VO L 1 9 #5 O c tobe r / Nov e m be r 2 0 11
Published by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce for Chamber members
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websites alone just aren't cutting it anymore TECH N
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The Ray and Joan kroc corps community center the epitome of technology at work
SMART
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CLOU D
COM PU TING
CLOUD COMPUTINGRevolutionizing the way we do IT...and business
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Contents. Volume 19, #5 | October/November 2011
FEATURES
08
THE RAY AND JOAN KROC CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER The epitome of technology at work
14 Smartphones
Websites alone just aren't cutting it anymore
18
CLOUD COMPUTING Revolutionizing the way we do IT...and business
SMART
08
BOARDS
06 BBJ DEPARTMENTS
14
STATS STATS Team Statistics Packers
270
88-204-20
82-163-25
3rd Down Conv
85 / 205
77 / 213
4rd Down Conv
5 / 13
1st Downs (Rush-PassBy Penalty)
Total Off Yds
5730
Off (Plays-Avg Yds)
Total Pass Yds
18
Opp
312
Total 1st Downs
Pass (Comp-Att-IntAvg)
6 / 20
hello. 4945
1000-5.7
969-5.1
1606
1838
421-3.8
395-4.7
4214
3107
22
04 VIEW POINT 06 TECH WATCH 22 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 24 MEET A MEMBER 28 CHAMBER NEWS
352-541-13-8 296-527-24-6.5
ADVERTISERS VISIT THE GREEN BAY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT:
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01 B ank Mutual 02 United Healthcare 23 B aker Tilly 02 M E GTE C 05 Fast Signs 05 Green B ay Metro 07 Miron Construction Co. 01 Network Health Plan 23 Camera Corner Connecting Point B ack Cover Cellcom 21 Children's Hospit al of Wisconsin Inside Front Cover Lambeau Field Inside B ack Cover TD S
PRESIDENT Laurie Radke EDITOR Lori Kaye Lodes GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dana Jacobson
The BBJ is published bimonthly by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1660, Green Bay, WI 54305-1660. The BBJ is supported entirely by advertising revenue from member companies of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. For information about the advertising rates and deadlines, contact Sales at 920.593.3404. The BBJ (USPS 010-206) is published bimonthly for $18 a year by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1660, Green Bay, WI 54305-1660. Periodicals postage paid at Green Bay, WI. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The BBJ, P.O. Box 1660, Green Bay, WI 54305-1660. PH: 920.593.3423. CopyrightŠ 2008 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
VIEW POINT TEXT Greg Gauthier, Foxwood associates
THE YEAR AHEAD
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For me, September has always symbolized the beginning of a new season. At the Chamber, it’s also the beginning of a new fiscal year and all that comes with that. But this year, September is even more significant as we embark on a new era of Chamber leadership. As I take over as president of the board of directors, I do so at a very fortunate and exciting time. During the past 12 months we’ve experienced a lot of change, some of which created exciting new opportunities and some of which challenged us. One of those came when Paul Jadin left his role as Chamber president in January for a gubernatorial appointment. What resulted was a very thorough search that ended with the selection of Laurie Radke, the former dean of corporate training and economic development at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, as our choice to take the helm of the Chamber. In the short time since her appointment, Laurie has already brought positive change and a fresh new perspective to our mission. As an organization, we’ve been presented one of those rare opportunities to have a clean sheet of paper from which to reshape our direction and map a new course to transform our community. Economic development is the engine of any community. A positive and robust economy is an essential component to making the Greater Green Bay area a desirable place to raise a family and a place where people and businesses want to come. When businesses are successful, families are strengthened and communities flourish. The Chamber of Commerce is uniquely positioned to be the catalyst for that success. The Green Bay area has been blessed with tremendous potential. We have great people, a talented and productive workforce and abundant natural resources. With all we've been given, not only can we thrive as a region, but also we can become a model for community, quality of life and economic vitality. Realizing our full potential, however, will take vision and cooperation. No municipality or agency will be able to accomplish this alone. As the voice of the business community, the Chamber of Commerce is uniquely positioned to drive positive change this year and beyond. We 4
| BBJ october/november October/november 11
not only have the capability, we have the responsibility. To accomplish that we’ll need to lead in a number of areas. • We’ll need to be a facilitator and visionary, bringing together community leaders and organizations to form consensus around the important matters of our community’s future. We must be a respected and legitimate forum for serious community issues. • We will be a valued resource to all businesses in the community. We’ll need to examine our products to determine whether they’ve kept up with the needs of the marketplace, and we’ll need to deliver value and relevancy to the more than 6,000 busi nesses in our area. • We’ll need to model good governance. Our ability to lead and sup port businesses and our community partners requires we have a solid platform from which to operate. To do that we’ll review our operations and manage expenses just as our businesses are ac ustomed to doing every day. • We’ll need to work collaboratively with our K-12 and post-sec ondary education institutions to develop new and innovative programs to prepare the workforce of the future with the skills and talents businesses will demand. • We will need to take a lead role in actively promoting and attract ing new businesses to the Greater Green Bay area. • We’ll need to have a voice in shaping legislation that strengthens the long-term viability of our area. We must be clear and consistent on mission critical issues while at the same time dem onstrating discernment in our choice of issues. Notwithstanding the practical and immediate opportunities that lay before us, the greatest impact we can make this year is to shape the long-term vision for our community, an area characterized by a strong and healthy business climate made possible by the cooperative efforts of our institutions and agencies. We must lead the way to strengthen and retain the businesses we have and become the destination point for new companies and families in the future.
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BBJ october/november 11 |
5
TECH WATCH TEXT AL PAHL
SMART Boards Engage Students in Tech-based Learning Does it bother you that your kids know more about technology than you do? Get used to it. Not only do iPods, video games and smartphones figure prominently into their recreational time, but the amount of increasingly sophisticated technology showing up in classrooms is on the rise. And it’s not just teachers at the controls; the interactive nature of today’s technology gives students a turn, too. “I was amazed at how quickly the kids picked up the SMART Board and were able to use it,” says Mary Beth Boettcher, an early childhood education instructor at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). “Kids are not afraid. There is so much out there for young, young children.” Housekeeping note: SMART Technologies makes the SMART Board, generically known as an interactive whiteboard, used by students and teachers. With more than 63 percent of the American market, SMART is to this space as Kleenex is to the facial tissue market. Although a few whiteboards survive rolling on wheels between classrooms, most are wall-mounted. Interactive models are connected to a computer, which uses a projector to show material on the whiteboard. The computers are generally tied to the Internet, allowing for instant research. Teachers strike while the iron’s hot. But what’s cool is this: Teachers and students modify, and interact with, the displayed content. They can edit existing or bring in new material, live, or stream live video. That interaction is the big attraction, particularly for young children. “We all know how children get glued to their handheld games,” Boettcher points out. “These kids are glued to whatever the teacher presents on these. Not only presented by them, but really made interactive.”
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Vicki Tanck is in her first year as a full-time NWTC early childhood program instructor after 17 years teaching four-year-olds and five-yearolds, the last eight as an NWTC adjunct instructor. She uses color and interactivity to get even very young children working on sentences. “I put up words of a story, and they use marking pens to find things,” she explains. “Capital letters are green. The green light makes the sentence go. Always put periods in red. Stop your sentence at the period; red light.” Another example: A color wheel app. A student at the board spins the wheel, which lands on yellow. Now the student picks up a book that accompanies the app and uses a pointer to guide the class through the Yellow Song, which plays from the push of a button on the wheel’s yellow bar. “It was very engaging,” Boettcher says. “It was engaging to me to watch it – not to mention to the students participating.” The fact the whiteboard initiates the song makes things much easier for teachers and more seamless for students. Teachers don’t have to fish around on a CD or tape to find the song; it immediately plays. Each student gets a turn at spinning the wheel and, it turns out (no pun intended), the taking of turns is actually facilitated by the interactive whiteboards. Students are somehow more secure in the fact everyone will get their turn. And some apps, like one used by Tanck, guide students to managing turns on their own. She found an app into which she programmed her students’ photos. The app directs the student at the board to hand the turn over to whomever’s photo pops up. “It is self-monitoring; they know whose turn is next,” says Tanck. Current interactive boards recognize only one pen input at a time, guaranteeing students must take turns. Multi-touch technology is coming. The interactive board seems very effective at capturing even the shorter attention spans of very young children as well as engaging some
shyer students. “One child was really not that interested (in Boettcher). But when he saw that everybody’s name was on “people sticks” (and knew everyone would get a turn at the board), when it was his turn to come up and move a cow on the farm, he came without hesitation. He had seen everybody do it. He knew what he was going to do before he got to the board. He didn’t have to worry about talking to me or saying anything out loud. He came up and moved the character. “Technology was, for sure, the difference-maker,” she adds. She also believes it can be a difference maker for students with special needs, who might not always be able to, or want to, participate. “This is a great way to capture their attention and get them involved in learning,” she adds. She brought in an Attendance app, which she programmed with each child’s name. The left side of the board was home and the right, school. When they came in, students had to move their name from home to school – effectively taking attendance. It’s also important to note the left-to-right movement prepares them for the left-to-right movement of reading. As the year went on, Boettcher built on the concept by working on math concepts to show how many students were in each category, as well as how many total students there were. SMART has a huge resource center, one of several on the web from which teachers can download apps, most of which are modifiable in some way. “You do have to program it, which takes a little time,” Boettcher says. “But there are just unbelievable resources out there. If people have this technology, there’s no reason not to use it. There is something out there for just about every topic.”
The area's ONLY
four-star accredited Chamber TITLETOWN.ORG
communities Miron Construction Co., Inc. congratulates The SalvaTion army on the completion of the ray & Joan Kroc communiTy cenTer!
We are proud to have constructed this important community cornerstone.
Join the conversation at miron-constructionnews.com
miron-construction.com
BBJ october/november 11 |
7
The kroc centertechnologies at work JENNIFER HOGELAND TEXT SUBMITTED PHOTOGRAPHY
Just driving up to the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, and staring in awe at the impressive multifaceted exterior, it is obvious extraordinary things are waiting inside. And, while the carefully selected program offerings make the Kroc Center a wondrous site for individuals and families to recreate, the design and construction of the facility itself is remarkable. Technology was incorporated into every aspect of the building. Through a financial gift by Joan Kroc, the Center was able to invest in the infrastructure to construct a state-of-the-art facility according to her wishes. “It was always the project’s focus to integrate cutting-edge technologies where we could to give our guests better customer service and allow our employees to be more productive,” says John Manser, director of operations for the Kroc Center. “The building was designed with progressive technologies, above and beyond what is seen in other community centers,” adds Project Architect John Miller from Berners-Schober. From the digital signage and phone systems to the mechanical and pool filtration systems, the Kroc Center installed the best technologies to operate the facility in an efficient manner. The desire to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the
Technology is present from the moment visitors walk through the door, although features like wireless Internet and audio/visual capabilities are less apparent. 8
| BBJ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER11
U.S. Green Building Council had a hand in motivating the project leaders to explore the latest energy conscious alternatives to incorporate within the 95,000 square-foot facility. From concept to completion Technology was brought in at the conception phase. Miron Construction passed out iPads to key decision-makers to keep the project moving. Three owners, each in separate counties, had to review and approve each construction change. Time is money in construction and the group needed an effective way to communicate. “Within the project’s tight timeframe we needed something everyone could view and respond quickly,” says Paul Auer, project manager for Miron Construction. The iPad allowed Miron Construction to download a drawing from the field and reach the project leaders simultaneously. This relatively new gadget allowed Miron Construction to get the necessary recommendations or approval, and keep the project on schedule. Technology greets visitors right inside the door at the Kroc Center with a series of flat-
John Manser, Kroc Center
Energy-efficient lighting fixtures are used throughout the Center while daylight sensors in the pool area minimize the need for artificial lighting.
“The building was designed with progressive technologies, above and beyond what is seen in other community centers.” - John Miller, Berners-Schober the information remained secure. “When we met with the Kroc Center, security was first and foremost at the top of their mind so we designed a system to fit their needs,” says Allan Jamir, vice president of community relations at Camera Corner Connecting Point in Green Bay. Faith Technologies in Green Bay installed access control – a door security system to limit employee and guest access State-of-the-art audio and visual equipment permit the Kroc Center chapel to fit the venue to certain areas within the facility. More than 50 high defineeds of groups as large as 400 people. nition security cameras allow the Kroc Center to monitor screen televisions as part of the Tightrope digital signage activities throughout the site. “These technologies keep the facility system. This interactive system allows Kroc Center employees to cus- safe and secure,” says Paul VanDenEng, project manager at tomize the screen’s content with video or PowerPoint presentations, Faith Technologies. news feeds or personal messages; each screen throughout the facility can be modified to display something different. “It is an educational tool,” Unlike most companies, the Kroc Center has a voice-over Internet proadds Manser. “It is an informational guidepost to point people in the right tocol (VOIP) system in which the telephone lines go over the Internet. direction.” Manser says, “It is actually very affordable system. The investment was made up-front but the phone and calling rates are really reasonable.”
“It was always the project’s focus to integrate cutting-edge technologies where we could to give our guests better customer service and allow our employees to be more productive.” - John Manser, Kroc Center One technology that isn’t quite as visible but is certainly critical to the operations of the facility is the use of wireless Internet. Manser says, “We realize technology moving more and more to cloud and we want to be right there on the cutting edge, making that available to our guests and our staff.” An on-site computer lab ties into the wireless network and offers users the flexibility to connect anywhere in the facility. Specialized equipment kept the Salvation Army business data on a separate network, ensuring
John Miller, Berners-Schober
Paul Auer, Miron Construction
While technology seems to become outdated almost immediately after putting it in place VanDenEng explains add-ons and software updates will extend the life on the Kroc Center’s systems. The Kroc Center has top technology sound and video capabilities throughout the facility. Camera Corner Connecting Point installed the audio/visual equipment inside the Kroc Center; they designed the systems everywhere outside the chapel. The chapel is a state-of-the-art audio/visual environment. The space includes more than 400 seats and numerous projection screens. The 20-foot wide projection screen that comes down from the ceiling is the largest Camera Corner Connecting Point has installed to date. The facility’s multi-purpose room is designed to split into three rooms. If the doors are open, guests view the same thing on the projector and TV; if
Scott Tomashek, Camera Corner Connecting Point
Allan Jamir, Camera Corner Connecting Point BBJ october/november 11 |
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Tweet/Garot installed the mechanical systems. Dave Carter, HVAC division manager at Tweet/Garot explains technology allowed the Kroc Center to obtain mechanical efficiencies and earn the desired LEED points. “They have energy-efficient heat recovery wheels, which exchange air through an apparatus that doesn’t have to be reheated or re-cooled,” says Carter. “The air is exchanged through the wheel and we are robbing the heat or cool before it goes out of the building and putting it back into the air as it comes back into the building.”
Mechanical systems improve efficiencies and contribute points to achieve LEED certification.
separated, three different things may be shown. “The technology is very flexible and lets you use the space in many different ways,” says Scott Tomashek, AV designer at Camera Corner Connecting Point.
Demand control ventilation is used in a series of regularly occupied spaces in the building. Areas like the chapel have carbon dioxide monitors to measure the levels of C02 and determine when the airflow in the space needs to be increased to provide better ventilation so occupants are comfortable. The pool water also goes through a UV-light filtering system. Every bit of the 154,000 gallons of water goes through both filters every two hours. Manser adds, “It is constantly in a state of motion and unlike anything we’ve seen in the area.”
A specialized control system makes it simple for users to operate the system. Tomashek adds, “The Crestron control is a touch panel, like an iPad, but only the buttons users need to concern themselves with are visible.” A “systems on” button might turn on the screen, projector and set up the “The mechanical systems have energyefficient heat recovery wheels, which audio with one touch.
exchanges air through an apparatus that
Managing the status of the audio and visual equipment is done on the network. The Kroc Center is able doesn’t have to be reheated or re-cooled.” to be proactive and see how many hours are left on - David Carter, Tweet/Garot a projection lamp before it tragically goes out in the middle of a presentation. “These back-end management things are becoming more valuable,” says Tomashek. “The return Technology made its way into the on investment is seen in both time and money.” gymnasium. “To the best of my knowledge, we are the first gym As much care and consideration that went into the selection of audio/ in Wisconsin to have a touch pad visual components, the building’s appearance remained a top priority. control system to control all the basDavid Carter, Tweet/Garot Miller says, “The elements were all integrated in the overall design of the ketball hoops and volleyball nets,” says building so they weren’t obtrusive.” Manser. Volleyball nets come swinging down from the ceiling. Basketball hoops move up and down based on the player’s size. Even the lighting controls are high tech. Manser adds, “It is a very impressive space where the technology comes into play.” Both areas were set up with daylight sensors to read the amount of daylight coming into the space. If it is too high based on the settings, perforated roller shades drop at the windows to screen that light. On a cloudy day, when brightness isn’t a factor, the sensors allow the roller shades to go back up, minimizing the need for artificial lighting. While some companies are a little more reluctant to embrace technology to the extreme, the Kroc Center did. Manser says each technology was beneficial for the project. “Technology aided us in the design and construction of the facility and is going to help us not only in the running of the facility but enhancing our work experience and our guests' experience going forward,” he adds. Two advanced filtration systems clean the pool's 154,000 gallons of water every two hours. 10 | BBJ October/november 11
And they are thinking forward. The Kroc Center was designed to accommodate solar panels in the future – as funds and technology become available. “When the space isn’t occupied the C02 levels are lower so you aren’t taxing the air system by providing air to a space that doesn’t need it. It is really a measure of operation efficiency,” adds Miller. “Before you were flushing a space with air and letting it filter through the rest of the building. Now you are putting air in a space only when it is needed.” The heating, cooling and ventilation systems can be monitored remotely so if something falls outside the desired parameters the systems are adjusted externally. Another component unique to the Center is seen as you approach the building from the south. A portion of the building, next to the pool, features a solar wall. “In simplified terms, the wall is just a perforated sheet of metal, which heats up during the day when the sun is shining on it,” says Miller. The air flows through the perforated metal into the air system for the pool. Air is preheated when it enters the system and less energy is expended to get the temperature of the air to the right level before entering the pool. Miller adds, “This significantly dropped the level of energy required for the pool air system. It is a relatively inexpensive system for what it is doing.” The pool and gym make use of technology The Aquatic Center has two first-rate filtration systems to purify and maintain the water to keep it in pristine condition. These systems are separate yet work in conjunction with one another. A Regenerative Media Filtering System is an energy efficient and more effective filtering system than the traditional fan filters found in pool environments. Manser says, “Instead of dumping all the water you’ve heated and treated with chemicals, this system only removes a small portion. So you aren’t wasting the chemicals and the energy you heated the water with. The best part is it cleans to a much smaller micron level.” The water is thoroughly scrubbed to get to a more natural state.
Blazing a trail
JENNIFER HOGELAND TEXT Launch PHOTOGRAPHY
Now that the Kroc Center’s doors are open, the obstacle remains how the neighboring communities can easily access it. The mission of the Kroc Center is to provide facilities, programs and services that encourage positive, life-changing experiences for children and adults, no matter what their socioeconomic status is. The city of Green Bay recognized the opportunity to connect Imperial Lanes, a low-income, high-crime neighborhood, to the Center to provide access to residents who would truly benefit from the program offerings. “Although the neighborhood is close it is a long walk because there are no direct sidewalks to the Kroc Center,” says John Manser, director of operations. “The city of Green Bay received a grant and is looking at putting a trail in – a 1,200 foot trail for biking and walking – from VT Pride Park to the Kroc Center.” With no security camera or lighting in the area the city was concerned about safety. A recent Leadership Green Bay graduate, Manser and his small group was tasked with creating a high tech video to raise awareness of the project plans and challenges. They hope the video will help raise funds for the necessary equipment. Manser says they estimate $140,000 to $170,000 will be needed to buy the cameras and lighting to keep the trail safe for users.
The touch pad control system in the Kroc Center gymnasium is unlike anything seen in Northeast Wisconsin. BBJ October/november | 11
TECHNOLOGY permits time away Jennifer hogeland TEXT
The widespread use of laptops and smartphones seems to promote working more. These tools make work more accessible – responding to e-mails or finishing a project at home is a nightly norm for most employees. But, technologies also offer flexibility. An area ad agency and brand expert, burnham richards, realized these handheld gadgets could award its employees an improved life/work balance. It set out to break the 9-to-5, Monday through Friday, working every evening mold by instituting virtual Fridays. “You get into that rut of working all the time because the computer is right there. For us, the utilizing these technologies doesn’t mean you have to work more, it is about working more efficiently,” says David Richards, founder of burnham richards. Employees work virtually every Friday, granting them more free time to spend with family or to prepare for the weekend. Laptops and cellphones keep employees connected, permitting them to return client calls or emails and work on something at home as opposed to being in the office. burnham richards offered virtual Fridays in summers for three years before rolling it out year-round in 2010.
David Richards, burnham richards
12 | BBJ October/november 11
Clients are occasionally reminded that burnham richards employees are out
of the office on Fridays, but they aren’t neglected. The firm’s level of service doesn’t skip a beat because technology allows employees to work just as efficiently at their off-site location. Richards adds, “When working at a remote location you can actually stay focused because there are fewer distractions. You do some stuff and then take time off.” Expectations are set for these Fridays away from the office. “There is a level of trust,” says Richards. “We can’t monitor our employees working from home so we trust if our employees know they can’t be reached they will take the Friday as a vacation day.” Burnham richards hasn’t seen a downside to its virtual days. Revenue is up from last year; morale is high. In an industry that demands creativity, time away clears the head. Richards adds, “I think we are all around doing better work because we are more focused. There are fewer distractions and employees are happy.” This employee perk is emphasized when recruiting. Even though burnham richards employees are only in the office four days a week, the pay remains competitive. The time-wasting antics that occur in most offices – sitting around, talking and checking Facebook updates – happens less often. Richards explains, “We want to get the work done to have the flexibility on Friday, so we are conscious of how we spend our time Monday through Thursday.” Employees at burnham richards recognize the rare benefit technology allows them. The firm originally got caught in the trap of using technology to work longer hours, but it quickly reconsidered the purpose of the tools. “Our belief is technology is actually there to give you freedom. We started to go down the road of more work but turned around and found this to be a better direction,” says Richards.
career exploration taps technology Jennifer hogeland TEXT
Technology is about to dramatically change how high school students in greater Green Bay explore career options. In years past at the annual Career Expo, Partners in Education of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce recruited businesses to set up booths to share career information with anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 high school sophomores. “Employers could talk with students to help them understand not only the careers their business employed but also work with the students to better prepare them for workforce entry,” says Brian Johnson, career education program manager.
They are in the early stages of researching career exploration options. One possibility is a program by LifeSize. Its Polycom equipment would allow Partners in Education to produce high-quality video productions on businesses or industries and gradually build a library of videos for students to view. “Once students had that opportunity, we could narrow it even further by having specific tours for a more targeted group,” says Schopf. Johnson adds, “There are tens of thousands of career videos out there, although very few, if any, are related to our local employers. What we want to do isn’t necessarily re-create what is out there, but rather make students aware of the career opportunities here in the community.”
The Career Expo lost its effectiveness. Schools were preparing students at different levels, and exhibitors were seeing inconsistencies. Businesses were often overwhelmed by seeing so many students on one day and asked for an alternative to maximize their investment. “Some students and businesses were getting a lot out of the Expo and others weren’t. We had to say ‘Is there a better way,’ so we are stepping back,” says Nancy Schopf, vice president – education and leadership for Partners in Education. Partners in Education has been exploring different opportunities that could connect students interested in a particular career area with employers that have opportunities in that industry. “This way the employers would get a group of students interested in their specific career area. It would be a win/win for all,” says Johnson.
Nancy Schopf, vice president, education & leadership
Brian Johnson, career education program manager
He adds, “The challenge lies in how do you get thousands of students the exposure or the opportunity to interact with local employers.” The most likely solution? Technology. Career exploration 2.0 Johnson explains their new career exploration model would have to accommodate students’ needs and interests and give them the ability to learn in a way that suits them. “Students are very in tune with technology, and we want to be relevant with students so we can engage them appropriately,” he says. “We want to be sure we are leveraging the available technology to maximize our efficiencies with how we deliver information and content.”
Live on screen A second way Partners in Education hopes to use technology is by going to a work site and stream a live presentation from an employer. Businesses would be on the floor, showcasing business highlights. Students would be engaged with the live streaming by watching something relevant to their career exploration process. The presentation would be enabled with features such as live chat so a student could ask a question and the employer could respond. The program in consideration takes the video and compresses it without losing the quality, which was one of the barriers that existed in the past.
Partners in Education is also investigating other ways to use technology including offering live chats with company representatives. The rollout of these technology-centered programs will take time. “There is a lot of challenges ahead, but the idea is out there. We need to start small and figure out how to bring our partners together and grow it,” says Schopf. Whatever technologies are used the focus will concentrate on local industries. Schopf says, “We want to educate the workforce and make sure our businesses have the quality of employees they need for the future.” Our intent is to attract and retain the workforce we have.” Johnson adds, “We need to do a better job educating students about our business base and the careers they employ. That is what our new programming will be aimed at.”
BBJ october/november 11 | 13
COVER STORY
SMARTPHONES CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS,
LIVE LIFE
Lee marie reinsch TEXT SUBMITTED PHOTOGRAPHY
Could that phone in your pocket actually help plug holes in your wallet?
Web (remember when we called it that?) and print Mapquest directions from their desktop computers to find their way there. Voila, they’d show up at our cash registers with wallets in hand.
Some pro-mobile evangelists think so, particularly if those phones mobilize customers to walk through your door. They say smartphones should be an important part of a business marketing plan, not only because they can do lots of nifty stuff but also because they’re a way of life.
“The days of printing Mapquest directions are over,” Troup says. “Everything is on the fly. No longer is it (Internet) a desktop type of thing,” Troup says. “It’s gotten sort of ad hoc in certain respects. Even though the screen is smaller, in some respects your experience can be more rich. Your phone knows where you are and even what direction you’re facing,” and it can give you alternate routes based on your mode of transportation. If you’re in San Francisco, you’re likely to want walking directions, but if you’re in Green Bay you probably want driving directions.
People are spending more of their ‘online time’ with their smartphones than with their computers, says David Troup, owner of DMinteractive. “When you think about it, it makes sense—what is always in your pocket and what is always with you? Your phone is the most convenient (Internet) access you have with you at all times.” Troup said when people want to know something, they reach for their smartphone rather than waiting to get home and look it up on their laptop, whether it’s texting a friend, checking e-mail, updating their Facebook page or looking at their bank account. “It’s second nature to them—there’s so much more data on their phone than just voice calls,” Troup says. Envano marketing firm CEO David Sauter says smartphones are definitely on people’s minds. “We’ve been doing a lot of work in social media, but it is the mobile world we are talking about and brainstorming about and having creative sessions about -- how can we use this technology to do what we do better, faster, cheaper,” Sauter says. “Right now with the economy the way it is, most businesses are pretty focused on ‘What can I do to increase my sales, leverage my marketing and advertising dollars better?’ They are looking for a direct return on any initiatives, so mobile is a pretty solid strategy.” Website isn’t enough anymore It used to be you had to have a website, and that was enough to prove you existed. Customers would find your business on the World Wide 14 | BBJ October/november 11
People don’t know where they’re going until they get there, and they don’t need to map things out ahead of time because their phones direct them instantaneously. Wherever smart phone-users are, their phones can usually tell them how to get to where they want to be and what’s nearby that they can see, do and consume along the way. “It can show me areas of interest (tourism, places to eat, gas stations) and places that have specials running,” Troup says. If you own a business dependent on foot traffic, you probably want to make sure that people see you on their smartphones. Google’s a great start Google will likely list your business automatically without having to do anything active (like pay a web hosting company or design a site or call the Yellow Pages people) but it’s important to make sure the information out there is actually correct, Troup said. Google (and other search engines) grab data by rote, and facts aren’t verified by actual humans. “If it grabbed your fax number instead of your phone number, that could be terrible,” Troup says.
Or if your hours have changed and those listed are no longer correct, this can also cause problems for customers who are trying to find out where you are and when to patronize you.
“Even though the screen is smaller, in some respects your experience can be more rich. Your phone knows where you are and even what direction you’re facing.” - David Troup, owner, DMinteractive While a general listing with correct information may be helpful, often it’s not enough, especially if your business name alone doesn’t blatantly convey your specialty (for example, Angelina versus Panera Bread). David Troup. owner, DMinteractive
“I might look up a restaurant on my phone, but I still don’t know if it has food there that I want to eat,” Troup says. A correct phone number, and even better, an abbreviated menu or description of your offerings (i.e., Italian, casual dining, pub fare, vegetarian, etc.) can help funnel more people through your doors. “Put the average price of a meal, or casual or formal, or a streamlined menu— just the basics—into your Google maps listing,” Troup says. If your company’s website was made for viewing on a computer screen (i.e. 30 pages long, with tons of text, images and Flash features), the tiny screen of a smart phone probably won’t do it justice. One nice thing about social media is that much of it’s already mobile, Sauter says. “If you’ve adapted your business to social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, you essentially already have a mobile presence, because they do a good job of being optimized for mobile. So even if your business website isn’t very mobile, you still may be able to connect with your customers on a platform where they can interact,” he says.
An apple is not an orange The online mobile experience and the online computer experience are two very different fruit. Sauter says that’s been hard to get across to people. “One of the challenges with mobile that a lot of marketers struggle with or have trouble understanding is they just say ‘We have a website and we’ll make it mobile friendly.’ So they basically take the same architecture of the website and make it accessible,” Sauter says. “The problem with that method is people expect different things out of their mobile devices. They are using them in different places and they are using them for different functions than they are when they sit down at a computer. It’s a shift in paradigm (for the marketer)—we flip it around
“Companies that sell a product should have (on their mobile websites) a decent image of the product, a quick list of specifications, prices, where to buy it and if it’s close by, map it.” - David Sauter, CEO, Envano and ask what would the smartphone user want and what do they do on their mobile and how does that relate with your services.” In the case of a bank, the mobile user might want to check his or her account or make transactions, so the site should be adapted to a smartphone’s small screen space, and its functions need to be easy to use simple to find, he says. “Companies that sell a product should have (on their mobile websites) a decent image of the product, a quick list of specifications, prices, where to buy it and if it’s close by, map it,” he says. People thought no one would ever use their smartphones to make purchases, but they are, says Sauter. “Last year, eBay made $2.5 billion in sales from smartphone users.”
David Sauter. CEO, Envano BBJ october/november 11 | 15
Smartphone users aren’t just shopping on their phones, but they’re shopping with their phones. Instead of lugging along a Consumer Reports magazine, they’re looking online for customer reviews of the products they’re considering buying. “If I am looking at lawnmowers and if I can get on my cell and find that all of the people are happy with their Ariens brand, it may be $50 more but people are happy with them,” Sauter says. This “zero moment of truth” is good for everybody, says Midwest Communications Director of Digital Content Brad Ludwig. “It’s that moment when you are in the store and are about to make a purchase and you want to make an informed buying decision.” Reach out and tap someone? The Internet’s made it a lot easier to communicate with almost anyone—people, companies, elected officials. Social media has magnified that. “People are looking to connect with their stores instantaneously,” says Festival Foods Customer Care and Social Media Manager Jacque Turner. Smartphones are the new way to pick up the phone and find information instead of calling a business or even putting “What are your hours?” out on Facebook, Festival’s Turner says. “We find more and more people who are reaching out via the social media aspects, from people who otherwise would have picked up the phone (and calling) or asking a cashier in the store,” Turner says. Festival just launched its app in late August. With one tap, shopJacque Turner, customer care and social pers can view the weekly ad, media manager, Festival Foods specials, shopping lists, recipes, store information and get coupons on their smart phones. “The younger demographic is realizing that using coupons will save them money on their shopping lists; they’re learning to be smart with their money in this economy,” she says. “They prefer them to be electronic. We are an easy generation; we like things the easy way. They still cut coupons, but they’re also looking on Facebook and ‘liking’ the brands they like.” The down economy has more people than ever turning to coupons and specials as a way to trim their expenses, Turner says. And they aren’t just grandmothers wielding scissors and accordion files. Festival Foods uses text messaging to
get the word out about specials it doesn’t offer in paper form via the Sunday paper or in-store coupon sheet. “We run several contests throughout the year, where people can win a turkey or a gift card,” Turner says. Festival’s text coupons are sent out every other week twice per month and are good only on that Thursday. “They range for offers for free milk to specials in the meat department or deli to free ketchup, eggs, pizza, soda,” Turner says. For Festival’s text offers, customers don’t need a smart phone, but they do need a cell phone. Customers just need to register to receive the text messages and then simply show the offer on their phones at the register, she adds. “Newspaper coupons are still very important to our guests,” Turner says. “If we have a week that doesn’t have a whole lot of coupons, people ask why and why not as many, so coupons are still very valid in our market.” Go app go The Green Bay Packers probably could make a small fortune charging for their new smart phone app, but they’re giving away the store for free. The app gives fans everything from current stats and player bios to articles and videos posted in the last two weeks. In September, a “sound board” function was added to allow fans to download signature sounds associated with game day (such as the tune that prompts the fans’ ‘Go Pack Go’ chant) or historic sounds (like announcer commentary) from memorable games.
Kate Hogan, director of retail operations, Green Bay Packers
The Packers app provides much of the same content as its official website, Packers.com provides. “The user sets up the parameters. People want differing levels of engagement. Some people want to be engaged all of the time—they love that kind of thing and that’s how they work. Some people only want to be engaged when they want to be engaged. We are trying to engage our fans and keep them up to speed with different things going on, with Packers news or videos, with contests we may be holding or special offers,” she says.
STATS STATS Team Statistics Packers
Meal Ideas
Weekly Ads
Opp
312
270
88-204-20
82-163-25
3rd Down Conv
85 / 205
77 / 213
4rd Down Conv
5 / 13
6 / 20
Total 1st Downs 1st Downs (Rush-PassBy Penalty)
Total Off Yds Off (Plays-Avg Yds)
16 | BBJ October/november 11 Total Pass Yds
“You need to give people information in the way they need it, want it and require it,” says Kate Hogan, director of retail operations for the Green Bay Packers.
5730
4945
1000-5.7
969-5.1
1606
1838
421-3.8
395-4.7
4214
3107
The Packers app is free, but you still have to go through the processes that Android and iTunes have set up via their app stores. “Some people have smart phones and aren’t really familiar with apps, but we would recommend that if they love Packer news, downloading apps is a great way to use your smart phone, and it keeps everything at your finger tips,” Hogan says. “Our app is free—there is no risk, only reward.”
Not everyone needs their own app Many companies are taking advantage of social media like Twitter and Facebook to promote their websites and other functions. The Green Bay Press-Gazette and Midwest Communications are two examples of that. Both use Twitter and Facebook to entice traffic to their websites. The Press-Gazette uses text alerts to publish information on a variety of different Julie Riebe, online editor, Green Bay subjects, from Green Bay Press Gazette Packers news, general news and breaking news to weather and sports, according to Julie Riebe, online editor for the newspaper. “The growing popularity of social media allows us to reach readers the way they want to, whether it's a text alert or through Facebook or Twitter. Plus, we still update our regular websites, www.greenbaypressgazette.com and www.PackersNews. com,” Riebe says.
“The growing popularity of social media allows us to reach readers the way they want to, whether it's a text alert or through Facebook or Twitter.” - Julie Riebe, online editor, Green Bay Press Gazette “Our goal on breaking news is to put a quick hit out first with a text alert, a Facebook post and tweet and come back with full stories on the website, as well as follow-up text alerts with links to full stories. We've found that readers—whatever format they get the news in— respond well to that. That initial quick hit gives them the news they need immediately, and a full story later gives them the rest if they want it,” Riebe says. For example, when the Super Saver Liquor Store on Green Bay's near west side burned down last year, a reporter tweeted updates—both text and photos—from the scene. That allowed the Press-Gazette's online staff working in the office the ability to disseminate that news through further tweets, text alerts, on Facebook and on the website. Midwest Communications does something similar with its content. “An air-staff personality might post ‘Did you see Lady Gaga on the MTV music awards’ and tease (people) to go to WIXX.com and read more,” says Ludwig. “We’re pretty active on Facebook. Our Twitter and Facebook are tied together (so that the same messages go out on both). What we try to do is make it as easy as possible to go from one form of social media to others,” he says.
GET YOUR CHAMBER KNOW-HOW
FAST
on Chamber app Just a reminder to members: The Chamber smartphone app offers one-finger access to a handful of mobile functions. We're busier than ever. And often, we remember we need to look something up - a landscaper for much-needed lawn work or a Mexican restaurant's number to make reservations for the weekend - when we're out and about. With the advent of smartphone technology, you can check items off your to-do list right away.
With the Chamber's new smartphone app, you can: • Look up Chamber member businesses and their phone numbers, websites and addresses • Learn about Chamber events/look at the Chamber event calendar • Access the Chamber's social media outlets • Much more! The Chamber is offers its FREE smartphone app on the following platforms: • BlackBerry (available through the Blackberry App World) • Android (available through the Android Market) • iPhone and iPad (available through the iTunes App Store)
Don't hesitate - download your FREE smartphone app today! Is your phone still old school? Here's an easy workaround. Go online to members.titletown.org anytime you want to search our business directory or events. titletown.org for a listing of Chamber events!
“We don’t want to be seen as just a radio station or group of radio stations. We want to be seen as a media company that offers different forms of media -- we have blogs, podcasts, Facebook, video. It’s about being everywhere our listeners are. Not in their faces, but just a gentle reminder that we are here and have all this other stuff to see and experience,” he adds. BBJ october/november 11 | 17
Cloud computing Nancy Barthel TEXT submitted PHOTOGRAPHY
Looking for a way your business can become more dynamic, more secure and flexible, and ultimately more efficient in addressing your business needs?
The beauty of cloud computing is there’s no more guessing what your IT needs are today or may be next month or for that matter next year. If your workforce expands or contracts or your business takes on a new project, cloud computing allows you to quickly bring on the IT services that best fits your business as you need them.
Look no further than “in the cloud.”
For years, the Internet has been referred to in some circles as “the cloud” and Helander says it was even a term used in the 1960s by telephone companies when electronic switching improved service.
The term is short for “cloud computing” and it has marked somewhat of a revolution in IT for today’s businesses. For many, this may be the first you’ve heard of the term. But expect in the months ahead that your business will be positively impacted by something that is actually quite simple in concept yet guaranteed to change the way you’ll do business in the future. “Techies” may be among the few who have already been talking about cloud computing the past couple of years, says Michele Yahr, marketing manager of Skyline Technologies of Green Bay. And as Peter Helander, CEO of Heartland Business Systems of Little Chute, says, plenty of people have never heard the term “cloud computing” and when they do misunderstand what it means. “I think a lot of people think it’s like an appliance or like a thing rather than being a concept,” he says, noting, “There’s a day that rarely goes by that I don’t talk about the cloud.” For over a year now, Skyline Technologies has been doing seminars for clients about cloud computing. “It’s catching on,” Yahr says, adding, “We still have a lot of education to do.” Michele Yahr, marketing manager, Skyline Technologies
Floating in a cloud Your business has probably been in the cloud for a long time now without even realizing it: many e-mail accounts or your smart phone is just two examples of being in the cloud. Yahr offers this simple explanation of cloud computing. “It’s just hosting software and equipment off-site,” she says. Most experts agree that with cloud computing one day you’ll probably start thinking of your IT needs much like you do utilities – you just use what you need and only pay for that.
18 | BBJ October/november 11
Ken Nimmer, an executive account manager with Infinity Technology in Green Bay, says he has many clients already working in the cloud, and some don’t even know it. “Generally speaking,” he explains, “external cloud computing is the offloading of IT resources to a hosting provider to avoid the necessity of having to invest in the infrastructure necessary to deliver the IT services yourself. The IT services can be delivered independent of the user's location, provided a good Internet connection is in place. Everyday examples of this can be hosted email, such as Gmail or Yahoo, and Microsoft Office Live using Microsoft Office over the Internet.” Put simply, cloud computing can be leveraged to reduce overall costs, and the bonus is it improves the delivery of IT services to an organization. “There’s just so many business examples of how you’re using the cloud but don’t realize it,” says Helander. “The use of cloud computing can be beneficial to Ken Nimmer, account manager, Infinity Technology many businesses,” Nimmer says, “but especially the small-to-medium business where sharing of resources is necessary to reduce costs while obtaining access to quality products and services. The sharing of resources over the Internet frees up capital that would otherwise be tied up in hardware and staffing required to support an underutilized internal infrastructure.” The changing face of IT Helander says businesses are moving into a “consumption model” as they think about their IT needs. “It’s going to change computing in a number of ways,” he continues. As cloud computing becomes more a part of doing business in Northeast Wisconsin, Helander says IT
directors will do less maintaining of equipment and instead shift their focus to developing applications and services that add value to their business. Cloud computing can also help businesses better understand the information they already have about customers. With the right software “data mining” can help a business cull specific information from data perhaps years old in order to move the business forward today. Data mining takes away some of the guesswork every business hopes to avoid. There’s an “incredible revolution” going on in the IT world right now, says Helander. “It’s going to restructure the way businesses do business,” he said. “Business functionality” is where cloud computing can help every business, continues Helander. As an example, he spoke about a business that purchased an accounting program and the infrastructure that was required to run that program. But what if that program became too small to meet the client’s needs or perhaps didn’t have the features that best met a business’ needs? The business would be faced with hard financial decisions. “When you move these kinds of activities to the web you’re just buying that time and you can budget for it,” Helander says. And every time you spend less on infrastructure, that means more money can be spent on other things. Being in the cloud is cost effective. Skyline Technologies explains cloud computing this way to clients: The cloud is basically storing data or software off premises. Generally, a company would buy space on a server somewhere and all of their information is stored there. The benefits are that they do not have to buy or maintain a server of their own, there is little to no downtime and it's very secure. Software can also be deployed in the cloud. For example, this is what Office 365 is. A company buys what it needs but it doesn’t need to install the software on each machine in the organization because it's all hosted in the cloud. All updates and patches are automatically deployed and if you add staff you just add more machines. You pay for what you use so your licensing is never out of date.
public cloud,” says Nimmer. “A well designed infrastructure by your chosen partner will deliver optimal uptime and a secure computing environment to help ensure industry regulations are being met. Your chosen partner must be a trusted partner who is financially strong and has strong client relations.” Infinity Technology has offered cloud computing solutions for years now, helping clients integrate the concept into their environments. Examples of different offerings or integration efforts Infinity Technology has provided to clients has included email firewall and SPAM filtering services, email hosting, virtualized server hosting, website and e-commerce hosting, managed IT services, and most recently, video conferencing. “All of these offerings help our clients achieve their goals of being more dynamic, secure, flexible, and efficient in addressing their business needs,” says Nimmer. Just in time IT Cloud computing offers a paradigm shift in the world of computing. Rather than focusing on infrastructure, think about service and how your business’ needs can be met by going in the cloud. You can purchase what you need when you need it and thus avoid the unnecessary investments. Cloud computing is flexible, accommodating and powerful. Skyline Technologies, Infinity Technology and Heartland Business Systems, are in the business of developing new applications in the cloud and customizing software to meet the needs of clients. “It gives us a lot of flexibility,” says Yahr. “It gives our customers options.” When a business owner weighs the cost of buying a server and paying someone to maintain it, it’s pretty easy to justify exploring what going in the cloud can do for that business, she says. “How people spend their IT dollars is going to change over the next few years,” concludes Helander. More specifically, “They need to look at how technology influences their top line revenue growth.”
To be frank, says Helander, IT staffs are shrinking. Seventy to 80 percent of what they have traditionally done is maintenance or transactional services – the rest, he says, was innovation. “And it should be opposite, and the cloud allows you to do that,” he adds. More and more businesses are also outsourcing their IT needs and thus their labor and other costs associated with doing business are reduced. In the end, with cloud computing a business can have greater flexibility in the way it does business because it can add and subtract applications and services without extensive pre-planning, says Helander. “With cloud computing it’s important to choose a partner that has a well designed network to ensure proper delivery of services via the
Peter Heland, CEO, Heartland Business Systems BBJ october/november 11 | 19
Put your head in the
clouds Nancy Barthel TEXT Dana Jacobson PHOTOGRAPHY
Cloud computing can make your business more cost-effective and more efficient. But what’s probably most important is the “business functionality” it can bring to your business. More easily reaping the data you need today to better do business tomorrow is what doing business in the cloud offers to all businesses – small to large. By focusing less on the infrastructure of technology and more on what IT applications and services are available to you today in the cloud, you may just find your old business doing new tricks. Michele Yahr, marketing manager with Skyline Technologies, spoke enthusiastically about how Skyline partnered with the Appleton School District on a community project that allowed the school district to post hundreds upon hundreds of pictures of artwork on The Trout Museum of Art website. Going in the cloud allowed Skyline to develop an application that was fast and offered the necessary high resolution. Without working in the cloud, Yahr says the project would have been a tedious, painstaking endeavor. The advantage of working in the cloud is that technology companies like Skyline Technologies can provide hosting services for you. “We can take care of all that,” she says.
Becky Murphy, marketing manager at Romo Durable Graphics Inc. in De Pere, says cloud computing has made her job easier. Working with Infinity Technology, last summer Romo installed Engage CMS, a website content manager that gives Murphy the ability to quickly make changes and add content to the company website. What used to take perhaps two to five minutes to upload copy or pictures onto the website now happens instantaneously. That goes for company blogs, Facebook and Twitter as well. All this helps keep Romo Durable Graphics relevant and up-to-date in customers’ minds. “It’s a lot easier (using Engage CMS) because we have a one-person IT department, and her main focus is software,” says Murphy.
“Where I tend to find it makes the most sense is when a company has multiple locations." - Ken Nimmer, executive account manager, Infinity Technology
The Green Bay Packers are one of those businesses. Yahr says the Packers are now using Azure, a development tool for the cloud, to build an application for the team. “Where I tend to find it (working in the cloud) makes the most sense is when a company has multiple locations,” says Ken Nimmer, an executive account manager at Infinity Technology in Green Bay. Many businesses with two or more locations have servers at each of these locations. It may make more sense to “buy into the cloud,” he says. He talks about a specific client who has four salon locations in the state and had IT costs “going through the roof.” The business also didn’t have appropriate backup. By going in the cloud, Infinity Technology was able to develop appropriate software installed at each location, over different weekends, so there was no downtime for the
20 | BBJ october/november 11
business. All appointments also go through a centralized call center, and no longer does each location need an IT support person: Infinity Technology provides the support. What had been IT expenditures in the tens of thousands of dollars each year has been dramatically cut, says Nimmer.
The Konop Companies in Green Bay is in the midst of a business revolution as it focuses on business functionality. A lot has changed in the 65 years since Louis Konop started the business with the purchase of a route of 120 penny peanut machines. Since then, this family-owned, locally operated organization has grown to be one of the largest independently owned vending and food service companies in Wisconsin.
“Our industry is evolving finally,” says Tom Konop, president of The Konop Companies. A client of Heartland Business Systems in Little Chute, The Konop Companies has gone in the cloud as it strives to improve efficiency and better offer the vending products customers want. And just how is it doing that? The Konop Companies is rolling out vending machines that use remote monitoring to tell the home office in nearly real-time what items customers are purchasing. “What that allows us to do is make sure we’re maintaining that machine to its maximum,” says Konop.
That also means that when a delivery person arrives at a location to fill the machine, that person knows what product to bring. As a result, The Konop Companies is evolving its business from a static scheduling system to a “dynamic schedule” of deliveries, Konop says. In the end, the result is greater efficiency for the business that will also reduce its carbon footprint, he says. Konop estimated that 20 percent of the business’ routes already have the new remote monitoring technology. The success of that advancement means The Konop Companies is now revolutionizing the way its warehouse operates. It’s been a major and exciting project for the business, both Konop and his sister Mary Borley agree. She is secretary/treasurer of The Konop Companies. The complete project, which has taken about four years so far, has required “a significant expenditure,” Konop says. But with the right technology in place, the goal is that when a truck leaves the warehouse it’s loaded with exactly what the customer wants, and when that truck returns, it comes back empty. Tom Konop and Mary Borley estimate about 20 percent of The Konop Companies’ business now uses its new remote monitoring technology, revolutionizing the way the warehouse operates.
Make sure your insurance plan includes Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Children’s Hospital is a leader in caring for kids in the United States. We make it easy for families to get to hospital and clinic services. We serve patients with simple and complex needs. Milwaukee • Neenah chw.org
110215
BBJ october/november 11 | 21
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT TEXT Diane roundy, director of business development, SCHENCK
Grass-roots
Marketing:
hello.
Teaming up for better results
As the economy is showing signs of recovery, business owners are rethinking/updating their business strategies and increasing their investment in marketing dollars. As you are walking through this process, one significant area to pay great attention to is your employee group. It is time to “light the fire” under staff and positively motivate them to help you market. Over the past two years, many businesses tightened their belts significantly to reduce costs. These tough times caused low morale among the employee group. Some employees felt insecure, worried about losing their jobs and became very conservative. You may not be at a point to significantly increase your marketing budget, but by rallying the troops, you can increase your momentum significantly. Involve your employees, welcome their new ideas and allow them to own “it,” whatever “it” may be. This strategy is called employee-based grass-roots marketing. It won’t cost you a bundle and when done correctly, you will experience increased results. Grass-roots marketing in its simplest definition is a cost-effective way to market your company, organization, products or services on a local and personal level. It is getting all employees engaged to assist you in stretching your marketing dollars. Below are a few grass-roots ideas for marketing your business. General • Marketing is not a department! Every employee, even during their non-working time, is a marketer for your business. What are your employees saying? They can help you promote your business. “You are open for business and ready to serve.” Are all employees delivering this message? • Conduct a “touchpoint” audit – what/where/when are all the touchpoints of contact your company has with customers and potential customers – website, receptionist, invoices, emails, advertising, telephone system, placing an online order, estimating, making an appointment, etc. Make sure these experiences are what you want them to be. • Service strategies. Set and follow client service standards. These should include specific expectations including changing voicemails daily, returning calls within 24 hours, etc. What is “your” 22 | BBJ october/november 11
•
way? Do your team members know it? Pay attention to details. What impression are you giving? Are your trucks dirty? Is your shirt rumpled? Walk into your store/ office/place of business with the eyes of a potential customer. What do you see? Chipped paint, dirty carpet, dusty plants, a clerk or receptionist without a smile? Will you handle my business affairs in the same manner? Make your place of business look like GOLD: a “Grand Opening Look Daily.”
Personal marketing • It takes seven “touches” before someone will consider doing business with you. If you embrace this theory, you will not get frustrated after touch number three. • Develop a 10-second elevator speech that all employees know and are comfortable repeating. Are they all saying the same thing? • Help your employees develop a personal marketing plan. What role can each play based on his or her responsibilities? • Voicemail. Do you or your team members sound tired or disinterested? • Everyone likes to be recognized. Use Google Search on your top clients and recognize their accomplishments verbally or in writing. Clip an article pertaining to a client’s business and send it with a note of congratulations. Networking • Use your name and company name on name tags and when introduced. Wear your name tag on the right hand side of your shirt. • When networking, don’t monopolize someone’s time. Ask for permission to follow up. Once you receive permission, it’s marketing time! • Business cards – a basic concept, but are your employees carrying their cards with them? • At meetings and gatherings, meet as many people as possible. Team up with a buddy. Call a customer or referral source to meet you and work the room together – you can both make introductions.
Client service • Expand your relationship with current customers. It costs less to expand an existing relationship than to bring in a new customer. Take the time for strategic meetings with your top customers – make sure you are servicing them with everything you’ve got. • Make sure clients know your capabilities. How can you educate... signature lines, letterhead, invoices. • Quarterly updates. Review your customers’ needs at least quarterly. Don’t wait until they call you. Technology & social media • Social media is here to stay. If you’re not there yet, you should at least be monitoring what the public is saying about you and your business. For B2B companies, become “fans” of your customers’ Facebook pages, read their blogs, sign up to receive their newsletters. • Have a professionally designed website and keep it up-to-date. Pay attention to your search engine rankings for key terms potential customers may use. Consider updating your website so it's viewable on mobile devices. • Consider starting a blog. Blogs are a powerful platform for demonstrating thought leadership and driving customers and potential customers to your website. Your email signature is your electronic business card. Does it have all of the appropriate information for easy contact? Are your employees’ signature lines up-to-date and standardized? Include links to your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, blog, etc. A few additional ideas • Promote your knowledge through writing (guest columnist), speaking, blogging and participating in trade shows. • Ask three of your best clients for testimonials about your services. Use them on your website, in proposals and in other marketing pieces. • Consider the “boomerang” effect. How can you get customers back in the door? Use couponing and specials to encourage customers to return. • Leads. Ask for leads from your current customers. “This is a shot in the dark, but do you know anyone who's considering building a house?” • Take advantage of free publicity. There are many reasons to write a press release. Develop your media/key influencers distribution list for publicity and keep it up-to-date. • Team up with another business with a similar target market and work together to promote your capabilities. • Patronize your customers. Use your customers’ services and products and let them know you are doing so. • Lost proposal or sale. Conduct an interview to learn how you can improve. Ask advice; don’t try to pressure the decision-maker.
Year-end payroll and planning webinar Please join us for a year-end tax planning webinar to discuss a range of payroll and retirement plan topics surrounding the revised regulations for 2012. Date: Thursday, November 17, 2011 Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Cost: Complimentary To register, visit www.bakertilly.com/payrollwebinar
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Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you and your employees can be marketing! These grass-roots ideas are designed to be easy to implement, and many can be accomplished with little or no cost. There are many more ideas where these came from. Just ask your employees for more.
Diane Roundy is the director of business development at Schenck located at 2200 Riverside Dr., Green Bay. For more information, visit www.schencksc.com.
Contact Michael: (920) 438-0507 Corner of Main and Monroe • Downtown Green Bay (920) 435-5353 • www.cccp.com BBJ october/november 11 | 23
MEET A MEMBER TEXT KAREN SALENGA JELLAL
Jeff Weber
Senior software engineer, Skyline Technologies Describe what a typical day is like for you at Skyline Technologies. “Skyline is a technology consultant firm, so we work with companies that need help writing applications, creating databases or building applications using Microsoft technologies.” The nature of the work itself can safely be called a techie’s dream. After six years on the job, Jeff still finds himself looking forward to the everyday challenges of the industry. “I spend most of my time solving problems, both on the large scale – like application architecture and figuring out what tools we’ll use – and small scale such as writing code and developing algorithms.” What got you started in this field of work? “I had originally planned on going into a career in theoretical physics. I went to school for a bachelor’s in mathematics and then in enrolled in the physics program at Michigan State.” Jeff eventually transitioned into the software development industry and found that it was the perfect fit. “I took some time off, and that’s when I saw that the software development industry was very hot and had a lot of job opportunities. It was fairly easy to get into it because I enjoy this kind of thing and my mind works well with it.” What is your passion? “Game development. I’m not a big gamer, but I enjoy the creative process and the freedom to build something the way I want to build it. Having control of the creative aspects of it is really important to me.” If you could give the world one piece of advice, what would it be? “Be curious. I think if we as a society remain curious for curiosity’s sake, then good things will just naturally flow.” Playlist favorites Podcasts represent the epitome of knowledge and entertainment rolled into one downloadable (and portable!) phenomenon – one which Jeff can attest to. To keep himself in the loop of all things techie, Jeff spends his time listening to This Week in Windows, a podcast about Microsoft technologies, as well as The Indie Game Developer podcast. Another frequent on his playlist is the cult favorite Gillmor Gang, a segment focused on what’s hot in technology and social media. What would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? “The most recent game I developed was Krashlander. I consider it a great accomplishment because I was on a deadline for Windows Phone 7. I built it completely in my spare time without taking away from my family – and I completed it successfully!” What cause do you feel strongly about? “We should continue to pursue scientific endeavors for the sake of knowledge rather than having a specific need or requirement. It would be worthwhile for society to continue to tie in and understand the world around us. It will have a lot of residual playback.” What movie do you find most inspiring? “‘Gattaca.’” It’s a sci-fi movie set in the future, and everyone is predisposed by their genetics to a certain career and path of life. The movie is basically about a guy who beats the system. He wants to become an astronaut and proves that although his genetic makeup said differently, his sheer will and dedication got him what he wanted.”
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TEXT KAREN SALENGA JELLAL
Jessica Stini
Senior recruiter, Heartland Business Systems What is your favorite part of your job, and in what ways do you feel your positions suits your personality? “My favorite part of my job is being able to talk with interesting people every day. I also enjoy making an impact on the business. I realize a company cannot grow without the best and brightest talent. On the other side, it feels great to be able to help someone find a new job that really suits them. It’s the best of both worlds, making an impact on the business and helping others.” “There really is no typical day at Heartland. I use a lot of means to find the talent we need – systems engineers, network engineers and others – and connect those spots with the right candidates. It fits my personality because I am really passionate about technology. In recruiting, you have to have a lot of energy and you have to be someone who doesn’t give up easily. I think it really fits me.” What traditions did your family have growing up? “I grew up in Berlin, and my family and I would go to Pearl Lake in Redgranite just about every sunny day in the summer. Also, my mom and I are really big on the holidays. Really big! We start listening to our Christmas music in August, which I know is a little crazy. We go shopping on Black Friday and those sorts of things. I love that it is the season of giving.” If you were offered the job as president of the United States, would you take it? “I would need to first review the job description, and if I meet the minimum hiring criteria, absolutely, I would definitely offer my recruiting expertise to Obama if he asked.” Describe yourself in three words. “Passionate, loyal and motivated.” What is the last book you read that you would recommend to anyone? “Eat, Pray, Love. One of my previous bosses recommended it. It’s really interesting to read about someone’s personal and professional journey, and I think it would speak to a wide audience of people. The biggest thing I took from it is that everyone is on their own personal journey, so you don’t really have to fit into any particular mold.” Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “I’d like to be in a position where I have an even higher impact on the business, maybe more of an HR business partner-type of role. Ideally I would like to mentor others and help them grow.” What is your favorite hang-out spot in Green Bay? “In the summer I enjoy being on the water, going go-karting, mini-golfing and riding the Zippin Pippin at Bay Beach. Margarita’s is one of my favorite restaurants in GB. I also enjoy going to The Bar, Buffalo Wild Wings and Titletown Brewing Company to watch the Packers games.” Do you feel failure is something that hinders you or helps you? “I think it’s really a double-edged sword. Failure can break down someone’s confidence and make them gun-shy to try something new. However, as I also know from experience, in the long run it really helps you grow personally and professionally. Regardless of the situation, though, it’s important to take something positive out of everything that happens.”
BBJ october/november 11 | 25
BOOK REVIEW REVIEWED BY Jeanette jacqmin, BROWN COUNTY LIBRARY
UNMARKETING “Traditional marketing methods are leading to diminishing returns and disaffected customers.”
The answer? Stop marketing. Start “unmarketing.” AUTHOR Scott Stratten
PUBLISHER New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010
In 56 short chapters (some fewer than two pages long and easily read on your coffee break), marketing expert Scott Stratten shows how to harness the power of 21st century social media to connect with people who may very well become your very best customers. Social media, according to Stratten, isn’t “media” at all, but an opportunity to have an online conversation with two or more people, whether customers, colleagues or anyone at all who joins your conversation. To be successful, you can’t just push ads at people; you have to build up your social currency. Here are some of his ideas: • •
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Engage with your potential customers by developing a trusting relationship with them. Set yourself up as an expert in your field of business. You don’t have to be the top expert. You do have to provide your customers/clients helpful information for free, so that they think of you when they have a need. You will already be familiar, trusted and knowledgeable. Provide free information and demonstrate your expertise by writing a piece that provides ideas to solve a problem or need. Pose a question and then list 10 ideas to deal with it. Stratten demonstrates how to get that information out there. It could be by giving contacts an opportunity to sign up for your free online newsletter or directing them to the information on your blog.
Chapter 10 gives a concise comparison of the main players in social media: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, listing the common terms used, and the pros and the cons for using each. Because there are so many choices beyond these three, Stratten explains how to develop a social media platform—choosing one place where people can find you and then presenting your best “show” at that spot. The goal is to develop what he calls traction, momentum and expansion. In “How Twitter Changed My Business” he describes five things that worked really well for him: tweeting constantly, paying attention to 26 | BBJ October/november 11
quality and providing useful information and ideas to people, writing the ideas in a size that allowed people to re-tweet (share with their followers) the posts efficiently, remaining authentic and using a face picture. Face pictures allow you to immediately “recognize” a tweeter online, and should you meet them in person, it is more like meeting a friend than someone you have never seen before. He emphasizes that it is not the first tweet that is important; it is continuing the conversation. He tells many stories both good and bad about other companies— Tassimo, Naked Pizza, Rockport, to name three, often speaking of situations he encountered personally. While offering a wealth of experience and ideas, Stratten is continually stressing the need to be authentic, to stay engaged and not to automate responses to your followers. Other topics covered in “Unmarketing” include the value of teleseminars and telesummits, presenting ideas using viral marketing, undercover unmarketing and trade shows. The chapter on undercover unmarketing contains some good tips on engaging with a customer in person using his “pull and stay” approach as well as suggestions for techniques to bring that person back into the store again. One final caveat, if you do decide to try something like viral marketing, produce a funny, engaging video and post it on the web and be prepared for success. Stratten wasn’t prepared the first time around. He broke the delivery system, lost subscribers and was unable to keep up with the demand. Fortunately, he shares all this with the reader and explains how to do things the right way.
U.S.P.S. STATEMENT STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION OF THE BBJ
Additional titles on social media for business available at the Brown County Library
n The Complete Idiots Guide to Social Media Marketing Jennifer Abernethy Alpha Books, c. 2010 n Facebook Marketing: Designing Your Next Marketing Campaign Justin R. Levy Que, c. 2010 n Social Media for Business: 101 Ways to Grow Your Business Without Wasting Your Time Susan Sweeney Maximum Press, c. 2011 n The Social Media Marketing Book Dan Zarrella O’Reilly Media, c. 2010 n Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business Erik Qualman Wiley, c. 2009 n The Zen of Social Media Marketing Shama Hyder Kabani Benbella, c. 2010
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on Chamber app Don't hesitate - download your FREE smartphone app today! Is your phone still old school? Here's an easy workaround. Go online to members.titletown.org anytime you want to search our business directory or events. titletown.org for a listing of Chamber events!
BBJ october/november 11 | 27
CHAMBER NEWS
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From left to right - Ann Ross, Globe University; Kathryn Graham, executive director, Alpha Senior Concepts; Jean Howard, owner, Alpha Senior Concepts; Scott & Teri Fleaschel, owners, Alpha Senior Concepts; Jim Mayefske, Green Bay Insurance Center; Al Jamir, Camera Corner Connecting Point; and Stephanie Nies, Big Apple Preschool & Day Care Center celebrate Alpha Senior Concepts' ribbon cutting.
Dr. R. Susan Hensley, ProCare Chiropractic and Chamber ambassador, Mayor Jim Schmitt and Andre Jacques, State Representative at 2nd Assembly District of Wisconsin enjoy the Business After Hours at Lindeman’s Cleaning on Thursday, Sept. 22.
Breakthrough Fuel celebrated a ribbon cutting at its new location at 400 S. Washington St. Pictured are (left to right): Joleen Allard, Green Bay Area Newcomers & Neighbors; Dr. Susan Hensley, ProCare Chiropractic; Al Jamir, Camera Corner Connecting Point; Paul Belschner, Smet Construction Services; Bob Weyers, Commercial Horizons; Jeff Mirkes, Downtown Green Bay Incorporated; Andrew Shallow, Associated Bank; Craig Dickman, Breakthrough Fuel, LLC; Doug Mueller, Breakthrough Fuel, LLC; Fred Monique, GBACC; Mayor Jim Schmitt, City of Green Bay; Jacqueline Smith, Airport Settle Inn, Inc./ Extended Stay Airport; Lisa Zeise, ITT Technical Institute; David Stauffacher, Strategic Management Associates; Dan Terrien; Woodward Radio Group.
Current hosted “Things to do in Green Bay” to a great turnout of 80+ people on Aug. 25. Here, Denise Humphrey, convention sales manager, Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, presents. Other presenters from the Convention and Visitors Bureau not pictured: Brad Toll, president/CEO and Jessica Diederich, director of partnerships and business development.
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On Aug. 25, Jim’s Music hosted a ribbon cutting at its Military Avenue store. Ambassadors present include: Jacqueline Smith, Airport Settle Inn; Sue May, Heartland Business Systems/ Avastone Technologies; Dave Racine, Yang Insurance Agency, LLC and Nancy Steffel, The School That Comes To You. Jim’s Music staff, from left to right: Kurt Wiedemann, Mark Steenis, Cathy Baumann, Mark Paulick (holding guitar), Adam Cain, Jim Dombrowski, E.J. Dombrowski.
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On Saturday, Aug. 27, the new Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center celebrated with a ribbon cutting. Pictured are Majors Robert and Nancy Thomson, Divisional Commanders for the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan division of The Salvation Army.
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GO TO www.titletown.org FOR THE LATEST UPDATES IN CHAMBER NEWS AND EVENTS
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