?
Kevin @ Yeti: That's what I'm told. I got to be the guy.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: I got to tell everybody what we're up to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: What's new?
Kevin @ Yeti: well What isn't new? I think that's the name of the game. What isn't new? I think what isn't new in the last couple years since we talked, you know, in the world of software, so much has changed.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: A lot of tech upgrades.
Kevin @ Yeti: We... um are able to embrace some amazing tools. And so... you know We've embarked upon a new adventure over here. We've completely... redesigned and Read a... reimagined Yeti from the ground up. So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And that was.
Kevin @ Yeti: What we're deploying.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And everybody loved Yeti. Like, we were just talking before the show, and I said, Jeremy and I definitely, we continuously do our homework, and we're still trying to find anybody to give us any negative feedback on Yeti.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I personally have yet to find anybody. I've probably talked to 100 people that use Yeti.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And they all have nothing but positives to say. um There was a I guess you guys had one glitch last november, but that is why this is happening today, right?
Kevin @ Yeti: great
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're here to tell us the about.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So like let's let's hear it, man.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: This is exciting stuff.
Kevin @ Yeti: Well... Hmm. Like I was saying to you guys. Um, Running snow software is a challenge, especially when you've got big storm events happening.
Kevin @ Yeti: You've got peak loads.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: You've got you know your baseline amount of users out there doing normal admin kind of stuff. Big storm hits. Everybody. loads the system. And what we saw last year, November 29, for...
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: a couple hours was you know you had to slow down for a bit and it was because literally everybody in there jumped in the truck and went out there and you know started doing what everybody has to do. so That started this journey. And what we're going to be putting out there in October.
Kevin @ Yeti: is a completely you know. new from the ground up. It's going to be... not only like a new interface, which is really just kind of the skin on top.
Kevin @ Yeti: of of what's really magical about software.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm?
Kevin @ Yeti: all of that work that has taken us. um this whole last bunch of quarters. is really around building a foundation. and the foundation for the future.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, everybody I think is aware that. you know. The world's changed. Software has changed.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, daily.
Kevin @ Yeti: The. ah billy ah the ability for us to build software. that we could never even imagine. I mean, when I started Yeti One night. First customers came on in 2018.
Kevin @ Yeti: If you had an idea. This thing took months.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm hmm.
RICK JAMES: mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: It took... like months and months of just pecking away at this thing. What we can do now... with a really solid team. equipped with really great tools is we can put something amazing out there. in ah in a very, very short period of time.
Kevin @ Yeti: So we were able to do essentially what took. you know, Yeti version three. you know, the better part of from 2018 to now. Eight years.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm -hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: And we could...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hey. eggs
RICK JAMES: yes
Kevin @ Yeti: what Right? And we could...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Create this new. ah Better. more reliable, more scalable, more secure, more usable. System. In.
Kevin @ Yeti: like a fraction of the time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So eight years to eight days.
Kevin @ Yeti: Eight days. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: It is.
Kevin @ Yeti: i I signed up for this podcast eight days ago, and bam, we got we decided we're going to go ahead with it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: We're good to go.
Kevin @ Yeti: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, man.
Kevin @ Yeti: We're good to go. We're good to go. but no seriously like it's it's really incredible and i am not you know i am not the uh I'm not writing code.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: I don't know if you guys knew that, but like. I'm not the cold guy.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: I'm really the business. I'm obviously just the business guy. And I and i ran my own commercial snow company for 10 years in British Columbia. And I felt the pain that everybody had. And that's how Yeti started. And.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah you know That's our foundation. we're We're always going to be snow first. And so this new set of tools that we're delivering and this 4 .0, and we're kind of, we're we're really harping on this 0 .0 piece because Yeti 3 .0 kind of lived as 3 .0 for a long time.
Kevin @ Yeti: 4 .0 is going to go 4 .1, 4 .2, 4 .3.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: Like we are going to be iterating. and improving. on a weekly basis. This is the ability that we have now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's awesome.
Kevin @ Yeti: and the ability to find an issue, address it. you know, you know, turnaround that was never possible before so For me, it's really exciting. There's some things that we're doing now that I dreamed of.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, back in the day, like, how wouldn't it be great if we could do this?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: well, that software, the the tools aren't there.
RICK JAMES: hello
Kevin @ Yeti: Well, now they are there. So now we can start. um really hard decision though like it's a hard thing when you've got something that works
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: And you're like, okay, you know, I had an idea of all all the things that we wanted to do this year. um November 29th, that hiccup was like, well, wait a minute. Before we go ahead and layer in all this other stuff, we got to get the foundation.
Kevin @ Yeti: In a place where. we're delivering on that core value, which is a guy needs to get in his truck, go to work.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: get the tools he needs to get that job done. and verify the service was delivered. The team in the office needs to get that record in real time, be able to check it and then be able to bill for it. And if we can't do that basic thing, then we shouldn't even be talking about doing a bunch of other funky stuff.
Kevin @ Yeti: you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: So. rebuilds our Rebuild was in order. Had to happen. um Super excited about it. and I'm really excited about hearing feedback from the customers. Because they're going to see something that they...
Kevin @ Yeti: I hope, and this is my... ultimate hope that they see something that when they get their head around how this thing can really enhance their ability. to do their jobs. Um, You know, some of the things that we are really good at, we're really good at operational tools, like giving guys real -time visibility.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: in a simple kind of way. But what we've lacked was the ability for us to surface. issues surface priorities surface like what is next for us to work on like if i got 200 sites out there.
Kevin @ Yeti: And I'm trying to get everything done. What's outstanding? What's left to do?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm hmm.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: Where do I need to redeploy? I've got a guy available. Where do I send them? or I've got a guy falling down, who can who's close by who can help?
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: um We really lacked a lot of capabilities there. And so this 4 .0 gives us that foundation to be able to layer in these kinds of operational tools.
Kevin @ Yeti: And. In short order, then be able to. layer in intelligence on top of that. So. well You know, everybody's talking about AI, which is...
Kevin @ Yeti: ah obviously a big topic. A big, big topic.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: Good, bad, ugly.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Scary. useful? What's it going to do to the world? Are we still going to be around in 10 years?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Skynet. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Heh.
Kevin @ Yeti: i mean I really hope so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: but I have my worries.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I do too.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Skynet.
Kevin @ Yeti: but But on the software side of things, you know... What i what we see is... is um turning what a Yeti, you know, Old Yeti. We'll call it Old Yeti. um which is the...
Kevin @ Yeti: A platform that holds data. you know It's a system of record, meaning it's just recording.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: You go out there, you do a thing. We record it. lives in a database, kind of looks like a spreadsheet.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and stores it.
Kevin @ Yeti: doesn't do much math There's not a lot of magic to that.
RICK JAMES: hu
Kevin @ Yeti: Systems of action. Like ours. With. intelligence. Ken. become systems of work so they can actually surface.
Kevin @ Yeti: ideas and recommendations around what somebody could or should do. they can surface. So for example, if you have SLAs,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, this place is open Monday to Friday. This one's 24 seven. This is zero tolerance. This is two inch, you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: this one All of these different service levels. How do you get your head around? Again, doing 200 properties as ah as kind of an interesting number. How do you get your head around where am I falling down?
Kevin @ Yeti: Where where am I missing?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Kevin @ Yeti: Where am I not meeting my contracts? you know where I've made commitments. Am I ahead or am I behind in this storm event? um And so.
RICK JAMES: mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: There's... tools now. AI is really good at crunching data, you know, looking through all the records, looking through all your contracts. and go hey wait a minute You were supposed to be out there two inches or you're supposed to be two hours, you know, from the first snowflake or this is zero tolerance and we've got a weather issue. Do you realize that?
Kevin @ Yeti: You need to be addressing this issue. oh i Okay. Let's get to work. Let's let's solve that problem.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, so there's some really, really fun, really, really...
The SnowJobs Podcast: I like that a lot.
RICK JAMES: Really?
Kevin @ Yeti: If I was... i You know, when I sold the snow company, I was like, oh. Thank you. I saw that I don't have to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, I had some PTSD.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: There's certain ringtones. you know i can't have I can't hear in a restaurant.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Kevin @ Yeti: I'm like, no.
RICK JAMES: Ha ha.
Kevin @ Yeti: I don't know if you guys ever had that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
RICK JAMES: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, yeah.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Change my ringtones.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I have my lead going.
Kevin @ Yeti: you know Now I'm like, you know wouldn't be kind of it would be kind of fun to start a snow company again. like With the tools that we're building. like we can We can enable some guys to maybe get some sleep sometimes.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So with storms with with storms, you know, they're unpredictable as far as their timing, their start times, you know, what kind of rates they're coming. So if I had, say, sites that I had details entered into Yeti, such as like...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay, first truck starts showing up to this site at 4 a .m. Yeti can now with intelligence can go through that. And if I say, hey, where do I need people next? It's 3, 3 .30 in the morning. I have two crews that just finished up or one loader that is looking for the next place to go. Yeti can spit that out and say, ah, post office has delivery trucks showing up at 4 a .m. Go hit that.
Kevin @ Yeti: So this is where we're this is what we're going to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's where you're heading.
Kevin @ Yeti: this is Yeah, this is what we're going to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. That's phenomenal.
RICK JAMES: Nice.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I love it.
RICK JAMES: That'd be great.
Kevin @ Yeti: so So when you think about... um I mean snow is such a special thing. Uh... i And im more and more I've been talking to some work order management platforms and and ultimately some to end customers.
Kevin @ Yeti: And they've tried to solve like the snow thing like they solve like HVAC or... Um, janitorial or something and they're like okay we
The SnowJobs Podcast: Can't do it.
Kevin @ Yeti: We can't do it. They don't.
The SnowJobs Podcast: no
Kevin @ Yeti: fit into the box right and snow is this is a unique animal in that regard
The SnowJobs Podcast: No
Kevin @ Yeti: And it's because of this, what you what you said, is because of this unpredictability, this unscheduled, you know, it's supposed to snow over here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: Well, it snowed over there. It's supposed to snow four inches. Well, it rained.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: It's supposed to start at 4 p .m. It started at... 7 a .m. Like, what?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Right.
Kevin @ Yeti: you know So there's all kinds of things that... That just... Cause chaos, ultimately. right And so if you're driven by a work order or you're driven by a schedule,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: Well, they don't totally work with chaos. You know, um they're not flexible. And um so for Snow, like there's so many ways that work. gets triggered.
Kevin @ Yeti: A lot of times if you're subcontracting, you're going to push you know you're going to push that decision out to the field. You're going to give that to your subcontractor in a different town. or give ah give a section, give a piece of work to because ultimately they're closest to it and they can have the best visibility to what's going on. So that's one trigger. You're really giving that guy.
Kevin @ Yeti: autonomy. Or you're controlling it from some some central kind of place where you're you're you're making decisions which may or may not be exactly what's going on in the ground. which is inefficient.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: but But regardless, you really still need to understand like what are your commitments you've made to your customer because they are variable. You don't get to sign it. Not everybody signs the same contract, especially if you're doing. national contracts or doing other things you have you have your own standard thing and then you've got all these other you know,
Kevin @ Yeti: commitments you've made.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
RICK JAMES: mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: Well. What we're trying to build here. is Yeti. the ability for us as contractors to be able to put in those service level those commitments we've made and then be able to surface those commitments during storms and be able to then um Decide, okay, based on those commitments, these are the next things. Those postal trucks are showing up. I better move crews.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it.
Kevin @ Yeti: And so giving triggers and defining what is a trigger. is a key part of what we're trying to solve. And ultimately then with intelligence, let's say we've got intelligence and we're pulling weather.
Kevin @ Yeti: forecast in real -time weather. And those same commitments, we can then. Of course, humans have a hard time. like let's put 200 of these and 200 of those and 200 of those and build a plan like that's a lot of That's painful.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yup.
Kevin @ Yeti: We're we're not that smart. but id tell it But AI can do that for us and we can pull all that together and and surface the next thing to do and what's falling behind and what's...
Kevin @ Yeti: you know, what crew can go and work with this other crew to get that piece done so we can get to those postal trucks before that place opens.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, i was I was in, you know. doing this thing just like everybody else and you know getting to the morning of ah of a big event. and knowing that you know, customers are rolling and I'm like, what did I miss?
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yes.
Kevin @ Yeti: What did I miss?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: and an old Yeti. Couldn't really solve that problem. I mean, we did our best. you know I think our dispatch and how we organize work and routes and guys, and you can see real time, you can get it on a map. And you can look at it in real time.
Kevin @ Yeti: you still ultimately have to have the eyes to see where the gaps are and you have to interpret that where. where we're going. um with 4 .0. Again, not on release, but the the ability that we now have to layer in.
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, intelligence to be able to surface those things is there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: In a much shorter time frame.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, just...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Again, being able to to digest data for you. And the other thing that's, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Kevin, if i gonna if I can ask you one question, um you guys are extremely proactive. We've heard that about Yeti.
RICK JAMES: well
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're always looking to to help the customers and to just basically make this thing bulletproof as much as possible. So you're always trying to tweak and stuff. We we know that. We've heard that. This rebuild, was this already a planned like need that you guys saw before November 29th? To be fair.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeti didn't crash November 29th. That's not what we heard we heard. We did hear that it slowed down because it had so many users. So was that something you saw coming before November 29th, that this was already in the works? Or did the rebuild... come out of that saying, hey.
The SnowJobs Podcast: this is our This is what we need to do now. This is our path forward.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah. No, that was the, talking about triggers. That was the trigger.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: that was That was the like...
RICK JAMES: okay
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
Kevin @ Yeti: That was like, wait a second. Well, I mean, we've been growing um like crazy, right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, you have.
Kevin @ Yeti: And and so so as you grow, you know, everything's got to grow and everything's got to.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: got to be able to handle the load and so when you when you, um, get something like that happen, you've obviously... You know, me being just.
Kevin @ Yeti: but I immediately think of all the guys out there that are in the truck. And I'm like, nope, we can't let those guys down. That is that is a no -go. So what do we got to do?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Amen.
Kevin @ Yeti: I will eat you know shards of glass you know if that's what we got to do. um So it it was really that. That. prompted a lot of, first off, a lot of analysis. What's going on?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm?
Kevin @ Yeti: And then the... ah the ideas started flowing around what, you know, Okay, well. you know There's different ways to to address something. you know you can You can kind of just do more of the same, like literally just add more of the same.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: or you can... ah decide, hey, you know what? We're we're ready and able to... Like. level up. And. And I think it was time, it was good timing to...
Kevin @ Yeti: with the tools that we have available now, right? With the software tools that we have.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh sure.
RICK JAMES: right
Kevin @ Yeti: And, um you know, those tools in the right hands, um we have an amazing team here. Those tools in the right hands is just. it's kind of hard to comprehend how
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: How amazing. um ah people are with the right tools and and how quickly they can. They can build something. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not a software guy.
RICK JAMES: So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not a tech guy. but And I'm sure there's a lot of snow guys out there that are like me that don't understand the the ins and outs. but is this Is this fair to say with the new foundation, this is kind of like multiplexing, where now you can just plug and play things as you need to, develop new new widgets, basically?
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah I mean, to break it down, pretty simplified.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, widgets, yeah. No, I love it. I love it. i love it
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Yeah. Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: Well, okay. um How do I describe this thing? So there's there's different methodologies for building software and and it's very normal for software early days to just be kind of...
Kevin @ Yeti: One. I'll call it just... ah one ball, like we just one. Call it a monolith.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: all of your All of your code, all of your functionality kind of lives in one place. And so if one piece of it is... is um is overloaded. You've got a lot of... Um,
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, pressure on that one area you know you've got a lot of people loading up let's say a lot of mobile users landing in that in that Part of the software. but if it's ah If it's all in one place.
Kevin @ Yeti: It affects the whole. the whole... software.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Understood.
Kevin @ Yeti: Thank you. you can't um You can't address that one thing. So... That's very common. Yeti is no different than anybody else.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's what you do. You build something, you get it out there, and then you just iterate, iterate, iterate. But that little ball just becomes kind of a bigger. a bigger beast. So to be able to really address.
Kevin @ Yeti: and scale. reliably Um, You need to pull all that apart. And so it's and it's not widgets, but you need you need to define each of these functionalities.
Kevin @ Yeti: in its own unique. Um, place. and assign its own resources to it. And so now now what was one monolith can now be a whole bunch of different services.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha.
Kevin @ Yeti: And each one, now imagine you've got your little equalizer. You know, you can adjust the... the capacity of each piece independent. And if you have one that's really... you know take Again, take mobile app pushing GPS data.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's a really heavy kind of load thing. Well, now you can play with the... Play with the dials on that guy. and address that capacity thing. And the rest of it's just... You know?
Kevin @ Yeti: on its own.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's awesome.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah humming along so when you think about that if Again, you take one big thing, chop it up. Sounds easy to talk about in reality. You don't just take that one thing. It's not a watermelon and chop it into, like, you're really just, okay, we're building each of these things now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah No.
RICK JAMES: okay
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: And now we're connecting them up.
RICK JAMES: each section.
Kevin @ Yeti: So what that does, I mean obviously it helps us scale and helps us be way more reliable. but also lets us deploy New stuff. continuously.
Kevin @ Yeti: So if I wanted to push a new update to any one of those... segments of the code. We can do that now. Um, Without interrupting anything. So we'll be doing updates and you guys will... Guys will be on the web. They'll be on the phones. They'll be doing their thing. And we'll be doing that day. And it'll just.
Kevin @ Yeti: roll into the um into that section of code. Nobody's going to be aware that that's happening. Whereas before, old school. Hey, we're doing an update. Okay, everybody.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Weak.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: <unk>unk out it goes. And, you know, Kate. rest you know restart or whatever you have to do.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, yeah, that's gone. that's that's That's not the world that we're living in. So we can just constantly iterate.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
Kevin @ Yeti: We can constantly monitor each. a piece of code. And we can assign capacity to each one. and we can be very So in fact, what we're doing, what we have done is we've deployed a status page.
Kevin @ Yeti: um So users can log in, they can see status, they can basically see uptime. And we'll be very transparent. I think that's one of the things we've always tried to do is just be very open and honest about. our lives, what we're doing, what the software is doing. But now we have a status page. so that people can go in and check it out.
Kevin @ Yeti: Be like, okay. All green lights. You know, yet he's cool.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nice.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's one of the updates too.
RICK JAMES: have
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Awesome.
Kevin @ Yeti: I think think something else, I don't know if... where else do you guys want to go with this? But one of the other big pieces is. You know, software. Um, We're talking about the user. We're talking about the, you know, the the contractors out there, but there's.
Kevin @ Yeti: a huge opportunity for us. in the software space. to get together. and have our software talk. you know So have Yeti.
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh
Kevin @ Yeti: Talk to the work order plan. platforms. Um, whether whether it's a facility management system. um you know, a third party work order management platform, whether it's a CRM tool. Um, There's a, there's a.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah powerful thing that happens when you participate in that. ecosystem. you know so When we were, I was just at Syma. with like you guys. And. you know my ah customers are coming up and they're giving me screenshots of their phones and like, Hey, guess how many apps my guys need to use to go out on a shift.
Kevin @ Yeti: I'm up to eight now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh my god.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: teeth
Kevin @ Yeti: i'm like eight apps and like yeah so yeti's one of them and then i got all this other stuff Please, how do we... How do we make this go away? you know How do we stop this insanity? What, am I going to have 12 apps next year?
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, In reality, there there is no need for that. you know when we you know Yeti creates records. Whenever I talk to these work order systems, we we generate a far more.
Kevin @ Yeti: rich record. we get we We have more data than they need. like We could easily just give them you know a portion of that and they'd be satisfied. But to have... a contractor using Yeti. And then in the background, let's, let's Let's push push those records out.
Kevin @ Yeti: So those guys are happy. they know what their Their customers are happy. They know that this the crew's on way. They're checked in or they're currently working. And obviously then they're going to pay the bill, you know, um which is what everybody wants.
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: um So part of this part of this rebuild. is... The infrastructure. to make that easier. You know, we had APIs in the past.
Kevin @ Yeti: but Um, part of this new... ah deployment this this versioning. One of the upcoming things is going to be. a brand new API, set of APIs.
Kevin @ Yeti: that are way easier for people to integrate to. Um,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: And so we've started conversations with some of these work order guys. We are wide open for that. We really want to see that. um Reduce the complexity for the guys. in the field.
Kevin @ Yeti: and let the software under do the... you know the the work ultimately so that at the end of the day, those guys don't have eight apps.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: So that's ah that's a bigger thing, and it's not solved by just Yeti by itself. um But. I think software companies can have a they can take two approaches to that.
Kevin @ Yeti: They can take a, you know what, we're a. we're closed garden you know we're not we're a walled garden as they say in software where we're not interested in connecting to anybody else we think our thing is the best and everybody should just plug into you know just log in into us and Go from there.
Kevin @ Yeti: um or you know being open. And. um ready to connect and ultimately future will be. you know software talking in handshake and agreeing on what data they're going to pass And at the end of the day, the crews get out and do their thing and they don't have to worry about it.
Kevin @ Yeti: um So that's a big part of this this upgrade too.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: is Getting that. um in place. And, um you know, already in conversations with companies to do that kind of thing. And I want to have more of those conversations. I would love to have all that plumbing in the background done.
Kevin @ Yeti: And crews can just go out and do the thing that they're best at, not logging into eight apps.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, that's that's kind of ridiculous.
RICK JAMES: There we go. Yeah, that's crazy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: supposed to Technology is supposed to make your life easier.
Kevin @ Yeti: It's not great It's not great. Well, it's it's kind of gotten almost to the opposite, right?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It is.
Kevin @ Yeti: I get it. And and the and the problem is is that those guys, bless them, you know, they're...
RICK JAMES: Right. you know
Kevin @ Yeti: Work order than the. facility managers with their platforms. you know They have a job to do. Thank you. You got to keep. they're customer happy, ultimately.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Huh?
Kevin @ Yeti: And they ought to make sure the facility is running. properly. But there... you know A lot of times the the contractor's needs and giving the contractor the tools that are going to help them.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's really not on their top 10 list of important things to do.
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: um And I think some of them are coming to that realization. They're like, okay. you know This isn't like... ah plumbing or or um ah janitorial, like snow is different.
Kevin @ Yeti: there's a huge amount of time pressure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, You've got. environmental aspects guys out there doing this in the middle of the night they've been running long shifts it's cold you know So the demanding compliance.
Kevin @ Yeti: without providing tools isn't helpful. Um, And so I think that they're coming around to that idea. And so the more that we can have those conversations, if there's any facility managers or work order platform guys listening, like let's talk, let's figure out how to work together.
Kevin @ Yeti: um Let's solve some of these problems for the industry.
The SnowJobs Podcast: of it.
Kevin @ Yeti: And we'll all be better for it. They'll get their compliance thing that they, you know, are chafing about. And. um You know, contractors can be... um Freed. up to really do the work and the technology like you said shouldn't be in their In their way, it should be ah an enabler.
Kevin @ Yeti: should help them.
RICK JAMES: help too.
Kevin @ Yeti: you know shouldn't Shouldn't add burden and time to their already... pressured. you know. existence.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%. I love it
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So. If you're an existing Yeti user... What is this going to look like to guys that have used Jetty for, you know, some of them eight years? What what is the rebuild going to look like? Is it going to be seamless or are they going to have to relearn some stuff?
Kevin @ Yeti: there's some There's some, how do I say this? There's going to be some... well I hope it's not a huge amount of relearning. But when they log in, it ah it is a migration. So they're going to we're going to migrate data.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha.
Kevin @ Yeti: And when you log into the, you know, you're going to log in on one day to the old Yeti, you're going to log in the next day to the new Yeti. And it's going to look a lot, it's going to look different. very different. Um, much more um modern interface much more um intuitive interface.
Kevin @ Yeti: with new concepts that we're introducing. So I think the the concepts that we're introducing. Um, There's going to be some... A need to understand. So, for example.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nope.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yet he didn't really do a great job of handling contracts before.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, the contract was just kind of like...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Kevin @ Yeti: Okay, there's a customer name. And they got a bunch of sites. contract over, you know, it's like, it's not really a contract
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha.
Kevin @ Yeti: a contract. is commitments and commitments are. I'm going to service this site under these conditions, and we're going to perform these this amount of these types of work. And there are certain service level agreements, you know, we've already talked about. There's certain guys are going to be open at this time. They're going to be open on the weekend. They're 24 -7. There's zero tolerance, whatever that happens to be.
Kevin @ Yeti: That ultimately lives in that contract. and so 4 .0 is intended to capture much more detail around those commitments. And then we separate then we create a work plan from that.
Kevin @ Yeti: So before... you know, before everything was just a site. Um, And you would just.
RICK JAMES: hu
Kevin @ Yeti: Here's what I'm going to do. I got these four things. I'm going to, you know, plow salt to parking. and I'm going to clear salt sidewalk, four things. But there's not enough detail there to really...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: come up with a work plan. So work plan. and a commitment is kind of like what our old site page was. We're pulling those things apart. And so now, you know, we're gearing We want to take a guy who's...
Kevin @ Yeti: who's small but wants to grow we want to take him and grow him and help him guide him through that process and having a good contract is a good way to you know. protect your interests.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: So. having a good contract. And then also as you grow, you know, the work changes, you're you're not necessarily just owner operator. you know And you've got now maybe admin, you've got a dispatch and you start dividing up that work. Well, Yeti 4 .0 can now help you divide that work. You can have a contract and admin area where somebody can live in that space and your operations can live in the operational tools and you can kind of.
Kevin @ Yeti: Put up. put a, um, different user types there. So in all the financial piece, let's keep it over here. All the operational piece, let's keep it over here. and and and allow your company to grow that way.
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, So those are kind I think those are going to be the concepts that are going to be. They're new to people, but they're not new. to how we work. they're just new to they're They're new to Yeti. Yeti's just addressing something.
Kevin @ Yeti: now that we weren't addressing before. And so then our dispatch screen, which was... you know a a simple kind of list. But you really couldn't surface these exceptions. You couldn't surface like what's next or what's outstanding or where exactly is everybody in the process. So now we've got lots of tools and filters where you're going to be able to drill into your crews that are in the field to really get a better idea of what is outstanding, what's complete, what's outstanding, what's next.
Kevin @ Yeti: And that's going to be a new experience for people. And if they can get their, not yet, when they get their head around it, they'll understand the power of that. And. But it'll be a change. So they'll they'll be like. Hmm, this isn't the...
Kevin @ Yeti: This isn't the... yeah I'm not disparaging my old coat, but but if this isn't the like crayons, you know, this is like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's a change for the better
Kevin @ Yeti: It's like, this is a change for the better.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: And um anybody that really wants to grow their business and and needs these kinds of tools, I think they're going to get pretty jazzed about it. once they get their head around it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
RICK JAMES: right
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, And I think it's... It's one of the things that... that um It's this knife edge, honestly, guys, where... Because snow is so variable, it's so...
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, Um, obviously unpredictable. The Yeti. Original Yeti was really built. for extreme flexibility. The challenge with that is.
Kevin @ Yeti: choosing your own adventure. And. It's very difficult to help people work through something from beginning to end if you don't define beginning.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: middle end.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: um And it's also really hard for us to talk to some of these work order things, which all they think about is. but but but you must do this, this, this, this. And so when when Yeti was kind of like, well, you can choose your own adventure.
Kevin @ Yeti: we can't line up with those.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: with those steps.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Now I get it.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: So we're like, okay, let's so we got to walk this edge where... You know, snow first always. ah high flexibility. and and adaptability to conditions as they change, which we have to address. But also... yeah, we can fit into this rigid schedule work order world if we have to, you know, we have, we could, we can.
Kevin @ Yeti: Take those. in and we can work with them because we have these processes now figured out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, you're flexible
Kevin @ Yeti: So it's... it's It's flexible, but we have these tools now that we didn't have. So. Again, I think anybody that's growing is... you know you're're You're encountering the, you know, you're going to. Where do you get work? You get work from your own.
Kevin @ Yeti: sales marketing efforts your local market you get work from aggregators you get work from like so you're going to be if you're growing you're going to be playing in these other realms And you need a tool and Yeti is meant to address that where we can help you.
Kevin @ Yeti: ingest those things and incorporate them into your work. And not. you know, Um, lose your mind in the process because the The chaos.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That sounds great.
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, I know you guys have a ton of loyal loyal users that...
RICK JAMES: Sounds.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know they just they speak so highly of the of the software so i think this is just gonna like allow them to to go to the next level
Kevin @ Yeti: That's our plan.
RICK JAMES: All right.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: I think it sounds exciting.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's really cool.
RICK JAMES: so like You said you can put a bunch of triggers in there as a guy in the field. What are you i'm guessing like norfolk notifications probably come up or something pop up and say hey you gotta be here at this time or something like that on your and
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, so future Yeti will be not 4 .0, but being able to put those service level agreements in and those triggers. Then when you come to the dispatch screen, you'll be able to pull those up. Hey, let me show me all the ones with opening times at 6 a .m.
RICK JAMES: the
Kevin @ Yeti: Let me show me all my 24 sevens. What's not been completed yet?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, that's phenomenal.
Kevin @ Yeti: Show me what. Those kinds of things. But future. And I'm not saying like in two years from now. just not 4 .0.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Kevin @ Yeti: four point some single digit, can't can't say which one, will be...
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Kevin @ Yeti: No, honestly, we'll be like, okay, hold on.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I know.
Kevin @ Yeti: I see all your contracts. I see what you've said in terms of your commitments.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: based on what the dispatch is doing and what you said the weather was doing. These are you're falling behind. These ones.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it.
Kevin @ Yeti: So if you've got to do anything.
RICK JAMES: That's great.
Kevin @ Yeti: Of your 200 sites, these 10... or a problem.
RICK JAMES: You gotta get there. Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's what you got to do next. And so. That is... I mean, You know, I... i I curled up in the fetal position, you know, in the office on more than one occasion after getting, you know, on ah on a big storm.
Kevin @ Yeti: Like, and I'm not in a low snow market.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Like we just, we salted all the time. And then we, if we had a big storm, like. We were.
RICK JAMES: Heh.
Kevin @ Yeti: We struggled. But I honestly, I literally pulled all my contracts. paper contracts
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: I was like, what do I have to what do i have to do right now?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nope.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know? Like that's horrible.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, so have those...
RICK JAMES: That sounds great.
Kevin @ Yeti: have those Have that stuff in there and then have, you know. 4 .0, be able to surface those things based on those SLAs. 4 .x, from whatever that you know single digit number is going to be is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nope.
Kevin @ Yeti: Hey. this is what we think you need to do. You know, this is yeah yet Yeti talking. This is where you think you need to be. Or ask it a question. um what has yet what hasn't been What hasn't been cleared in the last two hours?
Kevin @ Yeti: all right Here we go.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: Okay. should we Should we notify the crew and let them know that you need to head back out for another service?
RICK JAMES: Right.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: Notify the crew. It's going to be that kind of thing. Um,
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
RICK JAMES: That's awesome.
Kevin @ Yeti: But we had to we had to build that.
RICK JAMES: I mean it's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: I have to rebuild.
Kevin @ Yeti: I got to rebuild, guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: Sometimes, you know, it's like a house rental.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
Kevin @ Yeti: I've done, I don't have you who's lived through a house. rent I've lived through a house rental where like, you're still trying to use the kitchen.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. ah
Kevin @ Yeti: That's horrible. You know, so it's like.
RICK JAMES: It's not fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh...
Kevin @ Yeti: Okay, nuke the kitchen. Everybody get out. Um, you know, we're we're Putting the new floor down.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. Put the hot plate in the bed.
Kevin @ Yeti: uh that's that's the Yeah, hot plate.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Kevin @ Yeti: get the Get the camp stove out in the back of the truck and it's camping time, kids. yeah So it's it's a matter of... um We just had to bite that bullet. You know? And it turns out, honestly, like.
Kevin @ Yeti: Searching. Such an exciting time. uh to be in software i think there's you know there's two approaches to this ai thing like scary on some personal level stuff in terms of what it's capable of in the future of that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It is.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: All right.
Kevin @ Yeti: but from a software. capability like ah tools and what it allows us to do. It's really incredible. <unk> It's like... it's really unprecedented times and so i think it's a For me, it feels like it's a privilege to...
Kevin @ Yeti: be able to... you know. understand how these things work. Use them for good. um to to the benefit of our customer. ultimately.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, sir
Kevin @ Yeti: you know And use them internally for our own team, like to be able to. really see um It's really fun to watch how different people approach. Some people just like embrace the tools and like, look, I just basically like doing the work of two people or three or whatever, just because they.
Kevin @ Yeti: understand the the tools and and embrace the tools.
RICK JAMES: mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: Um,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: Not saying we should give them ultimate control, but... You know, how do we. but Use the tools for good right now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So...
RICK JAMES: right
The SnowJobs Podcast: With this new rebuild, new Yeti, what is the one thing that you are most excited about? for it.
Kevin @ Yeti: Well, I'm most excited about... Jeez. Okay. Two things. and Maybe I'll give you two.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You can give me two.
Kevin @ Yeti: Oh. First off, I'm excited about what it allows us to do for the contractor in this when we when we layer in this intelligence. in this um turning from a system of record, which is just a funky database.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: into a system of action. So. Getting them. essentially like co -pilot. you know, like ah like a real...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: real level up in terms of their um visibility to their own teams what's going on in the field and and surfacing all of those things that are really the big stress points for people.
Kevin @ Yeti: Like you really.
RICK JAMES: mm -hmm
Kevin @ Yeti: You know, you use lose years off of your life sometimes when a storm event happens. And and so it's like. Can we help them solve that problem? That's the number one. Number two is this idea of this ecosystem.
Kevin @ Yeti: And. um replacing another burden, which is the technology burden that is is out there. Um, I feel like we have a responsibility as as software platforms to...
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, Yeah, sure, compete. But also... Collaborate. And so. you know, rebuilding our capabilities to do collaborative work with other platforms um and what that means for the industry.
Kevin @ Yeti: to be able to replace some of this technology burden for guys in the field. Like that's number two. It's probably. very you know they're both I see is. Really big. um benefits to our contractor.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Amen.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: you know We're going to just continue to...
RICK JAMES: That'd be great.
Kevin @ Yeti: Focus on. needs up of the contractor, what they need. And those are two. you know, big things that. 4 .0. He's gonna... move us a long way to to address and to help.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well. I have no doubt it will be successful. Everybody loves Yeti that we've spoken to. You guys are... You're killing it. how How many users are you guys at now? I was reading it. uh earlier what What does it say?
The SnowJobs Podcast: 35 ,000 users?
Kevin @ Yeti: I don't even know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, I'm i'm just going off the website because I like to see how how many...
Kevin @ Yeti: I should know this. I should know this.
RICK JAMES: Haha.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah How many users everybody has and stuff.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that I'm like.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 35 ,000. Wow. That's good for you guys in eight years.
RICK JAMES: That's awesome.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's that's awesome.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, well, we're just scratching the surface here, I think, guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great. I think so
Kevin @ Yeti: Like there's, you know, I think.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I really think so.
Kevin @ Yeti: yeah Yeah, we got a lot of work to do. like we're I think the the one thing I don't want to do is just sit on sit on them sit on your hands and work. just continue to work on some the the old kind of way of doing things i think we all everybody in their businesses right now.
Kevin @ Yeti: not just software. but everybody really. can See how to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: improve and optimize their their business. And there's so many interesting things we can do right now. Very exciting.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i think that's where the and I think that's where the industry is heading. I mean, we've we've seen it with the last four years of doing this show.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Everything's become a lot more collaborative. People are talking, you know, how do we run our business more efficiently? How do you guys do it?
Kevin @ Yeti: Great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How do you do it? um How do we get to, you know, making max money for a contract? You know, how how do you guys price differently?
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Everything's being more collaborative. And and I think people have found that you go further together. ah then you can push an upstream on your own.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Absolutely. i love I love peer groups.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: I love like when I hear guys are in peer groups. like i'm in ah yeah I'm in peer groups on the tech side. Um, When I was in the snow thing. Same thing. in In a peer group.
Kevin @ Yeti: You'll learn so much from each other. um And I remember but this ah reminds me of like early days of Yeti here in in British Columbia.
RICK JAMES: ah huh
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, you know My first customers were my competitors. Like, think about that.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a great thing
Kevin @ Yeti: I was... I just think it was very cool. like you late they're taking it They're taking a chance.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a great thing.
Kevin @ Yeti: um then I'm like a... you know, a good human and um you know we're gonna work together to make something better I think we've got to do more of that.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: I think that's that's the spirit that we should operate in.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
Kevin @ Yeti: you know.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think there needs to be contractors need to also see themselves as, as a good steward of the industry too. Like if you're out there cutting the throats.
Kevin @ Yeti: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: financially of all these contracts, what are you leaving for the next generation?
RICK JAMES: Right.
Kevin @ Yeti: It's just not good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: there' There's not going to be able to be snow contractors, especially with all the increases across the board. So I agree. I love that attitude, Kevin. ah Collaboration is the key. It's the only way forward.
Kevin @ Yeti: 100%. 100%. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool.
RICK JAMES: and this
Kevin @ Yeti: I don't like some some of the things. I mean, I have some properties that I serviced for, you know, eight or 10 years, same sites. For the longest time, contracts renewed, renewed, renewed. And um you know you get to know everything really well. great teams, great subcontractors work in those properties. And then have those properties change hands.
Kevin @ Yeti: and the same property being offered back to the same contractor for a fraction. Of.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: And a number that makes no sense.
RICK JAMES: No.
Kevin @ Yeti: does It doesn't make any sense.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. No.
Kevin @ Yeti: And I was just like, what are we doing, guys? You wonder why they don't want to. Use your thing. And. okay like we're we're starving the You're starving the exact people who ultimately are like doing the work, you know?
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's what we're trying to stop.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: Like, come on.
RICK JAMES: Yup.
Kevin @ Yeti: that's That's horrendous. I just get... Super cheesed about that. you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: We all do.
Kevin @ Yeti: How do I help? How do I help with that? i don't I don't know how to help totally with that other than to to try to remove toil. From them. try to remove headaches um and try to.
Kevin @ Yeti: Just like you guys try to. Let's talk more about what the industry needs and what the what the contractors, you know, need.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it.
Kevin @ Yeti: Like what what's going to keep them in business and keep them successful? um I think these the the ultimate client, the facility management companies, all those guys. Gotta think about that. more.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm
The SnowJobs Podcast: I agree completely with that statement absolutely
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah. but
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, that's, I mean, I think that's why you guys have been so successful is you were, you are, you know, you're still a contractor at heart.
RICK JAMES: So...
The SnowJobs Podcast: You were an actual contractor and you talk to contractors about their needs. and
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's where yeti is i mean that's why it is that's why everybody loves it so Good for you guys.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's cool. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's phenomenal.
Kevin @ Yeti: It's been fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: phenomenal
Kevin @ Yeti: It's been fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Got anything else for us?
RICK JAMES: So. So this is coming out, what, October?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, sorry, Jake. Go ahead.
RICK JAMES: October the 4 .0 is being released?
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, it's going to be ah it's kind of yeahp early October. we'll do We're flip the big switch. um Probably second week of October.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: And have a... We got some dates lined up we're going to confirm shortly here, but that'll be the switch.
RICK JAMES: And...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Perfect.
Kevin @ Yeti: That'll be the first switch.
RICK JAMES: Are you guys going to equip show?
Kevin @ Yeti: some yeah Some early customers on there right now. Sorry.
RICK JAMES: Are you going to any shows coming up? there and you Like equipment or anything? Trade show is coming up. for
Kevin @ Yeti: No. nope Kind of head down, get this get this working, make sure that we don't, you know.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, step on ourselves.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're busy dude. They're busy
Kevin @ Yeti: We're busy.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, oh yeah yeah
Kevin @ Yeti: one thing i one One thing, let me make one thing clear on this this update. so the the all of the changes and improvements are all going to be on the website so you know log it in On the web, that's where all these changes are happening.
Kevin @ Yeti: The mobile app.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: The mobile app experience for all those guys in the field doesn't change at all.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Perfect.
Kevin @ Yeti: it It will be improved future. um There's some some really interesting things we want to do there. But. You know, we're not doing a wholesale like everything. So it's the website that's going to be ah you know the big... the big upgrade to 4 .0
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
Kevin @ Yeti: the mobile side. um Same. stays the same.
RICK JAMES: Well, that's good.
Kevin @ Yeti: Psalm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, I mean, I think that that could be a... uh
RICK JAMES: It helps.
Kevin @ Yeti: some anxiety and Some anxiety out there. Like a cave.
RICK JAMES: helps the guys on the field where they don't have to learn something new right away.
Kevin @ Yeti: You guys just be like, nothing changes over there, guys.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: just keep you You can just log in, do your thing.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Just keep doing your thing.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah The website, that's the big that's the big upgrade.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Kevin @ Yeti: Um, but we'll be, um, same as Same as the web. like I mean, mobile has the same capabilities to do some really fun things.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Kevin @ Yeti: And so we'll be addressing that you know and in in the not too distant future.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I tell everybody, it's just like running, you know, doing our show on this platform.
RICK JAMES: Awesome.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So we're four years in, there've literally been nine different versions of the same platform that we record these shows on that.
Kevin @ Yeti: Oh, okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I, I have to, and it's not like you're saying it's a complete, you have to relearn how to do everything every time they update this.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So this sounds a lot easier.
Kevin @ Yeti: Great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm looking forward to.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah, I hope so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The new Yeti.
Kevin @ Yeti: I hope so. I hope so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Kevin @ Yeti: It's going to be a challenge for some people. They're going to be like, hold on, where'd old Yeti go? Can I flip back? No, you can't flip back. i you know big and you don't And you don't want to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah They'll be fine.
Kevin @ Yeti: Let's go.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You don't want to exactly.
Kevin @ Yeti: Let's just. Lean in. I just think, lean in. Let's lean into this. ah New world here. We can.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, it'll be fine.
Kevin @ Yeti: We can figure it out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And it lets you do so many different things and head in so many better directions that are going to help snow contractors.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know ridiculous amounts in the future so You know, they'll they'll be fine with it.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's it.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think you have a very loyal user base. and They're going to love it.
Kevin @ Yeti: Right on. I'm excited
The SnowJobs Podcast: Great. Anything else for you for us, Kev, before we let you go?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, sorry.
Kevin @ Yeti: I think that's it guys
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
Kevin @ Yeti: That's kind of the big that's the big news in town here. For us, you know, we're...
The SnowJobs Podcast: that is big That's huge news.
RICK JAMES: Very exciting.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's exciting.
Kevin @ Yeti: We got to get to...
RICK JAMES: Big news!
Kevin @ Yeti: We've got to pull this off. and I think for us, it's like, ah how do we help our guys have the best winter ever? That's kind of a been a thing around here. Best winter ever. let's let's ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it.
RICK JAMES: That's great.
Kevin @ Yeti: Let's start with this. you know, migration over to 4 .0 and then we get to start. hearing feedback. making some improvements. Like I said, 4 .0 is just the beginning.
Kevin @ Yeti: really the only It's just the start of. continuous improvement loop. And so it's going to be really interesting to hear from customers. what they love. what they... love less, um, you know, some things to improve because, because we, we're, we're certainly not.
RICK JAMES: Well, that's...
Kevin @ Yeti: convinced of our own. magnificence here that you know we've we've created the ultimate. Perfect. tool there's going to be things to work on
The SnowJobs Podcast: You guys definitely listen.
Kevin @ Yeti: And.
RICK JAMES: That's.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. but
Kevin @ Yeti: So we're going to be.
RICK JAMES: That's the best part about you guys.
Kevin @ Yeti: look
RICK JAMES: You guys listen to the contractors and listen to the feedback.
Kevin @ Yeti: Right.
RICK JAMES: and you you go off of that and make your improvements.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yep. So there's going to be some feedback. So we're going to be... Able to iterate on that here in the next. Before really, you know, even before December. I think to your point on this podcasting platform, I think 4 .0 between October and December, I think there's going to be some significant improvements and changes even in those.
Kevin @ Yeti: two or three months. You know, it's going to be interesting to. to hear from customers and to riff on what they're... what they're. liking what they don't like and and just... improve it so that they can have that.
Kevin @ Yeti: Best winter ever.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. And upgrades now can be done in a fraction of the time they used to take.
Kevin @ Yeti: Fraction.
The SnowJobs Podcast: song.
Kevin @ Yeti: I mean we're talking minutes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Kevin @ Yeti: we were We were working on the 4 .0 Yeti and we're like, oh, we were kind of thinking about making this change on this menu thing.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Kevin @ Yeti: and then um One of our developers in the background. Okay, try it now. It's like, oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Done.
Kevin @ Yeti: it's It's actually there.
RICK JAMES: Ha ha.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Peace.
Kevin @ Yeti: What?
The SnowJobs Podcast: That just...
RICK JAMES: <unk>
The SnowJobs Podcast: That just saved us six months.
Kevin @ Yeti: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: Heh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's awesome.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Uh...
Kevin @ Yeti: it's really fun Yeah, it's super fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great. We're excited for you, Kevin.
Kevin @ Yeti: Appreciate you guys, what you're doing for the industry here.
RICK JAMES: Appreciate you.
Kevin @ Yeti: Just giving people a voice, you know, that's.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, sir.
Kevin @ Yeti: that's That's great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, sir.
Kevin @ Yeti: Keep going.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well works.
Kevin @ Yeti: Do another four years, all right?
RICK JAMES: Absolutely.
Kevin @ Yeti: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely. ah we're We're not slowing down.
RICK JAMES: All right. You bet.
The SnowJobs Podcast: we're' The pedal's down now.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we're not slowing down.
Kevin @ Yeti: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: I got nothing but time. So pedals down.
Kevin @ Yeti: oh
The SnowJobs Podcast: The ah the notebook of ideas has now been opened. so Everything we didn't have time for before is ah full speed ahead.
Kevin @ Yeti: Perfect.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But we're really excited for you guys. And best of luck with winter coming up and and the new rollout. and
Kevin @ Yeti: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We will definitely we'll definitely give you whatever feedback we get from ah from users.
Kevin @ Yeti: There we go. yeah here we go
The SnowJobs Podcast: Alright. All right. Thanks Kevin.
RICK JAMES: All right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We appreciate the time.
Kevin @ Yeti: Thanks guys.
RICK JAMES: Thanks Kevin.
Kevin @ Yeti: All right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, we're going to wrap up this product profile episode on the new Yeti.
Kevin @ Yeti: Cheers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So check out the new Yeti software. It's rolling out in October, as Kevin said. and You know. we we can't be We couldn't be happier for everybody, actually, for Yeti and the users out there. because we know you guys ah we We know you guys love it. We've heard it time and time again how much you guys love it. And this is just the door opening to a whole new Yeti universe that is going to help you be even more efficient with your business. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Thanks to Yeti for coming on and we'll wrap it there. Everybody have a great week. And we'll see you soon. Keep pushing.
