OPTIZMO Technologies Leading Email Compliance Industry the Right Way

“Perhaps the only truly independent suppression list management system, OPTIZMO is entirely neutral and unaffiliated with any mailer, network, or other technology platform.”

OPTIZMO Technologies, an innovative software company, provides automation software that delivers email compliance solutions and support to advertisers and email marketers worldwide.

OPTIZMO was founded (by co-founders Khris Thayer and Grant Fern) in 2009 and is headquartered in Austin, TX.

Interview Excerpt: Khris Thayer, CEO of OPTIZMO Technologies

Q. Given that OPTIZMO Technologies focuses on delivering email compliance solutions and support to advertisers, networks, performance agencies, and email marketers, how effectively do you address your client’s pain points?

OPTIZMO is built on the combination of innovative, industry-leading technologies with an experienced, dedicated, and customer-focused team. Starting with a foundation of best-in-class technology, our email suppression list management platform (SUPPRESS) makes it easy for our clients and partners to manage their email compliance programs by automating the collection, storage, and distribution of data to key marketing partners.

The platform itself meets the industry's needs, but we then marry our technology with exceptional customer support. We have an experienced and dedicated team whose sole focus is helping our clients easily integrate compliance and suppression list management strategies into their email marketing programs. Many tech companies claim to deliver world-class customer support, but our clients regularly tell us that our support is truly second to none.

This combination of superior technology with exceptional customer support helps OPTIZMO exceed our customers’ expectations on a daily basis.

Q. OPTIZMO Technologies is the industry leader in the email suppression management segment. That said, what were the roadblocks that you had to face to accomplish this feat?

Like any new company, we faced various challenges to becoming successful. When we founded the company, there were much larger competitors that effectively owned a significant majority of our industry market share and had much deeper pockets than we did. Competing against large, well-established organizations was extremely challenging in numerous ways—from customer fulfillment to end-user support.

However, we were confident that we could develop and build a better technology platform than anything that existed at that moment in time. The biggest challenge for us to overcome was building a product and a company that could challenge the status quo and fundamentals of that time and outperform well-funded competing products on essential functions. That, in and of itself, is “how” we overcame the challenge.

Our goal from day one was to become the leader in our industry by taking the industry’s antiquated utilitarian mindset for email compliance and data management and flip it on its head by focusing beyond the “function” and looking into the many “forms” in which this data could be used and purposed, which in turn led to even more functionality. Over the last 11+ years, we have more than achieved that goal, building the most successful company in our sector, with the most robust technology and the most respected team in the industry.

Q. OPTIZMO provides automation software for optimizing the collection, storage, and distribution of sensitive consumer data in a secure environment with unparalleled performance analytics and visibility into how third parties interact with your data. Would you like to elaborate on this a bit more?

OPTIZMO is the recognized leader in the email and online marketing space for email suppression list management, email campaign management, data management, and risk mitigation services relative to email compliance. With an expert staff in pursuit of unrivaled efficiency, innovative technology, and an insatiable desire to problem-solve, clients have the advantage of a customer-centric business model that not only enhances the way OPTIZMO clients do business but drives the company forward.

Perhaps the only truly independent suppression list management system, OPTIZMO is entirely neutral and unaffiliated with any mailer, network, or other technology platform. This allows the company to deliver the most robust email compliance solutions available in the industry and make them available to every client, with no potential conflicts of interest. We offer a suite of products that power our clients’ compliance programs across the email and SMS marketing channels:

SUPPRESS – The SaaS platform at the heart of OPTIZMO allows users to securely collect, store, and distribute email suppression lists while automating Opt-Out preferences and generating unsubscribe links for mailers.

SMS SUPPRESS – A SaaS platform designed to collect and distribute SMS-based Opt-Out and Do-Not-Call (DNC) lists to and from third-party partners in the same way as the company’s platform manages email suppression lists.

COMPARE – The industry’s most flexible file comparison solution that quickly and efficiently runs merge/purge processes on two or more email files.

ACCESS — A secure platform for email marketing partners to easily access the suppression files, email creative, opt-out links, and other valuable information from the advertiser.

Q. What are your focus areas? And how do you plan to serve the email marketing industry’s growing need?

Like every digital marketing channel, email continues to evolve, more than 40 years since it was invented. Looking forward, email will continue to change and adapt as the way individuals engage with their inboxes. Some key areas that continue to develop revolve around consumer data privacy and the ongoing increase in mobile devices.

OPTIZMO will continue innovating, delivering new features to our existing products while also releasing entirely new solutions to the market that will make it easier for email marketers to adapt their strategies to comply with new privacy regulations and user preferences in the years ahead.

Q. What new endeavors is your company currently undertaking?

We have various exciting initiatives planned for 2021 and beyond, including the launch of an entirely new analytics platform to enable our clients to easily analyze and take action on their opt-out and suppression list data. We also have several new product extension initiatives underway that will deliver new tools and solutions to our current clients while also serving entirely new industry segments.

We are also excited for the return of in-person industry events in 2021 and will be attending a variety of new events around the world as we expand our global presence.

Q. How do you plan to transform your company into a future that is unfolding before you?

Innovation and adaptability are built into OPTIZMO’s DNA. Any company that wants to have long-term success in the digital marketing arena must embrace the opportunities and challenges brought by rapid changes to the industry. We will never rest on past success but will constantly identify opportunities to innovate to meet the market's changing needs better.

A Relentlessly  Resilient Leader

Khris Thayer is CEO of OPTIZMO Technologies, which he co-founded in 2009 to help companies more easily comply with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 by more effectively managing and distributing their email suppression lists.

Khris brings over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurial and corporate environments, including five years of working in the venture capital arena, leading research teams, and developing strategies to successfully bring various SciTech and consumer products to the market. Prior to OPTIZMO, his experience includes five years in the telecommunications field, overseeing the design and implementation of fiber networks and long haul data transport systems for both incumbent utility providers and competitive local exchange carriers. He has built and overseen teams across the business spectrum, including engineering, product, sales, and client services, over the years.

“We deliver the most robust email compliance solutions available in the industry and make them available to every client, with no potential conflicts of interest.”