A Q&A with Jim Contardi, CEO of Revalize
AutoQuotes is now part of Revalize. Can you expand on the formation of this new company?
Jim Contardi: Revalize was formed to meet what we saw as an unmet need in the market. It is clear that the buyer’s journey has become increasingly digital; operators and channel partners want to discover, explore — and even transact — digitally. Yet despite this secular trend, there is no at-scale provider of software solutions that helps manufacturers and their channels navigate this new world. AutoQuotes built a widely adopted solution suite that is optimized for the foodservice equipment and supplies segment, benefiting manufacturers, reps, consultants and dealers. We realized that there are other “AQs” out there that have been optimized for other product segments. By acquiring these types of businesses and weaving them together with our in-house innovation, we feel we can address this unmet need.
How will becoming a part of Revalize benefit someone who is involved with restaurant equipment and design?
JC: If you are a business in the restaurant equipment and design community, becoming a Revalize customer brings all the same benefits that AQ customers have become accustomed to — and more. Our increased scale means we can invest more in customer support and our technical platforms; our solution portfolio has grown, offering even more solutions than AQ provided; and our geographic footprint has grown to better serve our multi-national customers.
What types of changes can current AQ users expect to see in the near future?
JC: Each quarter, we add new manufacturers to our catalog, so — as always — the value for AQ users continues to grow; but that’s really “business as usual.” In terms of near-term changes, we will be making a number of new products available to our foodservice equipment and supplies customers and prospects. For example, we will be showcasing LeadMethod, an innovative and easy-to-deploy application for manufacturers to share leads with their reps and dealers, helping to drive more revenue. And for designers and consultants, we will be showcasing AGi32, a terrific application that simulates the illumination created by architectural lighting, allowing designers to see the effects of their lighting selections in the front of house.
For those who are using payment products like AQ Pay, what benefits and/or access to new products will they now have with Revalize?
JC: Revalize will continue to support all the current products of AQ (and our other brands); and we will be introducing new products to our existing customers.
Will AQ customers have the opportunity to access new products from AQ’s sister brands?
JC: Absolutely! As we expand our product portfolio, we will explore how each product might be applicable to the various segments that we serve, including foodservice equipment and supplies. I would like nothing more than to enable manufacturers and dealers to create digital test kitchens by assembling and configuring all the key equipment to fit-out the back of house, visualizing it in 3D, and even allowing their operator customers to explore the kitchen in virtual reality. We are really excited about enabling the digital buyer’s journey for our customers.
