“Connection Leads to Connection” — Townsend’s Move to a People-First Communication Platform

See how Townsend Leather created real connection across buildings and teams by switching to a mobile-first, people-centered communication platform.

Manufacturing

We spoke with Shawn Czadzeck, Communication Designer at Townsend Leather, about what it took to replace Workplace by Meta, rebuild trust in digital communication, and create a more connected employee experience — one that works for everyone, from the production floor to the leadership team.

With Meta sunsetting the platform, Shawn and the team saw an opportunity not just to migrate — but to evolve. What they needed wasn’t just another tool. They needed a partner. A mobile-first employee experience platform that could handle the operational chaos, support their culture, and grow with their needs.

About Townsend Leather

Townsend Leather is a premium leather manufacturer based in upstate New York, known for its craftsmanship, culture, and commitment to people. With employees spread across four buildings — and a mix of desked and deskless roles — Townsend has long valued open, human-centered communication.

But even with the best intentions, the right tool can make or break how that communication shows up day-to-day.

The Challenge: a familiar interface, but a frustrating experience

At first, Workplace felt like the right choice. Its Facebook-like interface made it easy for teams to post updates, react with emojis, and stay in touch.

But behind that friendly UI? Cracks. Everywhere.

It was the happy outward facing shell that our users were soothed by, but just under that shell was a festering stink-pit of concern and emptiness.

(That’s a direct quote. And honestly, it says it all.)

The issues weren’t just technical — though, yes, there were plenty:

Constant bugs and broken image links
Inconsistent tagging functionality
Disappearing content
Security concerns

But the real dealbreaker? The lack of support. At all, as Shawn said:

The biggest gap for us was the utter lack of response or answers whenever we had issues or questions. We would come across bugs often, images wouldn’t load, tagging function was wildly inconsistent, things seemed to disappear… and to report these concerns was layers of digging to even find a channel. When we did submit a ticket of concern we would never hear back. I don’t think we had a single issue responded to.

For a company built on quality and care, that kind of silence wasn’t just inconvenient — it was unacceptable. So when Meta announced Workplace was shutting down? It felt like the perfect moment to say: we can do better. And they did.

The Solution: an employee experience platform (with actual people behind it)

Townsend chose Speakap’s employee experience platform not just for its tools — but for its people.

One of my personal motivations for moving forward with Speakap was how responsive everyone was. From the initial sale pitch to the follow-up conversations all through implementation and to today, everyone I/we have worked with has responded right away, and with valuable insight or action-based motion to get an answer quickly.

Why Speakap stood out:

Mobile-first by design: Built for people on the move
Security-first: No more concerns about safety or ownership
Actual support: Real humans, fast replies, action-oriented
Built for connection: Chat, posts, and sharing — with no gatekeeping

And maybe most important? It felt like a team they could work with. Not just a vendor sending quarterly updates and calling it a day.

The Migration Process: from “years of content” to a fresh start

Migrating off Workplace did not seem simple at first. Townsend had built a deep archive of posts, media, and team memories — and they didn’t want to lose it.

Our migration scenario was likely a unique situation, so it seemed to need a lot of extra attention. We had been with Workplace for so long and had built such a massive wealth of images, posts, and memories – we wanted to try and preserve it all even into a new format/platform.

Despite the initial complexity:

Speakap offered tailored ideas for migration
The team was proactive, not just reactive
Concerns were handled with care and speed
It felt like a real partnership — not a typical software handoff

It felt like a partnership right from the beginning with Speakap looking for solutions even if they weren’t prompted to, they were proactive in making the whole process as great as possible.

And that? That’s what made the difference.

The Results: real connection, tangible impact

Since launching The Link (Townsend’s branded Speakap app), the team has seen wins — both operational and cultural.

Operational wins:

When someone finds an issue or has a frustration, they have an easy and safe outlet for it.
No one has to wander and wonder, they can connect right away through chat and we connect emotionally through the feed.
If someone sees something that can be improved, they can easily combine photos and words and push it out to everyone. Everyone is able to read it and digest it in their own time and gain from it.

If we didn’t have The Link, we’d waste so much time just looking for people.

Culture & engagement wins:

“Quiet posters” — the folks who rarely react or comment — are now sharing stories on their own terms. A weekend photo, a proud work moment, a personal win.
No hierarchy: Anyone can post, anytime. No approvals needed.
Stronger emotional connection between teams and across roles.
The president of Townsend Leather is the biggest champion of The Link, he is intensely critical of it with all the wishes and dreams he has in ways that it can grow and improve, but is also such a fan of having the opportunity to connect with anyone at anytime.

So, maybe counter to logic, our focus on digital connection has also increased our in-person connection. People want to connect and feel part of something, The Link gives them an easy way in to do so, it also gives them the substance to go connect in person, follow up on something they saw, laugh together at reliving a comment, high five in person after they thumbs-upped a photo. Connection leads to connection.

Other favourites:

We asked Shawn what his team really loves about Speakap. His list? Surprisingly specific (and kind of perfect):

“Chat is our lifeline. We’re in four buildings, and people are constantly in motion. Having an immediate, anyone-anywhere connection is huge.”
“Only half our team uses a computer regularly. So mobile-first? That’s not a nice-to-have. That’s the only way this works.

And that’s the magic. People who never spoke up before? Posting highlights, weekend joy, and moments they’re proud of. Not because they have to, but because they actually want to.

Advice for teams in the process of moving away from Workplace

Find a partner, not just a platform.

One that responds. One that listens. One that actually helps you build the culture you keep saying you care about. For Townsend Leather, Speakap became more than just a migration solution. It became the backbone of their employee experience — and a driver of connection across the entire company.

From faster communication to a stronger sense of belonging, Townsend’s story is proof that the right platform doesn’t just support your culture — it helps shape it.