How Podium is arming 10,000+ SMBs with AI agents

Podium⁠(opens in a new window) builds AI software for local businesses—such as HVAC providers, auto dealers, and medspas—that help them increase revenue by capturing and converting more demand and providing better service to their customers.

After 11 years working side-by-side with small-to-medium (SMB)-sized operators, Podium saw the opportunity to harness AI and transform how local businesses market, sell, and grow by turning missed calls and slow replies into booked jobs, more revenue, and happier customers.

Early experiments with OpenAI in 2020 focused on point solutions like spam filtering and lead enrichment. As models advanced, Podium evolved those tools into an AI agent they affectionately call “Jerry” that converses naturally, follows business policies, and drives business outcomes by scheduling and confirming appointments or following up across channels.

Businesses quickly embraced Jerry; not as a tool, but as a teammate. Many gave their AI agent a name. Some customers even walk into stores asking to speak with “Jerry,” assuming they had talked to a person.

Since launching their initial agent, “Jerry,” in March 2024, Podium has deployed tens of thousands of agents for local businesses and seen 300% year-over-year AI revenue growth. Podium’s AI agents influence billions in revenue by responding in under a minute and delivering 24/7 service, allowing businesses to grow without adding headcount.

“People assume AI is for big tech. But local businesses need it more than anybody and they’re seeing the biggest impact.”

—Liam Golightley, Vice President, Automotive and Enterprise, Podium

Capturing demand at the point of greatest need

For local businesses, every lead matters—and many arrive when no one is available. Roughly 40% of inquiries hit after hours. Podium’s analysis showed top converters responded in about two minutes, while the typical human reply landed in over two hours.

Automating for scale with GPT‑5.1

—Walker Ward, Principal Software Engineer, Podium