05/ 30/ 2007
Meet the 10 finalists for the Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence in Customer Service Award. These finalists were selected because of their spirit of innovation by an award panel from the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management. They stood out in how they apply information technology in their business practices to improve the customer experience.
Technology has catapulted small business into the global marketplace. It allows a small business to look like a big one without losing that special touch. Read on to learn a little more about the finalists and to see if any of their ideas would work for your business.
EnerGov Solutions
What they do: Provide land-management applications and support for building and code-enforcement departments.
Web site: www.energov.com
Headquarters: Duluth, Ga.
Number of years in business: 5
Number of employees: 12
How they use technology to serve their customers: With technology, EnerGov can reach a wide range of government municipalities across the country and can produce immediate results, helping government officials and employees efficiently issue permits, carry out inspections or submit complaints.
Greenling.com Inc.
What they do: Offer organic groceries and delivery service to the Austin, Texas, area.
Web site: www.greenling.com
Headquarters: Austin, Texas
Number of years in business: 2
Number of employees: 12
How they use technology to serve their customers: Greenling's customers can set up online accounts and complete all of their grocery shopping at home with the company's online ordering, inventory management and fulfillment solution. This technology results in lower inventory turnover, fresh products and the ability to handle multiple vendors and smaller quantities.
Mastery/MBC Consultants Inc.
What they do: Provide consulting services to dental practices, helping them become more effective owners, leaders and managers in the dental industry.
Web site: www.masteryofpractice.com
Headquarters: Ashland, Ore.
Number of years in business: 23
Number of employees: 1 full-time; 1 part-time
How they use technology to serve their customers: Mastery is a virtual consulting company that provides services through Web sites, e-mail, Webinars, shared calendars, individual coaching calls, group conference calls, CDs and MP3s. Each client has an individual Web page with access to all the reading materials, spreadsheets, surveys and handbooks needed to improve business practices—without time and money lost to travel expenses.
Medkinetics, LLC
What they do: Help physicians, hospitals and other medical facilities automate processes, improve patient safety and reduce risk with software for credentialing, hospital privileging and peer-review management.
Web site: www.medkinetics.com
Headquarters: Franklin, Tenn.
Number of years in business: 6
Number of employees: 12
How they use technology to serve their customers: Medkinetics' Internet-based system provides a means for medical facilities to manage the privileges of doctors. With this technology, hospitals can easily keep track of which procedures physicians are certified to perform, and they can update privileging as quickly as possible from anywhere that Internet access is available, keeping patients under the best care possible.
ParkingCarma Inc.
What they do: Allow customers to locate and obtain a virtual permit for parking through cell phones, the Internet or on-board navigation systems. By managing the parking transaction, traffic congestion is eased and environmental impacts of the automobile are lessened.
Web site: www.parkingcarma.com
Headquarters: Flint, Mich.
Number of years in business: 3
Number of employees: 5
How they use technology to serve their customers: The ParkingCarma technology uses wireless sensors that relay traffic count and parking availability to wireless access points. That information is uploaded to a Web site in real time for customers.
Pro Image Installers Inc.
What they do: Offer nationwide installation of retail-store fixtures, graphics, furniture and displays as well as project-management services, roll-outs, remodels and site surveys. The company has 90 installation teams located throughout the country and projects under way 24/7, making data sharing and communication critical to their success.
Web site: www.proimageinstallers.com
Headquarters: Navarre, Fla.
Number of years in business: 9
Number of employees: 15
How they use technology to serve their customers: With the only integrated system in the retail fixture and graphics installation industry, the company uses an FTP server, project data folders, an online database and more to keep customers updated on the progress of their products while allowing them to voice concerns.
Quality Medical Imaging
What they do: Perform digital medical services specifically for patients receiving treatment in their homes or an assisted-living facility.
Web site: www.qualitymedicalimaging.com
Headquarters: Las Vegas
Number of years in business: 5
Number of employees: 20
How they use technology to serve their customers: QMI has developed an in-house Web-based radiology information system as well as a picture archiving system, which allow physicians and caregivers to access their patients' medical information during house calls, reducing time spent on treatment by almost 50 percent. Technology also allows QMI to expand its business efficiently by more than 30 percent per year.
RealSource LLC
What they do: Provide transaction management and support services for real-estate transactions, from contract to close.
Web site: www.yourrealsource.com
Headquarters: Alabaster, Ala.
Number of years in business: 2.25
Number of employees: 5
How they use technology to serve their customers: With in-house, Web-based technology, RealSource provides a “high-tech with high-touch” experience that moves houses to closing without the hassles of time-consuming paperwork, giving the company an advantage in the field.
The Seed Day Care Center Inc.
What they do: Provide a safe, caring and enriching learning environment for students.
Web site: www.theseeddaycare.com
Headquarters: Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Number of years in business: 27
Number of employees: 25
How they use technology to serve their customers: Students use computers and laptops to learn through interactive lesson plans and age-appropriate e-mail access. Wireless Internet access is also available throughout the school, so teachers can easily communicate with each other without leaving their classrooms. In addition, each parent has a pin number they enter into a computer before entering the building with a child.
Symmetry Software
What they do: Specialize in payroll-related withholding tax software applications for online and corporate in-house use.
Web site: www.symmetry.com
Headquarters: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Number of years in business: 23
Number of employees: 6
How they use technology to serve their customers: Symmetry Software creates cutting-edge software applications that provide solutions for payroll and human-resources departments, increasing departmental efficiency and overall employee satisfaction with the payroll process. The company's technology allows clients instant access to services 24/7.
Look for a profile on the winner in the August/September issue of MyBusiness magazine.
