How Smartsheet and Wings4U joined forces to scale stories with global consistency and local authenticity

Smartsheet is transforming customer storytelling at a global scale. Partnering with Wings4U, the team scaled up its global Customer Evidence program, crafting innovative and engaging content while driving real business impact.

It has seen a 28% ARR boost and doubled its customer stories views in just two years, surpassing 200,000 story views.

Since its founding in 2005, Smartsheet has empowered individuals and teams to achieve more. From nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies, the platform is reshaping how organizations plan, track, and deliver. But behind Smartsheet’s global success is not only technology—it’s also the stories that bring its impact to life.

Through its global Customer Stories program, Smartsheet celebrates and amplifies the success of its wonderful customers by helping the world know how they are driving business impact using Smartsheet solutions.

A partnership built to grow

In 2021, Smartsheet had opened offices in Sydney and London and was moving into Tokyo and Costa Rica as part of its global expansion plans. The Customer Advocacy team was already managing an extensive scope—from references and stories to interviews and speaking opportunities. After putting together a pipeline of customer stories and potential videos for these new emerging markets, the team realized they needed to take it a step further and modernize their entire Customer Evidence program. 

“That was the moment it became clear we needed a partner to help us scale,” recalls Michelle Heimerl, Senior Manager of Customer Advocacy and Team Lead at Smartsheet, who had just joined the company. “We needed someone who could move quickly, work across languages and regions, and keep our voice consistent worldwide. I had already worked with Wings and knew they were fast, creative, and reliable. So we started with a trial of a handful of global stories, and the partnership just grew from there.”

From the outset, consistency mattered as much as speed. Smartsheet wanted its global stories to carry the same brand voice everywhere while still feeling locally authentic. “Wings4U made that balance possible,” notes Michelle.

From stories to strategic campaigns

Smartsheet’s strong culture of customer success and its programmatic approach had already built a powerful pipeline across regions. To support that growth, Michelle’s team expanded. In 2022, Jessica Vollbrecht joined as Customer Advocacy Marketing Manager to track story performance and oversee the program pipeline. And the team wanted to go further, diving into richer storytelling opportunities to elevate marquee stories into campaigns with broader impact. 

This evolution also allowed space for creativity and strategic thinking. “With Wings’ support, we pivoted to a more intentional strategy—fewer but higher-impact stories,” Michelle adds. “That shift freed up time to expand the program, add a reference desk, and build richer, multi-format campaigns.”

“Wings4U really showed us what’s possible with a story and helped us see the full range of formats we could use,” adds Jessica. “It’s like we are one team with them now.”

Real voices, real impact

Compelling stories have proven to boost engagement. Smartsheet saw external story views double—and the momentum hasn’t slowed. "Wings4U has helped us double our customer views in two years. We have now surpassed over 200,000 story views on our external-facing customer page," Michelle says. 

The impact goes further: stories support a 28% average annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth, and Smartsheet wins twice as many deals with references compared to those lost. "Four out of five of our top stories are videos, which we've been focusing on recently," Michelle notes. "It shows we're responding to the kind of content people actually consume."

This evolution also allowed space for creativity and strategic thinking. “With Wings4U’ support, we pivoted to a more intentional strategy—fewer but higher-impact stories,” Michelle adds. “That shift freed up time to expand the program, add a reference desk, and build richer, multi-format campaigns.”

An award-winning partnership

That evolution has earned recognition well beyond Smartsheet. In 2024, the team received the CustomerX IMPACT Award for building a world-class program that amplifies customer success. “Winning the award was a huge milestone, and Wings4U was a big part of making it happen,” recalls Jessica. “They not only supported the stories we submitted, introduced us to peers in the advocacy community, and helped us build a network we still rely on today.” Michelle agrees: “Having Wings4U connect us with other advocates in the industry has been invaluable. It’s a community we might not have found otherwise.”

Left to right: Jessica Vollbrecht, Michelle Heimerl, and Steve Lampert

Today, Smartsheet’s advocacy program is not just stronger, but also smarter. By combining strategic storytelling with measurable impact, the team has built a foundation for the next stage of growth. “If you find a partner who shares your vision, is adaptable, and collaborative—like Wings4U—you get so much more from your investment,” says Michelle.