Case Study: Payload achieves a new revenue stream and 7x faster reports with Sigma Computing

Payload Unlocks a New Revenue Stream in Record Time with Sigma

Payload, a Calgary-based cloud app for logistics and supply chain management, needed to embed analytics to improve retention, monetize its data, and differentiate from competitors. Although Payload already used Fivetran and Snowflake for ingestion, its BI layer (Looker + CSV exports) required LookML expertise, manual updates for schema changes, and produced stale reports with 4–6 day lead times—projected to take 2 FTEs six months to build in-house. To address this, Payload engaged Sigma Computing.

Sigma Computing deployed a spreadsheet-like BI directly on Snowflake with Embedded Analytics, enabling business users to self-serve reports without LookML and eliminating risky data extracts. Payload launched two data products and 30+ standard reports in months without adding headcount; report delivery fell from 4–6 days to 4–6 hours (7x faster), BI resource needs dropped 50%, and per-report cost fell from about $9,500 to ~$1,400 (~$8,000 savings), while creating a new revenue stream and improving retention and upsell opportunities.

Payload

Ian Letourneau

BI Lead & DevOps Analyst