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How Voice Express updated its products to meet the moment

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our world upside down, with small businesses being hit especially hard. This is a pivotal time for SMBs, and the way they respond to the pressure will determine how their business runs for years to come. Many companies are taking this difficult situation and turning it into an opportunity. In our Positive Pivots series, we’re diving deeper into what these innovative businesses have done, and what lies beneath the surface to produce this kind of creativity and resilience.

This week we spoke with Geoffrey Stern, CEO of Voice Express, to see how his company pivoted in the face of COVID-19.

What is Voice Express?

I’ve been in business for over 20 years. Many people have heard of the “Internet of Things,” but my company is in the “Voice of Things” space. Voice Express® designs, produces, and markets a variety of innovative sound-enhanced products and services using our patents for online and offline voice-chip recording and delivery. We have produced over 60 million self-playing electronic media devices, both audio and video.

We serve industries ranging from gifts, point of sale displays, publishing and imaging, specialty packaging, direct mail, advertising, and smart toys.

How did COVID-19 impact your operations?

When the shutdown first happened, there was a lot of uncertainty. One of our biggest customers is a large experiential toy retailer. They were forced to close their doors, and weren’t sure for how long. That had a big impact on Voice Express, and as a result, we thought about ways we could pivot. I’m in the business of helping brands and businesses communicate, so I knew what we did was still highly applicable.

How did you respond to those changes?

Our customers were able to quickly pivot to focus more on their online channels and did same-day delivery which helped us. It also forced me to think a lot about digital channels for my business, and I explored other opportunities. Joining the Amazon and Alibaba.com marketplaces were a result of that exploration.

Another really interesting change from the pandemic was the shift in how people experience important moments. Voice and sound can transcend the limitations put on in-person gatherings. The power of the voice becomes even more important when people are lonely. I had a buyer in the medical space reach out to me to add an audio component to 3D sonograms so that family members who were not allowed to attend could hear the baby’s heartbeat.

What is the lasting impact those changes will have on your business?

We will continue to innovate and come up with new ways to connect with end customers through sound. There is so much audio content being produced today, from podcasts to Clubhouse — and we will find ways to lean into these trends.

Has there been a silver lining for your business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?

Absolutely, the past year had been very good for our business. The pandemic forced me to look at other channels for growth, and make sure all our eggs aren’t in one basket.

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