Intercom reaches 1bn end-users, launches Messenger to rival Facebook

21 Jul 2016

Intercom VP of product Paul Adams

Intercom revealed it now reaches more than 1bn end-users in 13,000 businesses worldwide as it launched an Intercom Messenger platform to rival Facebook Messenger’s business ambitions.

The new Messenger platform will enable Intercom to steal a march on Facebook, which has been increasingly pushing its Messenger platform as a business tool.

Intercom was founded in San Francisco by four Irishmen – Des Traynor, Ciaran Lee, Eoghan McCabe and David Barrett – but most of the company’s technology is made in Dublin where the company currently employs 140 people at its offices on St Stephen’s Green. Worldwide, Intercom employs 250 people.

In recent months, Intercom revealed plans to create 100 new jobs in Dublin after raising $50m in investment from top-tier Silicon Valley investors, including Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield.

‘There have been some incredible developments in social and messaging platforms in the past decade. Critically though, the world of business has been lagging behind’
– PAUL ADAMS, INTERCOM

The new Messenger software, which was developed in Intercom’s R&D and product base in Dublin, will be rolled out to 1bn users in 13,000 businesses that use Intercom to talk and connect with customers.

Re-inventing Messenger

emoji-reactions-zoomed_intercom

Intercom claims to have invented in-app messaging in 2011, a message style that has evolved to be used by companies to talk to over 1bn people around the world.

The new Messenger includes features like personal team-mate profiles, emoji reactions, flexible multiple message delivery options, multiple message types, colour and wallpaper options, GIF support and a new floating chat interface.

The Messenger platform from Intercom works across Android, iOS and web, and spans all channels and platforms including in-app chat, email, Facebook, Twitter and push notifications.

“There have been some incredible developments in social and messaging platforms in the past decade,” said Paul Adams, Intercom’s VP of product. “Critically though, the world of business has been lagging behind

“Our goal with the new Intercom Messenger is to continue pushing ourselves to deliver the best business messaging product in the world, one that lets companies, and their customers, get much closer to talking to each other like people.”

Launch partners for the new Intercom Messenger include Product Hunt, Expensify, Getaround, Fog Creek Software and Le Parker Meridien New York.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com