Attracting and Keeping the Best and Brightest Employees in 2019

Our leadership team just got back from our 2019 planning meeting, where we collaborated across departments, listened to ideas, and came up with initiatives for the coming year.  And one thing that was a common (and resounding) theme, was the employee experience. We talked about what it is, how to make it better, and how it will affect our business.

Being customer-focused has always been a part of who we are as a business.  Being responsive, providing the best customer service, and solving our customers’ problems is extremely important to us.  We also strive to put processes in place to help us be more organized and our customers be more proactive about problems that might arise.  Technology can be intimidating and overwhelming, and we want to help overcome that. We tweak our processes when necessary, but we know if we set customer expectations correctly and keep the lines of communication open, chances are, we will have happy customers in the end.  

And without customers, you don’t have a business.  But what happens when you apply your focus to your employees?  This starts with traditional benefits, but doesn’t end there. We run a lean company, but from the start we decided to offer full health, dental, and vision benefits to our employees, because it’s our belief that if our employees are worried about their health, how can we ask them to put their focus and energy into their work.

But even though we offer these benefits, we still have work to do with the experience we are offering employees.  You might be asking, “Isn’t that enough?” Nope. In fact, many of the things we discussed in the leadership meeting were simple and cost little money, and would have a significant impact on how our employees feel about coming to work every day. And we know that satisfied employees provide the best customer experience.  At the leadership meeting, we heard terms like, health initiatives, work-life balance, and physical work environment.

Work Environment

From nap rooms to ping pong tables, you can spend a good amount of money on your office to make it a great environment for your employees.  But most of the time, it isn’t even the big things you have to focus on. We realized that our flickering fluorescent lights were pretty much sucking the life out of the space.  Our walls are an off-white that desperately need repainted. You spend more time at your workplace than your home most of the time, so we want to make it a comfortable, inviting, and energetic workplace.

The other thing we noticed: for a tech company, we were like the shoemaker without shoes. We’ve since cleaned up our office technology, which has made our office look more organized.  We have cord management, we have a dedicated huddle space and conference room with proper AV technology, and we have awesome collaboration software that we use to connect our remote workers.  We’re learning that when you take pride in your office, it resonates with employees and creates a sense of pride for the company they work for.

A recent survey done by Continental Office showed that 85% of workers want a collaborative work environment.  What are you doing to facilitate that collaboration in your office? If your employees are tripping over cords and wires in the office, or if they’re finding it hard to collaborate, share content, or are using outdated technology, it might be time to invest in your office.  The employee experience starts with a space that is organized and facilitates work.

Health Initiatives

Another thing that came up in our employee experience conversation was health initiatives.  We talked about offering free, healthy snacks in the break room. A small cost that would keep our employees nourished and energized and encourage healthy eating.  We are also making plans to incentivize exercise, whether that means signing up for a race, participating in a company yoga class, or holding “walking” company meetings at an area park.  All of these ideas take time and a little planning, but very little money.

Work Life Balance

This is important.  One thing we know: Millennials are entering the workforce and care more about work life balance than they do about other benefits.  This is a difficult problem to solve when technology makes everyone available 24/7, even if you don’t want to be. Giving employees the ability to “disconnect” can be a huge relief to them, even if that means holding that email in your drafts folder until Monday instead of sending out email blasts on Sunday night.

So why do all of this? How will this impact our business? We’re doing it because we hope to accomplish the two R’s: Recruitment and Retention.  We want to be a competitive employer in the market and attract the best and brightest to come work for us. We want our current employees to love where they work and stay loyal.  And most importantly, we want a great team of people that can serve our customers’ needs better, more efficiently, and with passion and fire to do the work. Bettering the employee experience means bettering the customer experience!

Why Connectivity Matters

Why Connectivity Matters

In this new age of technology, the Internet of Things (or IoT for short… this is just the term used for portable devices that can connect to wireless internet) opens up a world of possibilities for large and small businesses alike. Everyone expects to be connected everywhere they go.  Think about it. The last time you went into a coffee shop, restaurant, retail store, airport… and let’s say you were in a black hole of cell service, and for some reason, the establishment either didn’t have Wifi, or it wasn’t working. You feel lost. Maybe panicked. Connectivity is important to customers now, and will continue to be important as new technologies come on the market.

Most devices that are manufactured today have the capability of connecting to the internet wirelessly and transmitting data that adds tremendous value to consumers and businesses. Whether you are sending transaction data or you’re fulfilling reservations on restaurant service platforms such as OpenTable, internet connectivity has streamlined operations not only for small restaurants and retail stores but also multi-unit brands.

This tells us one thing: new IoT ecosystems can only run at the speed that there is connectivity. Many times, connectivity is an afterthought for operators, only to realize that their wireless infrastructure doesn’t support their needs.  This can mean costly retrofitting and downtime.

More businesses are moving towards creating an environment from the start that will support the use of handhelds and tablets to automate day-to-day tasks.

Starting with Reliable Connectivity

When moving daily manual tasks to a digital workflow, connectivity is the foundation on which these systems are built. This starts with an enterprise-grade infrastructure that will be robust for not only your employees to have access to applications that will make their job easier, but also for your customers as well. This includes your data cabling, firewall/security appliances, and wireless infrastructure.

A reliable and high performing system shouldn’t be installed by just anyone. Having a reliable system where dozens if not hundreds of users are going to be connecting to your network means having professionals that can do a needs assessment and determine if your current infrastructure is adequate. Only then can you assess how much hardware, bandwidth, and ongoing service will be necessary to sustain internet traffic.  Starting with a solid infrastructure is key.

What happens when there is an outage?

Having a reliable network means more than just having a strong signal and enough bandwidth. Outages happen, and if the local area network goes down for whatever reason, you need to have internet backup in order to stay connected.

Whether it is an outage caused by the cable company or your equipment suddenly malfunctions, we know your business can’t afford to have an internet outage. Too many internal processes are tied to cloud connectivity, and this means a real hit to the bottom line if your store loses connectivity.

Downtime is a concern across all business types, but there is no need to worry if you plan correctly by implementing a redundant connectivity system.If connectivity is tightly tied to the bottom line of your business, a 4G failover system is a way to ensure you can sleep well at night.  When in doubt, cellular data saves the day.

Implement the Right Systems Today

Multi-unit restaurant and retail operators want to be working on how they can improve the overall restaurant experience and offer a better product.   Connectivity issues should be the least of their worries.

That’s why it’s important for operators to think seriously when considering connectivity within their locations. How important is reliable connectivity to the overall operations of the business? What will you do in a worst-case scenario when these systems fail?

We help our customers assess their technology needs from the start and plan for growth.  From the first location, to the hundredth location, we are always thinking about strategy and acting as a true technology consultant.  Newgentek takes pride in the fact that we get to know your individual business goals first, before we make recommendations on the technology you need.  We aren’t just an AV company. We aren’t just an IT company. We are a partner every step of the way.

Newgentek Becomes Member of USAV Group

Newgentek has joined USAV Group, a PSA Company, as a member covering Tampa, Florida effective September 1, 2018.  This partnership with USAV allows Newgentek the ability to leverage a network of ProAV integrators with technical expertise throughout the U.S. and Canada.

USAV has requirements for membership, including subscribing, implementing, and supporting USAV best practices for integrators.  The integrators that are awarded membership must have a high level of experience providing AV solutions in an array of different industries from government to corporate enterprise and everything in between.

"Newgentek’s standards and values are very much aligned with the USAV team of integrators", said Chon Nguyen, CEO of Newgentek. USAV integrators take on projects from conception to completion and provide ongoing service and support after a project is complete, making sure the systems continue to work without a hitch.

“We are very excited to join the USAV team of elite ProAV integrators.  We feel this is a fantastic partnership. Newgentek helps fill an open void in the Tampa market, and USAV brings a group of talented, like-minded integrators together to turn complex solutions into positive outcomes for our clients locally and throughout the U.S.,” said Jared Lederhandler, President of Newgentek.

“We are excited to add a quality integrator covering the Tampa, Florida area. Newgentek brings IT and AV experience to the group and a desire to learn from their USAV network peers. Our values aligned nicely making the application process smooth,” said Chris Whitley, President of USAV.

About USAV:

USAV bonds ProAV affiliates into an elite industry team.  With Integrators throughout the U.S. and Canada, partnerships with top ProAV manufacturers and service providers, and alignment with leading industry associations, the USAV advantage is unparalleled.  USAV Integrators provide clients with the benefits of a nationwide network of ProAV specialists and personal relationships with local AV experts.