What makes Kovii such a powerful app for coaches?

About the Kovii video chat app for coaches

How is Kovii different from other video chat apps?

Kovii is based on availability, sans schedule. At any time, it lets you indicate if you’re available for a call or not, and is specific to Circles of your contacts.

Many platforms show when a user is “active”, but that is not intentionally set by the user. When you see one of your Facebook friends is “active” on Messenger, that doesn’t tell you they are available to chat… it just means they did something on their phone or computer recently. But even for the platforms where you can specify “available” or “away”, they still aren’t audience specific. Kovii lets you be available to only your clients, when that’s what you want. Or be available to just your 10 best friends rather than all 1000 of your Facebook friends— great for when you need a social break and want to interact with a close friend on a more personal level than scrolling social media.

How do coaches use the Kovii app?

Kovii can be used for virtual open office hours on a flexible basis. Kovii indicates to your clients when they can reach you. The beauty of Kovii is that no one has to plan or commit to a schedule, while simultaneously everyone’s time is respected. Your virtual office door is open when it’s open. And when it’s open, clients know they’re welcome to come in.

Is it hard for clients to start using Kovii?

Not at all! It’s a free app and can be used very simply. Your client only needs to download Kovii and add you as a contact, and they’re set!

When your client would like to have a call with you, they can use Kovii rather than asking to schedule a time. They simply go to the app and flip the toggle to receive notifications from you. Each time you mark yourself available, they’ll get a push notification. One of those times when it happens to be a good time for them too, they can call you. When your client isn’t trying to catch you available anymore, they can toggle the notification off.

Does Kovii replace all scheduled calls?

Not entirely. Kovii compliments the use of scheduled calls. Kovii is more convenient for most calls, however scheduled calls still have their place. Urgent calls and calls based around particular timelines typically require a scheduled time. And some clients still prefer fixed schedules over Kovii, and that’s ok. But in large, Kovii is a more convenient way to connect for both parties.

Powerful app for coaches

At the root of it, why is Kovii so valuable to coaches?

Client based relationships are all about that… the relationship. And communication matters the most in keeping that relationship strong.

Real time conversation via phone or video calls beat text-based methods for empathetic communication. You can feel moods. Hear things that aren’t said. Be more human. There is a place for texting and emails for sure, but out of convenience we default to those even when it makes our relationships suffer. By making real time calling convenient, Kovii takes down a barrier to communicate personably.

Even more than shifting from text-based to voice-based… Kovii makes a shift from not communicating at all, to now communicating. Clients worry about bothering you, even if you’re one who says call anytime. With Kovii they know they aren’t bothering you when you’re marked available, and making you more accessible to your clients.

About Founder Matthew Shanks

Tell us about you?

Life has given me a lot of variety! By trade I’ve been an Athletic Trainer, an Aerospace Engineer, and most recently a full time Triathlon Coach and Pro Triathlete. My wife is an Army Officer (a nurse!), which makes me the military spouse. We have a 15 month old son who is a complete joy. I’ve been the full time caregiver ever since daycare closed due to COVID and he is quite a handful to juggle on top of anything else!

Where did the idea of Kovii come from?

Many influences contributed for sure, but two main factors existed. One for a personal reason– being lonely. Rachel often works long hours so most days it’s been just Levi and I, ever since March. The other reason was I needed a better way for communicating with my current coaching clients, and for engaging with potential clients. With Levi home, I don’t like to spend time typing away, but I don’t mind calling or video calling while I’m playing with him. My coaching business was suffering, so I was pondering solutions while playing on the floor with Levi.

I had an idea to post an Instagram story to my respectably large following of people that I’ve completely ignored for a year, and post a story. Simply I’d say “Hey guys! I’m here playing with Levi, bored… haven’t talked to other adults lately. Give me a call and I’m happy to talk about anything from kids to COVID, to your race plans or training or any other triathlon topic.” That seemed like a great way to engage with triathletes, opening the door to possible new clients. There’s zero sales pressure on them with that, because I’m literally bored and at the basic level I just wanted people to talk to. And it’d be a great way to get to know people better.

I made this app for coaches, because I needed a better way to communicate with current and potential clients.

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