Overview
I worked at Branch.io for a year from Aug 2018 to Aug 2019. In my capacity as a full time Solutions Engineer, I used to help over 50 enterprise customers from all over the world use Branch products across their entire tech stack and build custom solutions for them. I worked closely with Customer Success Managers to understand their specific needs and analyse and execute Branch solutions to our customers by working with their tech, marketing, and product leaders. I worked towards helping them integrate the iOS, Android, and Web SDKs within native applications & websites.
What branch does
Branch handles all the complexity so that app links work across every platform and channel. Our strong link matching guarantees that app users are delivered exactly where the app want them. From deep linked re-engagement ads to web and email campaigns that seamlessly continue the journey even after users pause to install the app, Branch helps enterprises drive better performance in all of online channels.
My role
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Plan & execute the end-to-end implementation of Branch’s technology into the mobile applications & tech stacks of large global enterprises(Respecting the privacy of the clients by not naming them.)
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Lead in-person & remote technical workshops with engineering & product teams on Branch’s technical capabilities & integration process.
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Leverage my understanding of mobile and web technology(from my work at Tapzo) to help customers execute their desired use cases & discover new custom use cases.
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Interact with customers in person, over phone, and via email/slack to answer technical questions and provide support.
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Collaborate with Branch’s account management, product, and engineering teams to build & grow the Branch platform.
Tech stack
I helped clients improve their applications and get aggregated data across various platforms and hence I interacted with all major platforms including iOS, Android, non-native platforms and the web. I also worked with third party integrations such as Segment and Facebook SDK.
Learning: User experience
As I worked with several apps in myriad domains such as gaming, dating, social media, health, I learned that each of these apps have purposes and hence needed to use different solutions to match exact requirements. As I navigated between different apps, I started to notice the fine tunings in the context of deeplinking. I would work with the client teams to in turn understand the user needs. During this process, I noticed the fine details when it comes to functionality, and how it can affect user experience irrespective of the visual design. The UX learnings from Branch stayed with me even when I left Branch to pursue my Masters degree and documented my take on Amazon Prime Video as a user experience
Learning: Client needs
Working with clients from all over the world gave me the opportunity to gain perspectives into different ways that applications need to interact with their users. As I worked with these clients, I got a deep understanding into the dynamics of a company vary over their demographics and keeping that in mind, I was able to confer the niche solutions that they were interested in. As I met with my clients regularly, and kept track of the progress they were making, I slowly started to create my own ways to make the integrations seamless and time efficient.
Learning: Networking
Even in the short span of one year, the size and quality of my professional network boosted drastically. I connected with people from both within the diverse team of Branch spread out all over the world and the diverse set of points of contact from my clients. I think that collaborating on ideas with this network instilled in me the confidence to network more and reach out to people to collaborate. If I don’t ask, the answer is always no.
Takeaway
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Working at Branch was an enriching experience where I spent my thinking about creative ideas on application growth from a design perspective and I served as a great foundation for my problem solving skills. It solidified my love for building products that move towards stellar growth.