Phobio, the omni-channel trade-in service that allows for simplified consumer and business technology device upgrades, announced the spin-off of its Rodio product as a separate company. The newly formed startup is uniquely positioned to address the growing demand for its namesake workforce communications software, especially in the retail and healthcare industries.

Dan Barton, previously the General Manager of Rodio under Phobio, has been named Rodio Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer. Dan and the Rodio team have been instrumental in growing the Rodio business, streamlining operations, and evolving the technology platform.

“The spin-off of Rodio enables both organizations to focus on innovation, drive growth opportunities, and provide world-class service to our customers and partners,” said Stephen Wakeling, Phobio’s Founder and CEO. “As a separate entity, Rodio is well-positioned to address the growing need for a comprehensive and flexible workgroup communications platform that can make a significant impact on an organization’s collaboration, productivity and efficiency.”

Phobio initially launched Rodio in 2017, offering an innovative approach for organizations to centralize communications with workforces that are remote, in the field or on-site in a retail store. Rodio provides a two-way communication platform integrating mobile devices and apps, with centralized controls to send and receive important messages and bulletins to remote and geographically-dispersed teams. Utilizing AI-powered technology, Rodio maximizes team engagement and ensures that organizations can reach the right employees at the right time.

“Major shifts in today’s workforce, from the personnel to the applications and devices used, are fundamentally changing how business is conducted across multiple industries,” said Dan Barton. “We realized early on that email was not the right fit for the dispersed workforce and that a new platform was needed to keep pace with these transformational shifts. The front-line workers of any company have the greatest impact on that company’s sales performance, operational effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. A company’s brand depends on their ability to inspire, engage, and empower their people. A better solution is needed for these critical workers and Rodio is uniquely positioned to deliver the ideal approach to uniting people with their work and their support networks. We are excited about this opportunity to continue to advance the Rodio platform and to scale the business.”

Additionally, Rodio is part of a consortium of Kronos technology partners offering FieldCentric, a workforce management platform specifically designed to solve common home healthcare challenges. Rodio serves as the front-end mobile application for FieldCentric, which is a field labor management platform optimizing the delivery of home health services so that home health agencies are able to remain compliant while maximizing staff efficiency, productivity and retention.