How Podium is bringing AI agents to over 10,000 SMBs

Podium builds AI agents for local small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) such as HVAC companies, auto dealers, and med spas, helping them increase revenue and improve customer service.

Initially focused on spam filtering and lead enrichment, Podium has now evolved into an AI agent called 'Jerry' that converses naturally to handle bookings and follow-ups. Jerry goes beyond being a simple tool, functioning as a 'team member' with conversational abilities natural enough that customers mistake it for a human.

Powered by GPT-5.1, the next-generation Jerry maximizes performance through the following strategies:

• Vertical baselines and business tuning: Industry-specific customized agents are provided for automotive, home services, retail, and more, allowing users to instantly adjust brand tone and workflows using natural language.
• Outcome-driven orchestration: Uses proven sales playbooks to qualify leads, handle objections, and book actual work.
• Industry-grade evaluation system: Validated through thousands of scenarios, where GPT-5.1 achieved a 65.4% win rate against competitors, 41% lower conversation cost, and 39% faster response speed.

Now used by more than 10,000 businesses, Podium's AI agent drives 300% year-over-year AI revenue growth through 24-hour service and response times of under 1 minute.