The Bosma Business Center

Posted on March 1, 2012 by IQisIT

I recently had an opportunity to take a tour of a newly renovated multi-tenant office facility that is being designed to support and foster collaborative business services. The Bosma Business Center is being developed by Mike Bosma, managing shareholder of the Bosma Group, a local tax and accounting firm. Mike’s goal is to create a collaborative space for business service professionals to congregate, share ideas and create new opportunities.

The center is located at the corner of Holcomb and Ryland, near the growing downtown business, restaurant and entertainment district. The 3 story building is undergoing a $2,000,000 renovation that will include 27,000 square feet of space with the Bosma Group offices on the 3rd floor and multi-tenant space on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor is being designed as executive suites, with shared space for co-workers, conference rooms and gathering areas.

Mike’s vision for the facility is to focus on tenants that provide professional services to other businesses. His objective is to build a team of consultants that encompass what Mike calls the 5 pillars of business success; accounting, legal, HR, sales/marketing and IT. Having these key business service providers all under one roof will allow clients to get the advice, collaboration and consulting they need all in one location. It will also enable information exchange to occur between consultants in a more fluid and natural way.

The building has also been designed with these principals in mind. Collaboration and gathering spaces can be reconfigured to accommodate large groups or private meetings. Technology solutions will allow for shared resources and managed services that will provide turn-key connectivity and access to communication and data services. The first floor executive suite spaces can include access to fully furnished co-worker desks that provide all the tools and supplies necessary for temporary or drop-in resources.

Tenants will have access to a range of services and amenities that include conference and training rooms, coffee service, showers and a recording studio, all fully furnished. Consulting and non-profit organizations will also use the facility for training, community and business events.

The complete restoration of the facility, originally built in 1979, has resulted in a space that is filled with large open areas, lots of windows and high-end design cues, furnishings and finishes. It has a modern professional look that is unique to the Reno area.

For more information on the Bosma Business Center visit the facility website at www.bosmabusinesscenter.com or contact Mike Bosma at www.thebosmagroup.com.

 

Written by Steve Cerocke; as seen in the RGJ

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Technical Training Creates Immense Benefits for Business

Posted on February 27, 2012 by IQisIT

Technology can increase business productivity, reduce costs, and even improve overall company profitability.  Yet, many organizations struggle to get the most out of the software
they already own.  Arguably one of the most effective ways to leverage software better is to increase knowledge through training and process improvement.

Consider the following when developing a technology training strategy:

  • Build training into your software purchasing plan.  As part of the expense of
    acquiring new software, be sure to explore your training options.  Many vendors sell training directly or through regional partner-resellers. Experienced software makers can provide you with a clearly mapped-out training strategy that has proven results with past clients.
  • Know your employees’ preferred learning styles.  Some employees learn better in a classroom setting while others are fine with just a book and a little hands-on.  You may want to subsidize a more formal training program with in-house teams that help disseminate information to their particular areas of focus.
  • Explore customized training options.  While it usually requires more effort, taking the time to customize the software training to fit more closely the way your organization will be using it will have a more meaningful and lasting impact.  Formal training courses are often very generic and employees may find that some time is wasted on features or components that aren’t relevant to their day-to-day jobs.
  • Use training to help with employee buy-in.  We all tend to be creatures of habit, which means we tend to drift back to the old way of doing things if left to our own devices.  By providing training early enough to employees who are expected to learn a new product, companies can increase the chances that staff will move past the initial period of resistance.
  • Encourage discussion and innovation.  As employees attend training, provide incentives to produce new ideas or suggestions on how the new software might be
    used.  While most companies purchase software to speed up existing business processes, many times the new software results in entirely new ways of doing things.
  • Training is ongoing.  The reality is that most businesses face new software, upgrades, updates, and feature changes on a regular basis.  A lot of frustrations can arise as a result of poor training practices, ranging from employee frustration to rising support demands and interruptions to the business.  Do not forget that employees may require training on even the common, every-day software they use.

No matter how you choose to approach training for your organization, it will be money well-spent. Leaving it up to employees to learn as they go may lead to even greater expense in terms of lost productivity, frustration, and lost opportunity.

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IQ and MSLI Announces Fourth Annual IT Makeover Campaign!

Posted on February 14, 2012 by IQisIT

$30,000 Available for Charitable, Non-profit IT Makeover Campaign.

Once again we are proud to announce the Microsoft Licensing/IQ Technology Solution charitable project-the IT Makeover Campaign. We are teaming up with Microsoft Licensing to provide local non-profit organizations with shared pool of $30,000 in IT Makeover Campaign funds. The funding (up to $15,000 per non-profit) is designed to be used by the recipient organization to upgrade or enhance their information technology systems and solutions.

Technology is as important to non-profits as it is to businesses and other organizations. The increases in productivity, communication and data management that it provides are critical for charitable organizations to be able to deliver their services, raise money and help the community. With the challenging economic time that we are in, charitable donations are down and requests for services are up. This often means that funding for technology updates and enhancements are put on the back burner, while the organizations focus much of their time and resources towards helping their clients.

Past recipients have used their IT Makeover funding to update their existing IT solutions and to add new capabilities. These funds were put to good use by the organizations and the resulting technology improvements will have a positive effect for years to come.

Non-profit charitable organizations interested in applying for the campaign funding will need to submit a description of their current information technology solutions, how they are used and how the funding would allow them to better fulfill their missions.

A committee made up of local business leaders will review the applications and rank them based upon the organizations vision for how technology can help them fulfill their mission and how the adoption or expansion of technology solutions will benefit the community.

Last year’s recipients included Care Chest, RAVE Family Foundation and Child Assault Prevention. The IT Makeover funding helped Care Chest improve its computer network system and make critical changes to the software that helps them run their program. RAVE and Child Assault Prevention were able to purchase computer equipment and software to replace aging systems that were important tools in the work they do.

For more information and to download an application please visit the campaign website at: http://www.IQisIT.com/it-makeover. The deadline for submitting applications for the IT Makeover is March 20th, 2012 Please contact me if you have any questions.

Written by Steve Cerocke; scerocke@iqisit.com

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Mobile Devices

Posted on February 3, 2012 by IQisIT

The increasing number and variety of mobile business devices has created challenges for companies that want to allow employees to use them for business functions. Laptops, smart phones and tablets allow users to stay connected to office resources such as email, files and mobile applications, but undertaking a business-wide plan to utilize mobile devices requires planning.

As the cost of mobile computing devices drop many users are purchasing them for personal use and then asking their employer to support them. While this might sound great to cash strapped business owners, there are hidden costs and other concerns to consider. Without a plan or appropriate policies, organization can incur significant support costs and be exposed to security risks.

Each of the mobile solutions on the market today has specific advantages and limitations that need to be evaluated. Your businesses requirements for connectivity, reliability and functionality should be the major consideration when defining a mobility solution. While users may want the specific features that one device has over another, it may not be in your company’s best interest to allow users to decide which device to choose for
business use.

Email, voice communication and remote connectivity are the most common business requirements for mobile users. While all of the mobile devices on the market will perform these basic functions they may have different prerequisites for integrating specific features into your business systems. Adding additional functionality such as internet applications or mobile applications that connect with company databases and business processes
may require custom programming. This programming can be incompatible between each of the mobile platforms that are on the market.

A good approach to implementing a company-wide mobile solution should include the following steps:

- Gather the requirements, productivity benefits and cost justifications for investing in a mobility solution.

- Review the features, functionality and total annual costs (including monthly connection and data plan fees) of the various mobile platforms and carriers.

- Develop an implementation plan including programming requirements, connectivity options, security designs and business software upgrades.

-  Create a pilot project to test how mobility solutions could integrate into business processes in areas such as sales, service or logistics.

-  Train users on proper use, support and functionality of your mobile solution.

-  Develop and implement acceptable use policies and controls.

The proliferation and increasing functionality of mobile devices is driving adoption by employees while Cloud services and new software developments are making it easier to deploy them in a business environment. Now is a good time to begin exploring the potential and developing a plan that will allow you to implement mobility solutions to increase communication, productivity and gain a competitive business advantage.

Written by Steve Cerocke, as seen in the RGJ

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Information Technology Trends and Services for Small to Mid-size Organizations

Posted on January 24, 2012 by IQisIT

NAS, SaaS, MPLS and the myriad of technology acronyms can make dealing with your business information technology akin to learning a new language. Most business owners I meet don’t want to get that deep into the details, they just want technology to work for their business, they want to know that they are getting the best value, and that their data and business information is protected.

Some of the latest trends in delivering IT services are making it easier for organizations to adopt, manage and realize the potential benefits that technology is able to provide. New advances and maturity in technology solutions are enabling businesses and organizations to become consumers of technology services without having to build complex infrastructure and hire expensive technical resources. Developments like Cloud services, Software as a Service and Managed Services have made technology more affordable, quicker to adopt and easier to manage

To comprehend the current trend in technology start thinking of IT as a strategic asset and recognize that you don’t need to own the hardware, software and systems that run your technology. This is a crucial step to begin the process of exploring how changes in technology delivery can be leveraged to your advantage. One of the discussions points that we have with clients is the concept of “services” instead of software and systems. When you break your business needs down to the services that you consume, you can then begin defining how each service is used and make decisions on how to implement it and derive value from its use.

Let’s take a look at an example of defining email as a service. Every business needs email and there are lots of ways to get an email system setup. You could install an email server, get a free account from Google or Microsoft or outsource to a POP or hosted Exchange provider. How do you know which is the best solution for your business? To make that decision you need to describe email as a “service” and define the service parameters that your business needs. For email you will need to understand the speed, portability, size, security, connectivity, costs and several other parameters before you make a decision on how the service should be designed and delivered.

Once you begin detailing your service needs you can then start looking at options for having those needs met. For example, should you invest thousands of dollars to update your accounting software and thousands more on the new server needed to run it, or would you be better off with a cloud solution that is paid for on a monthly basis through Software as a Service (SaaS) with everything included? I wouldn’t know without detailing your service needs, but based upon the phone calls we get, there are lots of business owners out that that seem to have the answer. The phone call goes like this; I need a
new server to run my accounting system, can I get a price from you? In some cases they have already purchased the new software and now realize that they need new systems to run it, in most cases they are just doing what they have been doing for the last 15 to 20 years.

When you think of your IT needs in the context of a service to your business I think it is easier to understand the evolution from premise based computing resources to Cloud services. The Cloud is the term used to describe the framework for making business technology services accessible through a web based interface from any device anywhere there is an internet connection. Several developments have made Cloud solutions possible including advances in application and database programming, hardware and storage virtualization and the expansion of high speed internet connectivity.

Today, if your business needs access to applications, servers, storage or communication systems you might not have to build these systems yourself. Cloud providers, Hardware as a Service (HaaS) firms and application developers are building utility based (pay for consumption) options for their solutions. This means that you can have a Cloud provider implement a service like an accounting application and make it available for a fixed monthly fee per user. The provider will handle all of the systems, upgrades, and data
backup as well as provide support for the service. You can scale the service up or down based upon your business conditions.

Of course there are many considerations and concerns as you move from in-house IT systems to Cloud services. You will still need to provide site services like data connectivity, security and user support. There should also be consideration given to disaster recovery and business continuity based upon factors such as non-performance or data loss from the Cloud service provider. One thing many organizations overlook is the need for enhanced internet connectivity as more Cloud services are developed. Higher speed, redundant connections may be necessary to keep application speeds usable and to provide reliability for access to remotely hosted services.

Most organization will not be able to move all services to the Cloud because of transition costs, custom programming or security concerns, so there will be a need for local systems and expertise. While Cloud providers will include some support services, most businesses will still need IT support and consulting services to assist with Cloud vendor management, user support and technology advisement. Advances in IT service management allows outsource service firms to provide fixed monthly fee Managed Service solutions with support and processes that were once only available to large organizations.

Cloud services and IT advances are changing the way businesses design, develop and consume IT services. Take some time to understand how the cloud is evolving and how your business can adopt the latest technologies and services to control costs, increase capabilities and gain a competitive advantage.

Written by Steve Cerocke, as seen in the NNBW

 

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2012 Outlook

Posted on January 20, 2012 by IQisIT

What will 2012 bring? With the past few years of economic turmoil and dysfunction in Washington it is difficult for many of us to have a lot of confidence in a turnaround. Still, I do sense a lot of optimism from our clients, friends and business partners, and there have been several recent announcements of new businesses moving into the area and some positive economic trends.

At the last meeting of our local Vistage CEO group we discussed the past year and began our planning and strategy for 2012. It was encouraging to hear from all of the members that they did well in 2011 and that they were all looking forward to even better results in 2012. I thought I would share some of the group’s comments and outlooks with the goal of inspiring you to explore new opportunities and take the steps to be a contributor in the recovery of our local economy.

Our Vistage group is comprised of members from small businesses to larger publicly traded companies across a diverse group of industries. The companies represented are all local organizations that are well established and involved in the local community. In almost every case the CEO’s reported that business was up in 2011 and in some cases they had the best business year ever.

In our group the manufacturing organizations all did very well. We have representative organizations in electronics, machinery and metal and all of these companies were busy developing new products, streamlining operations and working new opportunities.

The healthcare and mining organizations reported record years and these organizations invested in new equipment, office space and personnel. There was a similar trend in the media organization and the auto industry.

The companies involved in professional services all had growth years with new opportunities in existing clients and a growing client base of new clients and new companies. The staffing company reported strong growth compare to the last couple of years, and based upon their industry contacts, the same trends are being seen by their peers around the country.

When the discussion turned to goals and outlooks for 2012 the general consensus was for continued growth and optimism based upon strong pipeline forecasts of new business and expanding opportunities. Many of the organizations in our group are planning on acquiring new systems, space and equipment and most of them are hiring now. Another interesting trend is that many of the organizations are expanding regionally and finding new business outside of northern Nevada.

We are seeing these same growth trends in the organizations that we support and partner with. We just completed an annual client survey and most of the businesses that we talked to have seen similar growth in 2011 and are forecasting significant growth in 2012.

Of course there are many businesses that are still struggling and several industry segments that are recovering more slowly. However, with so many organizations realizing the economic recovery it feels like 2012 will be a good year for the region.

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Are You Remarkable?

Posted on January 13, 2012 by IQisIT

Client satisfaction is the theme of our business strategy in 2012. While meeting and exceeding a client’s needs has always been a core focus of our day to day business strategy, we are taking it a step further.

There are many words to describe excellence, but the key is to find an approach that leaves your clients feeling happy and that their needs have been met.  I recently read the book “Delivering Happiness,” in which Tony Hsieh tells the story behind Zappos.com, a company known for its single-minded commitment to service excellence.  In their case, they train their employees to wow, to go above and beyond, and to be remarkable.  They understand that remarkable service is memorable and always worth the effort because it keeps customers coming back.  Successful business owners develop a corporate culture that strives to create positive, notable experiences every time.

Today, customers have a louder voice than ever.  Websites like Facebook or Yelp give consumers the freedom to exercise their first amendment. With word of mouth being the most effective marketing strategy, and social media now taking that concept to the Internet masses, what people say about your product or business is something you must take heed to.

Unfortunately, upset or disgruntled customers or employees may be more motivated to talk about your business than someone who is just moderately satisfied.   As a company it makes sense to be visible on social media platforms and monitor the conversations about your business. Examples have been made of companies who address their critics in a professional manner, and try to rectify incidents where the consumer wasn’t satisfied.  Businesses do well to recognize negative attention and take aggressive steps to learn from their mistakes and to reach out to angry clients.

It’s important to measure client satisfaction often.  Ask your clients how they feel about you and where you can improve.  A client who is willing to refer your business to a friend or colleague is happy enough to promote your business.  This means the person is willing to stake their personal reputation on the quality of your service.  Leverage the positive experiences you create to develop compelling stories that can be retold and shared with employees and prospects alike.

Written by Aaron Boigon, originally seen in the RGJ

 

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2012 Business Technology Strategies and Resolutions

Posted on January 9, 2012 by IQisIT

Everyone that I have talked to over the last few weeks is happy to see 2011 in the rearview mirror and is optimistic about what 2012 will bring. Northern Nevada had more than its share of economic challenges and dreadful events last year, so it is only natural to want to see it over with and to move on.

Locally we still have a challenging economy, but there are encouraging signs nationally and the forecasts I have seen point to a recovery in many areas. While the local housing market is forecast to continue to struggle, the rate of decline should slow, and if job growth follows the national trend then we can expect to see hiring pick up. Of course there are lots of national and global issues that could affect a recovery but I am bullish on 2012 and many of our clients share my optimism.

As we head into the New Year there are many business management objectives that you should spend some time on if you want to participate in the economic recovery. While don’t have the space to cover them all, I will point out a few and discuss how they relate to the technologies that your business should focus on to insure that it does not get left behind as the economy improves.

Establish Goals and Develop Systems for Measurement and Accountability – Business goals include financial, operational, sales and performance metrics. All of these goals can be measured through the use of robust accounting, business intelligence and data reporting solutions. Sharing these goals and metrics with your employees will help them understand how they can be successful and how they impact business operations.

Enhance Business Processes- Process development and control is critical to optimizing every aspect of your business operation. Technology can play a key role in defining, managing and measuring process flow. Investigate how Cloud based solutions for customer relationship management, collaboration and communication can provide cost effective solutions to improve business processes.

Manage Your Finances – Developing new products, investing in more space or financing operational initiatives will be important in the early phase of the recovery. Credit is beginning to become more available and those organization that have the technology in place to forecast, develop and measure new business initiatives will be in a better position to manage cash flow and to take advantage of financing opportunities.

Find Competitive Advantages and Perform Market Research – We are heading into a different economic environment and businesses will need to find out what clients are thinking, where they are buying and how they are spending their money. Inflation is forecast to rise in 2013 so pricing pressures and margins will need to be aligned. Social media expertise, data analysis and real-time access to business operating costs should be critical technology initiatives.

Improve Efficiencies with Technology Investments – Aaron and I often talk about how technology can improve productivity and drive efficiency within an organization. Make sure you are keeping abreast of current technologies and have a vision for how they can positively impact your business. Key technologies that your competitors will be using include mobility solutions, cloud computing, collaboration and enhanced communication tools.

With the New Year upon us make a resolution to investigate how business technologies can help you stay competitive, increase productivity and capture more market share. If you fall behind in these essential areas your business may be vulnerable to missing out on opportunities, losing valuable clients and limiting your access to the best and brightest workers.

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Local, Last Minute Gift Ideas

Posted on December 22, 2011 by IQisIT

It’s the day before Christmas and all through the streets shoppers are scurrying to buy gifts and fun treats. If you are reading this before heading out in a rush, take a moment to consider buying local to avoid the mall crush.

There are lots of reasons to buy local beyond the fact that more of the money you spend circulates in our local economy. In local stores you often find the owners there ready to help, a unique selection of products as well as great support. I enlisted our employees here at IQ to come up with some of their favorite local shops and here are some of their favorite shops, business hours and specials on this day before Christmas.

Jack likes Apex Saw Works. This tool shop, located on Kietzke just north of Mill, makes Home Depot’s tool section look like a toy store. The guys at Apex have holiday specials and gift cards available for the woodworker or contractor in your life. Open from 8-2PM today; look for gifts like cordless tools, woodworking books or a unique cordless heated jacket for those looking to keep their loved ones toasty on a cold winter day.

Many of our guys and most locals know and love Mark Fore and Strike. This family run business has been on the corner of Kietzke and Prosperity for over 45 years and has a variety of sporting goods from hunting or fly fishing to camping and backpacking. The owners know and stock the tackle and products that are proven in the local area and can provide gift certificates and great gift advice. They are open today from 8-4PM.

One of my favorite shops is Gordon’s Photo Service. With locations in Reno and Carson City, they are offering specials today from 8-5PM on Canon cameras, select lenses, and camera bags. You can purchase gift cards that can be used towards merchandise, passport photos and photography classes. Ask about their photo club and be sure to take a look at their selection of cameras, photography accessories and telescopes.  

Our gardening enthusiasts recommend a couple of local shops. Sierra Aquatics is open until 1PM, and has discounts or gift cards for all ponds, pond plants, bird and reptile products, and a special savings of 15% for every $100 spent. Rail City Garden Center in Sparks is offering 20-50% off all Christmas items and is open from 9-3PM. They have gift cards redeemable toward merchandise or their many classes offered in gardening, bird house making, speakers, or veggie classes for the spring!

Kristal wants to be sure that the men out there looking for something unique for the ladies in their life are aware of two stores, within a stone’s throw of each other, down in Gardnerville. Classical Glass is open 10-4PM and has everything from jewelry and ornament discounts, to gifts for the home such as clocks or unique door stoppers. Next door is Fresh Ideas, open 10-5PM, where they a variety of Christmas gifts or hot sellers like their pajama sets, or tech candy for the iPhone or iPad. The helpful staff there will spend the time to assist you in finding the perfect gift.

There are many more local shops, service firms and restaurants that would appreciate your business this holiday season and throughout the year. Check out www.livelocalrenosparks.com for a listing of local businesses and for more information on the benefits of supporting local businesses.

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IQ’S Timothy S. Collins Achieves Status as a Microsoft Certified IT Professional

Posted on December 19, 2011 by IQisIT

Timothy S. Collins, Network Support Specialist with IQ Technology Solutions, has completed the requirements and earned the certification as an MCITP through Microsoft. As such Mr. Collins has reached a significant level of professional competence, indicating proficiency and a comprehension of technical support and server administration with Microsoft products.

Microsoft certification identifies professionals who have demonstrated an understanding of, and a commitment to, quality techniques and practices in their job and career. With the addition of Collins’ certification, IQ has achieved Silver Server Platform Competency with Microsoft. More importantly, our staff’s commitment to continual improvement and training enhances our ability to provide and support leading edge information technology business solutions for our clients.

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