In 2001, three veteran IT experts began providing small business clients with technology leadership, IT support and solutions, and a partnership mindset. Not only surviving, but prospering during a decade of intense technology and economic changes is a great accomplishment. How Invision’s founding partners have managed to keep three business visions on the same page over the years is perhaps a greater achievement. Tim Blakley, Chris Brandow and Keith Powell are proof that even though two is company, three’s not a crowd. It’s a better company.
Blakley, Brandow and Powell have seen their share of technology changes over the past decade. Today, more companies outsource troubleshooting and IT management, whereas back in 2001, employing a full-time IT staff member was the norm. One reason for the shift is that the hardware manufacturing process has improved tremendously, allowing the time once spent on maintaining hardware to now be devoted to implementing and upgrading software. With maintenance less of an issue, Invision’s technicians help customers develop and apply an IT strategy that enriches their businesses. It’s a shift from reactive to proactive.
“Invision brings level one, two and three tech support to small businesses with one to 100-plus users, but our customers fall mostly in the 15 to 30 employees range. A business that size requires IT support to keep systems up and running, but they’re also in a prime position to benefit from our real-world experience with other firms. We suggest how to put today’s technology to work for them without reinventing the wheel,” explains Blakley.
Keeping pace with technology is challenging enough. How do three business partners with three different personalities manage to agree on a business strategy? It certainly helps that Blakley, Brandow and Powell share a belief that learning the fundamentals requires hands-on training. Invision only hires technicians with five or more years of experience under their belt, which they feel is sufficient time to master the basics.
“Bringing in our technicians is a huge cost savings measure. The more time on the job, the quicker they solve problems and implement solutions. By nature, there’s a higher level of maturity involved, translating into relaxed, confident communication with our clients. The benefit for us is that we have a highly capable, self-reliant team,” states Brandow.
Although Blakley has a background in small business, Brandow on the technical side and Powell in sales, the three have never disagreed about where to lead Invision or pigeon holed one another into management, finance or sales roles. All three are out there talking to customers every day about how IT impacts all business aspects.
“In the field, we see what works and what doesn’t. Strategy and grand plans come easy when we all see the same things. As with any partnership, compromise is key. Having three partners in the mix can slow down the decision process, but it also ensures we’ve chosen the strongest option,” explains Blakley.
Traditionally, a tenth anniversary is a time to evaluate a partnership’s strength and commitment going forward. Invision’s partners hesitate to predict the future of technology. But current trends indicate an increased level of remote access leading to greater efficiency. Better remote access will allow the workforce to be more mobile, requiring more support for iPads, phones and other connectivity devices.
“Like any business, we have to respond to market demand and reflect that in our sales approach. However, one of the reasons we’ve been successful is that we stay very flexible, yet tend to steer away from the buzz technology of the moment. Right now it’s Cloud. Next year it’ll be something different,” states Powell.
Regardless of what technology and the economy bring, Invision’s partners depend on their similar personalities and shared goals to lead the company into the next decade. By continuing to work with customers on a daily basis, hire the most experienced IT experts and maintain an environment where all staff is capable of triaging customer issues, Invision’s partners distinguish the company from the crowd, and it is better for it.
For more information about Invision, visit www.invisionkc.com.
About Invision
Clients rely on Invision to maintain the health of their computers and their business. Invision’s tech support experts are diagnosticians of computer problems. And, like good physicians, they believe in preventative care. That’s why Invision carefully assesses a business and its technology needs for better resource management and less down time for their clients.
Invision offers a broad range of networking, security, programming and web development services. The company’s approach emphasizes communication between its technical experts and client companies’ staff. Invision experts are senior level engineers who have experience in all aspects of network engineering and PC support. Whether it’s technology strategy, management of a network or simply supporting the desktop, Invision’s experts have the experience to take on any project.