Plume is a SaaS platform company that delivers technological services for connected homes. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Plume’s general manager of European operations, the head of #PlumeStrong Jasna Mihelj Coustaury, to learn more about the company.
Jasna Mihelj Coustaury’s Background
What is Jasna Mihelj Coustaury’s background? Coustaury said:
“I attended law school in Slovenia, where I live today. After graduation, I wanted to start my own company instead of practicing law, so I founded a business that built greenfield GSM mobile networks and other private telecom networks. After a few years, I sold that company and worked in finance as part of an M&A team.”
“Following that, I became an entrepreneur in the telecom sector again. So, I’ve spent most of my life working with startup companies in the global telecom sector, building teams of engineers.”
Formation Of Plume
How did the idea for Plume come together? Coustaury shared:
“People were struggling with their home Wi-Fi connectivity and were unhappy that they couldn’t make Skype or WhatsApp calls or use other connected technology as they wanted. They would call their communications service providers (CSPs) to report that their internet didn’t work. But service providers could only see there was a connection, so they’d say it should be working.”
“The next step typically involved the customer calling their service provider multiple times, then the service provider would send a technician to the customer’s home to try to fix the problem.”
“We knew we needed a way to empower CSPs to see what was happening with connectivity in their customers’ homes – and empower end users to manage their home network experiences without being IT experts. So, we started developing a network optimization algorithm, which came to be known today as our Adapt product.”
“That inspired us to do more. Plume now enables service providers to deliver technology that helps people thrive and empowers end users with tools that provide ideal and uninterrupted experiences.”
Favorite Memory
What has been Coustaury’s favorite memory working for the company so far? Coustaury reflected:
“One of my favorite memories with Plume was in 2018 when we connected the one-millionth home to the Plume cloud. To celebrate this very important milestone, we held a big company event. Everyone was incredibly happy and justifiably proud of this achievement. As far as #PlumeStrong, everyone involved in this effort has built amazing memories throughout this journey! I will never forget my visit to Moldova in the summer of 2023.”
“I visited the learning hubs we had built with our charity partner Street Child, using the money raised during #PlumeStrong Cycling Challenge 2022 (PSCC) to assist Ukrainian refugees. It was summertime, and children were playing outside and enjoying activities with their teachers, splashing water, writing and drawing beautiful cards for their moms. Their moms enjoyed watching their happy and smiling faces – and, at least for a few minutes, they were able to forget the despair of war.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Coustaury and the team faced in building the company? Coustaury acknowledged:
“This industry is dominated by men, and it hasn’t been easy to combine my work in this sector with motherhood, family and everything else. You need to be very organized and hardworking. You shouldn’t compromise because the people around you don’t expect you to.”
“When I was younger, I thought I had to be perfect at work, as a mom, as a wife, a friend – everything. But I realized that doesn’t work. You can be good at everything but not the best.”
“You need to choose what is important to you. For me, my career was very important.”
“I’ll admit that my family sometimes came in second place because of my work. I was lucky to have the support of my parents and my husband. He worked in the same industry, so he understood the challenges and hard work needed to put into whatever you do.”
“I wasn’t typically the person who took my daughter to school, was there waiting when she finished or could attend every school event. But having a hardworking mom has had a positive impact on my daughter. She now understands that it takes a lot of energy, efficiency and hard work to be successful. You must be on your toes all the time.”
Evolution Of Plume’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Coustaury noted:
“Technology has evolved on both sides of the equation—in the home and for the service provider. As Plume has matured, we have deepened the platforms that we give individuals, families, support center technicians and CSP executives to manage networks intelligently.”
“In the home, we have given users more insights, context and actions they can take to improve their experience. We have built a proactive platform for CSPs that provides information so they can best serve their customers. And better yet, they can offer that best-in-class in-home experience to those customers.”
“We have also expanded into different markets. For small businesses and multi-family residences, we provide enterprise-level technology at a more realistic price. So, whether they’re servicing their customers or the families that live in their buildings, the owners can provide exceptional experiences.”
Core Products And Features
What are the company’s core products and features? Coustaury explained:
“At the core of Plume technology is our adaptive and intelligent Wi-Fi. Using algorithms and the best-in-the-industry device and application typing, Plume can immensely understand a network’s needs to proactively manage it. Our HomePass product gives this networking capability to residential customers. This application allows users to manage people, devices and their networks. It enables them to prioritize specific people, devices or application types while making sure to secure anything that is connected.”
“For SMBs, Plume offers WorkPass, which enables the management of business-critical hardware, employees and guests. For multi-family residences, Uprise allows a property manager to deploy an intelligent network across a whole building and provide a move-in ready experience for tenants from day one.”
“For CSPs, Plume offers a variety of products for support, marketing, data and networking teams. CSPs can see advanced and in-depth information about their networks to respond to issues before they impact customers proactively. When those customers do call in, support agents can gain a much more informed view of the home to provide more helpful, specific guidance to their customers. These tools result in lower support call volumes and truck rolls while resulting in higher revenue and NPS scores for CSPs.”
Customer Success Stories
After asking Coustaury about customer success stories, she highlighted:
“Nothing makes us happier than seeing our customers’ success. Around the world, we have celebrated success with NOS, net+, Bell, Comcast, Charter, JCOM, Reliance JIO, Liberty Latin America, Liberty Global, Millicom and Claro. We serve the largest CSPs on four continents, including North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Plume works with CSPs across every continent, excluding Antarctica.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Coustaury affirmed:
“Plume is available globally, currently serving more than 60 million locations.”
“It is easy to understand Plume as a Wi-Fi provider, but it is more than that for us and our partners. Plume delivers the highest-quality experience paired with the best data and analytics. This is the fundamental difference: We provide a comprehensive service for both front-end and back-end solutions.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Coustaury pointed out:
“Currently, Plume is focused on delivering the best experience to our CSPs and their customers worldwide. Our teams are working to innovate the best technology solutions and to expand our reach.”
#PlumeStrong
What was the company’s motivation to create #PlumeStrong? Coustaury emphasized:
“#PlumeStrong began as an internal effort to encourage employees to move and connect during the pandemic when people were at home and feeling isolated. The program was so successful that we wanted to expand it so more people could benefit. We turned it into a CSR initiative to help educate children and assist communities worldwide.”
“Biking has been a significant aspect of #PlumeStrong from the start.”
“In 2021, we held our first big CSR event: the #PlumeStrong Cycling Challenge. Now, we’re looking forward to the #PlumeStrong Cycling Challenge 2024, which starts on Monday, September 2nd. We are thrilled that #PSCC Ambassador and three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar will join us on the ride’s first leg. This year, the five-day ride will follow a demanding route with an elevation gain of 15,201 meters, starting in Zurich, Switzerland, and finishing in Venice, Italy.”
“The proceeds from the ride will benefit our charitable collaboration with our charity partner Street Child. Working together, we have taken on an ambitious new project to develop 15 rural secondary schools in Sierra Leone, providing teacher training and quality education to over 1,500 children each year and establishing a community agriculture project to help sustain the school.”
“We will also be hosting our first-ever Gala Philanthropic Dinner later this year in October, to benefit the Ron Brown Scholar Fund. We have been working with the Fund for many years and are proud supporters of their incredible work. The Ron Brown Scholar Fund administers the Ron Brown Scholar Program (RBSP), and we are helping them to establish the Ron Brown Venture Lab, an initiative to empower entrepreneurs and founders within their network.”
Milestones Of #PlumeStrong
What have been some of the most significant milestones as #PlumeStrong evolved? Coustaury concluded:
“As mentioned, we started #PlumeStrong during the pandemic to keep employees healthy and engaged. Our first “Go the Distance for Social Distance” challenge saw 62 Plume employees cover 5,000 km cycling and on foot! The initiative evolved, and we launched #PSCC in 2021.”
“During #PSCC21, 33 Plumians cycled from our Zurich office in Switzerland to our Ljubljana office in Slovenia, raising $70,000 for charities in Slovenia through Zveza Prijateljev Mladine Slovenije and the Ron Brown Scholar Program in the US. Fellow Plumians sponsored each kilometer ridden on and off the course, encouraging their colleagues to push their limits for a good cause.”
“Through efforts to fund education for disadvantaged youth, we’re breaking barriers and opening doors to a brighter future. Empowering the next generation to innovate, our support for young engineering talent enables them to thrive. Making meaningful differences in the health and education of children through #PlumeStrong embodies our commitment to community empowerment and social responsibility.”
“For #PSCC22, we partnered with Street Child and Tadej Pogačar for the first time. In 2022, Plume became Street Child’s first technology partner in Ukraine. With support from #PSCC22, Street Child ran a six-month pilot program for Ukrainian refugees who were unable to return to their regular schools. We ensured Street Child’s Inclusive Learning Hubs in Ukraine and Moldova were equipped with technology resources, including internet, routers, and devices.”
“The #PSCC23 proved more challenging for our riders than the previous two editions. Pushing riders to meet higher fundraising goals, we raised over €550,000 to provide much-needed educational support for children affected by the Turkey-Syria earthquake. #PlumeStrong aimed to make a difference in one of the most impacted regions in the area by building a school with the support of our riders, partners, and generous donors.”
“Building on our momentum, #PlumeStrong 2024 continues to embody resilience and dedication as we extend our commitment to driving meaningful social impact. Building on the success of previous years, #PlumeStrong remains steadfast in our mission to make a tangible difference in communities worldwide. Our goal this year is to raise an additional €1 million.”
