Posted on Thu, May 19, 2011 @ 10:41 AM
Internal IT help desk specialists, members of the human resource department and front desk receptionists may be the most well-known people in a company, as they typically come into contact with every employee at one time or another.
Technology solutions organizations like MCPc provide IT talent to their customers. These skilled technical types are the face of MCPc to our customers, yet they often receive the least amount of soft skills training — like how to provide exceptional customer service.
Lessons over Lunch
Our Director of Staff Augmentation led a visually impactful customer service training exercise with his staff earlier this year.
He ordered boxed lunches for everyone on his team and invited them to get together in a conference room for a break. He didn’t let anyone start eating, promising he would serve each of them himself.
For Person One, he placed his napkin on his lap, took out his sandwich and unwrapped it for him, opened his chips and set them conveniently to the side, placed the apple and cookie behind the sandwich and opened the drink for him. For Person Two, he dropped his napkin on the floor first, partially unwrapped his sandwich and lumped his chips, cookie and apple all on top of each other to the side. He didn’t bother to open his drink. For the third person, he simply put her box on the table in front of her and moved on without saying a word.
What a simple but effective way to get his point across about what is and what isn’t great customer service!
Surviving the Balancing Act
How difficult it is for onsite IT talent! They are serving two masters simultaneously, by keeping an attentive eye on their own company’s goals, while constantly maintaining customer satisfaction in their physical place of work.
Here are a few tips we teach our managed IT services staff to help them maintain this balance:
You’ve gotta have heart. Have you heard of the acronym, Hear Empathize Apologize Respond and Thank? Exceptional customer service in any organization, and for any position, demands a day-in-and-day-out positive personality. Remember to listen carefully to your customer, appreciate the inconvenience they are experiencing, apologize graciously when necessary, follow up with them in a timely fashion and thank them for their time.
Know your audience. Customer personalities come in all forms, but here are some of the most common:
- Creative, Talkative, Dramatic – These people will likely have a flair for the dramatic, may exaggerate the problem and have an interest in how they look coming out of the situation. They’ll likely respond warmly to any suggestion that will help them look good.
- Analytical – They are organized, detail-oriented and seriously discuss their IT problems in a systematic way. Make sure that your evidence and details are correct, present them in an orderly fashion and take the time to make a thorough presentation.
- Warm and Friendly – They talk in terms of feelings, are cooperative and ask a lot of questions. Since these types generally avoid conflict and don’t like to disagree, be open and honest, and try to deal with them in smaller settings.
- All Business – These are the fast-paced, to-the-point people who can be blunt. Recognize that they are probably extremely busy and avoid going into the details. Remain business focused throughout your conversation.
Anticipate Customer Needs.
- Make them feel important. Pay attention, and give them your undivided attention.
- Approach everything with a smile. We all prefer people with positive attitudes, which are both uplifting and contagious.
- Be different. Unique and special service is long appreciated and never forgotten.
Exceptional customer service is about common sense and remembering to treat people the way you would want to be treated. Customer service can be shown through thoughtfully serving someone a sandwich, or while providing complex IT support desk-side. Put your customer first, and remember that they have feelings and needs much like your own. They want to feel heard and understood. If you can succeed in these things, it will be the reason they want to retain you as a client.
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Beth Stec is VP of Corporate Communications and Human Resources at MCPc, and is responsible for the development and management of personnel programs and policies. Connect with Beth on LinkedIn.
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Posted on Fri, Mar 18, 2011 @ 08:34 AM
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend a human resources seminar sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) that was held in the beautiful conference facility on the second floor of the 1801 Superior building — MCPc's new home starting this summer.
Office Layout
Pam Wagner, manager of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s employment advertising team, was kind enough to give the MCPc attendees a tour of the parts of the facility we hadn’t seen yet (thefourth, second, and part of thefirst floors) after the seminar. After seeing the cool, open architecture of the second floor and how it overlooks the first, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can take all of our current associates and new hires on a tour of their new offices as well. What an impressive, light-filled, modern space!
Design and Development
MCPc submitted the architectural and mechanical drawings out for bid, and now we’re working out the extensive details with the chosen architect (the same one who initially designed the 1801 Superior building) and the engineers. We’re also getting a lot of help from our friends at The Plain Dealer, who have started repair work in our new Technology Center — part of the current first floor of the parking garage — in preparation for our construction improvements.
Optimistically, we are keeping our fingers crossed that construction will be completed in June for a July/August move-in date.
Internal Planning
To ensure a smooth transition, MCPc hired moving consultant Lori Cole to help orchestrate our move. She met with about a dozen associates — representing departments from IT to the warehouse — to review her firm’s moving methodology and how it will work for MCPc. According to Lori, newsletters, colored labels, excessive signage, and records-retention programs are in our future.
Move Captains have been identified and assigned to various teams of associates. These individuals will be responsible for disseminating information to their teams related to the move, including the pre-move clean up, move training, move updates and more. It’s great to have someone as efficient as Lori running the show!
Anticipation Builds
In the meantime, we continue to make the best of close quarters and an overflowing parking lot in our Strongsville facility, though the newly installed bridge from our lot to the one next door is certainly helping. That said, as we continue to grow, we’re becoming increasingly excited to move into our spacious new facility in downtown Cleveland this summer.
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Beth Stec is VP of Corporate Communications and Human Resources at MCPc, and is responsible for the development and management of personnel programs and policies. Connect with Beth on LinkedIn.
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Posted on Wed, Dec 29, 2010 @ 03:44 PM
After several years of extensive searching, numerous building tours, and countless meetings with public officials, real estate brokers and architects, it’s official: MCPc is moving to downtown Cleveland. As of Dec. 22, 2010, we signed our lease with the Plain Dealer Publishing Company. This summer, we will relocate our corporate headquarters to the 1801 Superior Building, a state-of-the-art facility almost tailor-made for our organization.
A Long & Tedious Process
To begin our search, we enlisted David Hildebrandt, MCPc’s Corporate Counsel and contract and negotiations expert, to secure a real estate broker and begin looking at properties.
We also hired an architect who helped us detail the specific needs for the new space by analyzing our current state and projecting out our square footage needs over the next five years. With this information, the real estate broker was able to present only properties that met our criteria.
In addition, building developers who became aware of our search contacted us with recommendations, which led to additional physical tours.
Ironically, the 1801 Superior building didn’t initially make the list of acceptable properties as it only listed its office space square footage. It wasn’t until a broker referral indicated there was potential for our technology center to be built out in a portion of the parking garage that we contacted the Plain Dealer. Now, months later, our selection has been made and I couldn’t be happier with our decision.
I’d like to applaud the City of Cleveland officials — including our mayor Frank Jackson, his office, Cleveland City Council and the Economic Development team — who were committed to our project and worked hard to help bring our dreams to fruition.
Our New Neighborhood
The 1801 Superior Building is located in The Superior Corridor, one of Cleveland’s newest revitalized neighborhoods. Renovated buildings, loft condominiums, casual restaurants and numerous artist studios occupy this downtown area.
We’ll be in close proximity to Cuyahoga Community College and in walking distance to Cleveland State University, offering convenience and flexibility to staff members wishing to continue their educational aspirations. Plus, our new location is just a few blocks from Playhouse Square, one of the country’s largest theatre districts — second only to Broadway itself.
Our new office is also a stone’s throw from the new Medical Mart, whose ground breaking is in a few short weeks. And, we're only a bus ride away — along the newly finished Euclid corridor — to the world-class medical facilities in the University Circle area, as well as Case Western Reserve University. This positioning will be ideal, as we will soon start moving on some big plans for healthcare technology in 2011.
We look forward to the enhanced opportunities to recruit new interns and employees through the above-mentioned schools, as well as John Carroll University and STEM High School.
Benefits of the Move
With convenient access to the inner-belt highway, the 1801 Superior Building is easily accessible, improving overall collaboration with our employees and clients. Our employees will benefit from free parking and an on-site cafeteria complete with chef that’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, the facility features 24x7x365 security, helping to ensure that our expanded office, lab and warehouse remain safe and secure at all times.
Our future office and meeting-room space will double to approximately 45,000 square feet, with an additional 50,000 square feet for our technology and distribution center. With consistent growth that has required the addition of new engineering, project management, sales and support positions, we have long outgrown our current Strongsville, Ohio headquarters. This new facility helps ensure scalability for the future.
Building Design and Layout
MCPc will occupy the entire third floor of the 1801 Superior Building, which is currently the headquarters of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio’s largest newspaper. The Plain Dealer will continue to occupy the first, second and fourth floors, and have been very welcoming to our organization.
Since MCPc first signed the letter of intent on June 2, 2010, several focus groups have been working on design elements, specifically the office layout, Customer Experience Center, Technology Center and lobby design. The building was constructed approximately 10 years ago, and MCPc is working with the original architect to ensure that design and delivery goals are met, but also that the integrity of the building design is preserved.
We are repurposing what was once the dispatch center for the Cleveland Plain Dealer into our Technology Center. Our own internal staff is leading the technology and space requirements while leaning on the architectural firm’s expertise to meet these needs.
The second floor of the 1801 Superior Building includes a state-of-the-art conference center and multiple meeting rooms, enabling us to hold small- and large-scale customer events. In addition, the construction of 10 additional meeting rooms, complete with telepresence and video conferencing, will be built on the third floor. Quiet work spaces, as well as casual gathering areas, will complement our facility, giving our employees and customers various work environments for creative thinking and collaboration.
Customer Experience Center
In an effort to truly provide our customers all over the country with access to the technologies that will impact their businesses and their bottom lines, we’re creating a 4,000-square foot Customer Experience Center. Here, customers can touch, test, research and evaluate new technologies prior to purchasing them – a significant offering for our customers and a unique facility in northeast Ohio.
More Than a New Address
Our move is so much more than just a physical relocation of our headquarters. As CEO, my long-term vision for MCPc has been to support the growth and revitalization of Northeast Ohio. Our recent collaboration with the City of Cleveland, The Greater Cleveland Partnership and the State of Ohio is just the beginning of our commitment to this vision.
MCPc is bringing more than 175 technology, management and administrative jobs to downtown Cleveland. Discussions have already begun with various science and technology programs within the city in order to enhance the educational experience of our high school and college students. And, the centralized location will enable our management team to be more involved in technology organizations throughout the area.
It is clear that great opportunities lie ahead for MCPc, and I am tremendously proud of the talent we’ve assembled to help us achieve them.
What do you want to see from us with our new location? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Mike Trebilcock, MCPc Chairman and CEO, and leader in the IT industry, has more than 25 years of sales and management experience in many entrepreneurial roles. MCPc is driven by Trebilcock's values, vision and leadership in setting the standard of excellence for our customers.
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Posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 @ 02:27 PM
2010 was such an exciting year for MCPc! As part of the IT industry, we are accustomed to embracing the latest and greatest in new technologies and working hard to remain a leader in them. But this year was an especially interesting one for us. Here’s a look back at our top ten moments in 2010:
As we approach the new year, we’re looking forward more than ever to meet the needs of our customers and partners. We have a lot to be proud of at MCPc, but the added value that our achievements bring to our customers and partners is what makes them truly stand out. We’re continuously seeking ways to enhance our services by advancing our knowledge and capabilities. We look forward to an even brighter 2011.
But it’s not really just about our collective accomplishments. Personal achievements and memorable moments are as important as professional ones.
My own personal top ten includes some of the items on MCPc’s list, but also things like traveling back to my college alma matter for a reunion weekend, singing a duet that made it onto my church choir’s CD, and celebrating with my Dad who turned 75 this year.
You know that the holidays will be over before we know it, and we’ll look back and wonder how they flew by so fast. I hope you will take some time to think about what you have achieved both personally and professionally this year, as well as what you are looking forward to in 2011. What would you put on your top ten lists? Leave us a comment below and let us know.
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Beth Stec is VP of Corporate Communications and Human Resources at MCPc, and is responsible for the development and management of personnel programs and policies. Connect with Beth on LinkedIn.
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photo cedit: *Sally M*
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Posted on Mon, Dec 06, 2010 @ 02:21 PM
Each month, MCPc shares articles from last month that provide insight on prominent IT topics. In this article, we take a look at: How to make virtualization work best for your business, expert tips for troubleshooting, the (perhaps surprisingly) common future of telepresence, and how CIOs can position themselves to lead organizational transformations.
Virtualization
In Virtualization Meets Its Organizational Limit, John Dix faces a too-often-ignored truth about virtualization head-on: “If we are to get the most out of highly virtualized, cloud-ready environments,” he says, “we are probably going to have to rethink the way parts of IT are organized.”
Dix takes a look specifically at Cisco, which reorganized its traditional, siloed structure — organized in teams by platform, storage, network, etc. that each developed their own solutions — to instead have “an architecture team, a design team, an implementation team and, effectively, an operations team.” Now, all teams work together, taking a more holistic approach to the company’s complete IT environment.
Ratmir Timashev, president and CEO of Veeam Software, which recently completed a survey of 500 CIOs about virtualization, agrees:
“Without the correct strategy, organizations will never unlock virtualization’s full potential… What is needed is a change of perspective. Businesses must stop looking at a virtual environment as simply an extension of physical infrastructure. Instead, they must realize that virtualization can bring a host of extra benefits to data protection, but only if they change their approach to management. If they can do this, then organizations will be able to reap the benefits of virtualization. If not, then businesses must resign themselves to the fact that they will never be able to fully trust or exploit their virtual infrastructure.”
If your company is seriously considering virtualization, approach it from an organizational level first to determine how it can benefit the company overall. Then, make sure you have the structure and processes in place to ensure you get the most out of the investment and new infrastructure.
Troubleshooting
In Six Immutable Laws for Troubleshooting IT, Paul Venezia shares common practices he sees among top IT troubleshooters, including:
- They never work on the interface of a network device they’re currently using.
- They always make sure that they can get back to the original problem state, in case an attempted fix doesn’t work.
- They always document problems and their resolutions, so that if a similar issue occurs in the future it can be fixed rapidly.
For details on these, as well as the other three tips, see Venezia’s complete article.
Telepresence
Carl Weinschenk, in an article entitled A Pretty Picture for Teleconferencing, makes the case that “telepresence is moving from the periphery of telecommunications tools to a prime spot.”
Weinschenk shares a couple of examples of “normal – not exotic” use of telepresence, showcasing that as the technology continues to improve and simultaneously becomes more affordable, its adoption will surely increase:
- The General Services Administration (GSA) plans to open 14 teleconferencing centers to empower its mobile employees, and later improve its communications with other government agencies.
- The Maryland Department of Public Safely and Correctional Services will use teleconferencing to keep criminals off the street — they will participate in court and doctor’s visits by video.
Key takeaway for IT professionals: The business use cases for telepresence are endless, if you think creatively about how it can work specifically for your organization.
IT & Business Strategy
In Gartner: CIO As Business Transformation Leader, Don Reisinger cites a recent Gartner CIO advisory that argues IT’s unique position to help lead change within organizations. This is because IT typically lands at the center of navigating business transformations, either as a key enabler or a hinderer.
Reisinger states: “CIOs are positioned to play an integral role in corporate strategies as enterprises develop plans to emerge from the Great Recession. The key is knowing how to accomplish transformational change that fulfills the strategy of your CEO and fellow C-suite executives while keeping the business running.”
Gartner offers 10 questions to ask to determine how IT can help businesses achieve transformational goals — and the corresponding CIO actions for each. They are organized in the categories of: contextual, implementation and organizational. For example:
- Contextual: “What is the deadline for the change?”
- Implementation: “How complex is your infrastructure?”
- Organizational: “What is the impact on key and mission-critical processes?”
If as an IT leader you find yourself wanting to do more from a business-strategy standpoint, read the complete article, and see what advice you can glean from Gartner.
What Do You Think?
What articles, blog posts, videos or podcasts did you find interesting last month? Post a comment, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye on those sources for future wrap-up articles like this one.
This post is an MCPc blogging team collaboration.
Posted on Fri, Nov 12, 2010 @ 07:58 AM
It can be said that by the time you join the workforce, your attitude — your general outlook on life and how you present yourself — is relatively set. Attitude is one of those intrinsic qualities people have that goes along with a good work ethic and a high level of integrity. These are foundational traits ingrained in us during childhood and often quite difficult to teach (although not impossible to learn). As human beings, we use the examples of those around us — such as our families, friends, teachers and coaches — to form our personalities and moral compasses. These traits direct us through life and subsequently, we bring them with us on the job.
The Psychology of Attitude
Now, I’m no psychologist, but I remember from my college psychology classes that when you do a personality inventory on someone at age 18 and then again at age 40, there will typically be little change in terms of attitude. Attitude is one attribute that follows a person in life, and thus a key indicator used by human resource professionals to gauge how successful a person may be in a given position.
People with positive attitudes tend to be more desirable to companies, as they usually have better soft skills (for example, listening skills, respect and empathy) and are more adept at working with others to solve challenges. They become top performers because of their innate ability to discuss and accept challenges, and move forward in working toward optimal solutions, even the most difficult situations.
What Hiring Managers Want
When hiring managers discuss with me what they are looking for in a candidate, I overwhelmingly hear them describe a person who is going to show up to work with a great attitude. The manager feels that he or she can teach a new employee the rest, but an attitude that doesn’t “click” with the team just won’t work.
Think about it: Aren’t ideal employees those with the right mix of positive attitude, confidence, energy, team spirit and genuine caring? Many organizations, including MCPc, are willing to hire “green” candidates with great attitudes because we know that attitude is a soft skill nearly impossible to cultivate, and also key to building an effective, motivated workforce.
What Interviewers Look For
Interviewers look to determine early on in the hiring process whether or not a candidate has an attitude that will fit in well with the department and organization to which he or she is applying. This is almost always reflected in overall demeanor and energy level.
Positive attitudes shine through in the way candidates talk about their past experiences. Although some prior work experiences may have been verifiably difficult, poor attitudes about former employers don’t necessarily bode well for a candidate. Rather, an interviewer views an individual that can effectively describe how he or she overcame a challenge at a previous position much more favorably. Discussing previous experiences also says a lot about one’s attitude and overall character. A friendly smile, direct eye contact, attentive listening skills and the ability to look at past experiences with a sense of humor can demonstrate a desirable attitude.
Balancing Pessimism
One other common misconception is assuming that a “pessimistic viewpoint” translates to a bad attitude. Some of our best employees are pessimists (you know who you are), and just because they look at a glass as half-empty instead of half-full doesn’t mean they have a bad attitude or poor work ethic.
An organization needs multiple outlooks to build a well-rounded company that delivers quality solutions, ongoing flexibility and a high level of service to its customers.
Keeping Things Positive
Employers have a responsibility to provide a positive work environment as a means of fostering good attitudes among employees. Setting realistic goals and expectations, balancing workloads and providing open lines of communication all contribute to an employee’s positive attitude. And, employees themselves can foster positive attitudes among their co-workers by showing respect for them, refusing to take part in office gossip, and being as helpful and supportive as possible when they see someone in need of assistance.
Great companies are built on great people with great attitudes. How does your organization foster a positive working environment?
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Beth Stec is VP of Corporate Communications and Human Resources at MCPc, and is responsible for the development and management of personnel programs and policies. Connect with Beth on LinkedIn.
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Photo credit: where are the joneses
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Posted on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 @ 01:33 PM
In MCPc’s small but mighty Marketing department, we spend a great deal of time planning, meeting, executing and following up on customer events. With such a diverse group of people with whom we want to reach and build relationships, I admit that it can be challenging to plan events that are both fun and informative. Everyone has busy schedules so we are always trying to think about what is worth your valuable time.
This past Friday’s event made me realize just how valuable such events can be; truly worth all of the hard work that goes into them.
Our Marketing Coordinators and masterminds behind the event, Lauren and Erin, met me out at Hill'n Dale Club in Medina, Ohio where we had about 30 customers and prospective clients in attendance. We all enjoyed chicken and ribs that fell of the bone, redskin potatoes, corn on the cob, a great salad (or should I say I had a little greens with my ladle of ranch dressing) and deliciously chewy sugar cookies and brownies.
Getting Down to Business
Steve Libby, our Citrix Field Sales Manager, was prepared with his IPad and presented a concise overview of the Citrix story. He shared with us that today almost any mobile device can be converted into a business tool, speaking a universal language that allows it to communicate with other devices and corporate networks. The Citrix solution is truly amazing technology that is changing the way we all do business.
All Work and No Play…
When Steve’s presentation was over, it was time to shoot.
As I was walking to the shooting area, all I could think of was Jeff Goldblum in the movie Independence Day as he was explaining how he’d give the mother ship a computer virus and mumbled “this will buy you some time to do your stuff, take them out.” I started to think, “Wow, my job is diverse.”
The atmosphere was relaxed. We were clothed in jeans, boots, and sweatshirts, I in my Akron Zips gear and my team in their Kent State Golden Flashes apparel. (What is a Golden Flash anyway?). The interaction was light and very enjoyable. Steve Libby and our sales team had the opportunity to discuss virtualization with our clients while cheering (or chuckling) as others attempted to shatter the clays into tiny pieces.
In marketing, we don’t often get the opportunity to meet and get to know our customers in person, so this was a true pleasure, particularly for Lauren and Erin.
As our turn approached, nerves in check, I stood back and watched as Erin and Lauren gave it their best “shots.” The results were not exactly what they had had hoped for as that 12-gauge shotgun was just a little too overpowering. I too only nicked one clay of my ten opportunities. Our turn was completed and the next round of true marksmen stepped forward.
A short time later, Charles, a very patient and kind customer, encouraged us to give it another “shot.” He took us under his wing, brought out the 20-gauge shotgun and gave us personal guidance on how to execute this skill properly: fingers lined up, focus on the right eye, butt of the gun up against your chin, tuck it into your shoulder and follow the clay as it moves across the landscape. And wouldn’t you know it: Erin hit two clays and I hit three in a row. Lauren nicked one but as our instructor said her form was excellent.
An Unexpected Lesson
You know what I never expected to get out of this event? I learned a lot about my team. I knew they would seamlessly execute this event. But what I found out is that they are true competitors. They want to excel in everything they do and they didn’t want to give up. They are passionate and give everything 110%. Herein lies the true value of the MCPc Marketing Department, and really everyone at MCPc: What we do, we do to the hilt and take complete ownership. It’s one of MCPc’s three main differentiators: our people, process and technology. The pride in our work is second to none. This event gave my team the opportunity to demonstrate these tremendous attributes even if I was the only one who noticed.
Even better, as we were leaving, Erin was pumped up and said, “ I feel so…so…liberated. I did it.” I was sincerely happy for her, and proud of her and Lauren — two awesome women with so much potential for their professional careers. I’m sure those of you in management positions know exactly what I’m talking about.
So, at the end of the day I realized that not only are these events an excellent way to get to know our customers better and a true catalyst for enhanced business relationships, they also offer opportunities for people to shine, grow and gain experiences that otherwise may never have occurred.
Have you had an experience in your career that surprised you with an unexpected lesson? Or if you attended on Friday, feel free to share what you enjoyed about this event. It was truly our pleasure.
A big thank you goes out to our sponsor Steve Libby with Citrix, and all of our customers who attended this event. We appreciate your partnership with MCPc, and look forward to more traditional and not-so-traditional business dealings in the future.
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Anne Browning is Marketing Manager for MCPc and is responsible for the development and execution of corporate marketing strategies that enable us to better communicate with, reach and serve IT professionals. Connect with Anne on LinkedIn.
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Pictures courtesy of Copyright © J.DELL Photography
Posted on Thu, Oct 07, 2010 @ 02:09 PM
Below, we share articles from last month that provide insight on the following IT topics: the changing landscape of telecommunications, benefits and best practices for Windows 7, why virtualization works (how to make it work for your business), the security of cloud computing and how to clean up your WiFi network.
Telecommunications & Telepresence
Things are changing in the world of business telecommunications, and September continued to shed light on how businesses can integrate new technologies in videoconferencing, telepresence, VoIP and mobile to improve collaboration.
In Getting Videoconferencing Right, http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2010/092110-getting-videoconferencing-right.html?page=1 Brian Kopf http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brian-kopf/2/343/655 shares several tips for SMBs who are interested in videoconferencing, but are unsure how to start the transition. Kopf covers everything from choosing the right system for your business needs to common pitfalls to avoid in deployment.
Our favorite tip: “Don't cut corners when it comes to infrastructure. When organizations fail to ensure that the network can support the new system, the result can be poor quality and an overall sub-par user experience.”
When thinking about videoconferencing and telecom, we can’t forget about the potential market disruption coming from unexpected sources. Dave Michels http://www.linkedin.com/in/davemichels offered insight on The Other Voice Channels, http://www.ucstrategies.com/unified-communications-strategies-views/the-other-voice-channels.aspx including: managed service providers, Internet dealers and retailers, web services and more.
According to Michels: “These disparate channels don’t speak the same language, but can all fill the role of the primary voice partner. It creates multiple opportunities and challenges for voice vendors, to straddle the various channels and attempt to meet the needs of very different go-to-market approaches.”
Keep in mind that these are not things to be aware of in the future. Changes are happening now. Additional articles on the topic last month, which have potential to dramatically affect the industry and your network, include:
Windows 7
Christina Tynan-Wood http://www.linkedin.com/pub/christina-tynan-wood/1/29/992 reported that Windows 7 Lifts PC Satisfaction Rates, http://www.infoworld.com/d/adventures-in-it/windows-7-lifts-pc-satisfaction-rates-238 as found in the American Customer Satisfaction Index http://www.theacsi.org/index.php annual manufacturing and durable goods report.
Since Windows 7 is clearly gaining momentum and end-user praise, here are a few additional articles to help you effectively install, secure and work with the new software.
Virtualization
After VMWorld, Alan Radding http://www.linkedin.com/in/independentassessment reported that Virtualization is the Future of Corporate IT. http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2010/09/08/virtualization-the-future-of-corporate-it/ Basing the article on a virtualization survey conducted by CommVault http://www.commvault.com/ of more than 10,000 of its customers, Radding concludes that, “for the CFO, the question is not whether the organization should adopt virtualization, but how extensively it should virtualize and how fast.”
So, if this is the case, and you’re interested in virtualization for your business, here are a few additional articles to help guide your way:
Cloud Computing
As you know, one key benefit to virtualization is that it can set your organization up to employ cloud computing. However, there is concern among many IT professionals about the security of cloud solutions.
You can rest assured. Scott Campbell, http://www.linkedin.com/pub/scott-campbell/1/70a/918 citing Gartner’s Neil MacDonald http://www.linkedin.com/pub/neil-macdonald/2/a86/234 reported that in fact, Cloud Security Is Better Than What You Have Today. http://www.crn.com/news/cloud/227500386/gartner-cloud-security-is-better-than-what-you-have-today.htm?pgno=1
Why? According to Macdonald, cloud solutions are the “first generation of IT to bake in security, rather than treat it as an afterthought.”
In addition, the simple fact that the standard business workforce is increasingly mobile makes a strong case for storing data on the cloud: “We're tearing down the walls of our enterprise. The mobilization of the workforce demands anytime access. With consumerization you can [reach] corporate assets from any type of device. Users are demanding this… If you extend that mindset, if the workload can move from this data center to that data center, heck we might as well just move it to Amazon… Increasingly, we do not control elements of our IT infrastructure. Cloud is just one element of that, and yet we're fighting it."
WiFi
Another subject relevant to the mobile workforce, of course, is WiFi. Cisco’s Chris Kozup http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chris-kozup/0/162/551 spoke with Tom Kaneshige http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tom-kaneshige/0/4a8/212 about 6 Ways to Improve Your WiFi Network http://www.cio.com/article/617585/6_Ways_to_Improve_Your_WiFi_Network for your mobile-in-office users.
- Fill coverage holes.
- Ensure that access points support 802.11a/g.
- Disable and replace outdated technology.
- Run 5 GHz frequency.
- Ensure that mobile devices are secure.
- Test for, and clean up, RF interference.
For details on these tips, see the full article. http://www.cio.com/article/617585/6_Ways_to_Improve_Your_WiFi_Network
What Do You Think?
What articles, blog posts, videos or podcasts did you find interesting last month? Post a comment, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye on those sources for future wrap-up articles like this one.
This post is an MCPc blogging team collaboration.
Stay Connected with MCPc: Subscribe to the blog; follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
Posted on Mon, Sep 13, 2010 @ 01:36 PM
Today we’re starting a new feature for the MCPc blog — the IT Monthly Roundup, a collection of articles from the previous month that are important, impactful or otherwise of interest to today’s IT professional.
We understand how hard it is to stay up-to-date with all of the news and complexities of our industry so we’re hoping that providing a monthly wrap-up will be useful to you. Let us know what you think and if we missed your favorite article, please share it in the comments below.
Today, we’re taking a look at: the benefits and ROI of Windows 7 upgrades, how virtualization and cloud computing relate to one another, data storage options for varying needs, five ways for network managers to improve efficiency and how Internet-phone providers may change telecommunications.
Midsized Companies Migrating to Windows 7 Find the Payback Worthwhile
For CIO Symmetry, Ed Scannell shares the findings of a recent IDC report, which showed that on average, small-to-medium-sized businesses that upgrade to Windows 7 from XP or Vista can see a 100% ROI in 7.2 months.
Additional benefits to Windows 7 deployment, as reported by IDC, include:
- Decrease in IT support needs — an average 65% decrease in PC service desk support hours, 55% drop in PC operating system support hours and 45% drop in PC deployment hours.
- More productivity from end users, due to a reduction in malware, downtime and reboots — resulting in an average of 43 additional productive hours per user, per year.
If you’ve been considering an upgrade to Windows 7, check out Scannell’s article (he links to the IDC report as a PDF download) for more on the potential benefits.
3 Vendors on the Relationship Between Cloud Computing and Virtualization
In this article for Read Write Web, Alex Williams (@alexwilliams) examines videos from Cisco, Citrix and BlueLock in which company representatives address the issue of how virtualization relates to cloud computing.
There has been a fair amount of chatter online recently as to whether or not virtualization and cloud computing are the same thing, and for his article Williams went direct to vendors to get their take — and graded each on their explanation.
BlueLock was the “winner” of the virtualization-cloud video contest, largely due to the company’s clever use of Legos to help viewers visualize how virtualization is changing data center design, which in turn provides a better infrastructure to support cloud-based services. However, each company provides a fair assessment of these technologies and how they can better support today’s rapidly changing IT environment.
At the end of the day, I suppose this is all an argument of semantics, but one thing is for sure: virtualization and the cloud will be top-of-mind for IT professionals for the foreseeable future. If you don’t have a good understanding of how these technologies can work for your business, check out the full article.
The Six Levels of Primary Data Storage
By Matt Prigge, this InfoWorld article takes a look at several basic options for data storage, and what type of organization may be a good fit for each. Says Prigge, “the primary storage ladder can be broken down into six distinctive rungs. Who you are and what you do will determine your best option.”
He goes on to explore the options in ascending order of complexity, along with recommended number of users, approximate cost, redundancy level and hardware/software examples for each:
- Peer to peer
- File server
- Low-end SAN
- Enterprise-class SAN
- Network-based storage virtualization
- Cloud
Read the full article for details on the above storage structures, or to determine what options might be appropriate for your organization.
Top 5 Network Management Investments
Spurred by virtualization, tight budgets and smaller staffs, the need for improving efficiencies within IT environments continues to grow. For Network World, Ann Bednarz offers five suggestions for network managers looking to do more with less:
- Consolidate management tools across the enterprise, which in addition to cost savings can also help you get a clearer understanding of your complete infrastructure, rather than individual silos.
- Invest in network configuration and change management (NCCM) tools, which can help to provide network disruption notifications more quickly through automation, as opposed to manual monitoring.
- Increase application awareness, including: what applications are active, what users are accessing them and the end-user experience with each.
- Pay for analysis, not monitoring, when considering new software-management tools.
- Exploit untapped capabilities in existing toolsets, by making sure that you fully understand what all of your existing tools can do for you.
For details on each of these suggestions, see Bednarz’ complete article.
Internet Phone Providers Shake up Telecommunications
TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington (@arrington) reported that Cisco may be looking to purchase Skype before the Internet-phone company completes its IPO process. Nothing has been confirmed at time of publication, and even the Wall Street Journal’s Deal Journal is having trouble understanding exactly what value Skype can bring to Cisco. That being said, this is in the wake of Google announcing its free Internet-to-phone calling service, Voice Calls from Gmail, as reported by the New York Times’ David Pogue.
So, what does all this mean to you? As Internet services continue to offer free or low-cost calling options, and as the call quality increases, you may see drastic changes to your telecommunications environment. If unsanctioned, employees using these services at work may affect wireless network quality for others. Or, if your company is considering further adoption of these technologies, it’s time to start thinking about what that means to your voice, video and data network.
What Do You Think?
What articles, blog posts, videos or podcasts did you find interesting last month? This post is an MCPc blogging team collaboration. Post a comment and we’ll be sure to keep an eye on those sources for future wrap-up articles like this one.
Stay Connected with MCPc: Subscribe to the blog; follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
Posted on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 @ 01:30 PM
One year ago, MCPc ventured into what many thought was a “small website redesign” project. (Just between us, this thought never crossed my mind.) Before we could put the old site to rest, there were many unanswered questions that were critical to MCPc presenting who we are, the expertise we hold and what value we provide to our customers.
Though we are a technology solutions provider with more than 40 years of experience, we were new to several emerging online technologies ourselves. The journey thus far has been interesting, challenging and rewarding, and today I wanted to share a few lessons I’ve learned in the process.
Lesson #1: A website redesign must start with defining or redefining your company’s unique value from the eyes of all stakeholders.
After dozens of questionnaires littered with hundreds of questions, we determined our messaging and proceeded to website design and content development. Six months later, on January 11, 2010, we publicly launched our new site (98 brand new pages just to start). It was the greatest example of collaboration I’ve experienced in my career thus far, as every member of the MCPc management team was involved. We could not have accomplished this without their guidance, and I would like to shout out a big thank you (you know who you are) for their hard work.
Lesson #2: Get started in social media & thank those who help you get there.
In addition to all of the new content developed for MCPc.com, our new site launch was also MCPc’s inauguration into this strange new world of social media — starting with the MCPc blog. Without knowing what to really expect, I had six staff members willingly agree to “be a blogger.” What this meant…well, we were all about to find out.
A special thanks goes out to Lance, Ira, Jeff, Jason D., Beth, Perry and Jason T., who endured many hours of writing, tweaking and even more tweaking to deliver relevant, informative and thought-provoking commentaries to our online community. Together, they have contributed 32 new pages of fresh new content on our site.
I would also be remiss if I did not thank my “significant others” at PR 20/20 for their exceptional knowledge and direction. These are a team of people who care very much about the success of MCPc and our goals and objectives. This partnership has resulted in unprecedented growth and effectiveness of our website in its first six months.
But the number-one reason for investing in our blog is you — our customers, readers and future customers. If your inbox is anything like mine, about every two minutes you sigh at the dozens of new, unread emails. Though some may truly provide quality information, I know that if I read them all the quality of my own work would suffer.
We understand your time constraints and pressures. Truly, we live it here too. Your readership tells us that we are delivering a product of value, which is our one and only goal. Thank you.
Lesson #3: Evaluate your successes so far, and adapt moving forward.
The Internet provides a venue for people to seek out new information and resources. That being said, understanding what kinds of content our readers are most interested in is the key to being able to consistently provide valuable information. The most-read posts from our blog’s first six months include:
On the horizon are innovative and thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics that we hope will provide you, the leaders in today’s complex IT world, some excellent food for thought:
- Economical and Effective Redundancy Solutions (by Frank Marro, a new addition to our blogging team)
- Technology Assessments: What, Why and How
- Key Reasons to Consider Email Archiving
- Top Ten Tips on Saving Money in Your Printing and Imaging Area
- You Can’t Hire Attitude
- When is Virtualization Right for Your Business?
Months ago, when I told my mom about our blog, she thought it was a weather condition. Although we are not where my mom is, we are still learning.
What we do know is that our employees get to hear from some of the brightest minds in our organization on a regular basis. Our bloggers get to share their years of expertise, hours of training and extensive engagements with customers across all industries, and in businesses of all sizes, with the very people knee-deep in the plethora of changing technology.
Lesson #4: Communicate, communicate, communicate: Keep people informed, ask for feedback and act on it.
So now it’s time to hear from you. What have you gained from our blog? What topics or questions would you like to see covered in the next six months? We’re listening and are ready to provide you with the information you seek.
Thanks for reading; stay tuned for new things to come. Oh, and Happy Independence Day! We have much to celebrate.
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Anne Browning is Marketing Manager for MCPc and is responsible for the development and execution of corporate marketing strategies that enable us to better communicate with, reach and serve IT professionals. Connect with Anne on LinkedIn.
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Are you a business leader in Northeast Ohio interested in learning more about mobile devices and other advanced technologies for your organization? Join us on Wednesday, August 10 at 3:00 p.m. for a roundtable discussion: Mobile Device Explosion. This will be the second session of a three-session series that also includes Path to the Cloud (7/19) and Intuitive Collaboration (9/29). All three events will take place at our future headquarters, 1801 Superior Ave. in downtown Cleveland. You can attend all three or any combination of sessions. Click here to learn more and register.