Building a Winning Team in Business

Last week, PCR Business Systems celebrated the work anniversary of the first employee we hired back in 2006. 13 years ago…it feels like only yesterday, while at the same time it’s crazy to think about how much has changed in the tech industry since then.

A quick search of “technology trends in 2006,” shows results that look like they’ve been pried from inside a time capsule. Hot new technologies at the time included: video on cell phones, video on demand, integrated digital media home entertainment systems, PlayStation 3, and wait for it… Twitter and Facebook (2006 was the year Facebook opened its platform to the public)!

Just imagine what things will be like 13 years from now?

As the owner of a technology solutions company I am surrounded by change. It is my job to stay up-to-date with the latest tech advancements, and to be one step ahead of cyber criminals that grow more sophisticated and more daring each day.

Yet despite working in an ever-evolving industry, one thing that has stayed relatively constant around PCR since we first opened our doors in Akron, Ohio is our team. I’m proud to say that my first hire from 2006 is still with the company today, and as a whole, PCR has had very little staff turnover since day one.

The PCR Team

Over the years I’ve learned a lot when it comes to hiring new employees and building a successful team, and I wanted to share some of these experiences with fellow small business owners looking to bring in new staff for their growing companies.

If you take one thing away from this article, I hope it’s this—the strength of your business lies in your team and their willingness to help one another, buy into your company culture and values, and excel not just for individual accomplishments but for overall team achievement.

The first thing I ask myself when hiring a new team member is “are they good with people?” There’s a misconception that tech workers spend all of their time behind screens and don’t need to be skilled in interpersonal communication.

In the managed IT industry, this just isn’t true. Our employees work directly with our partners, both on the phone and in person. It is imperative that they are easy to talk with and can form trusting relationships with our clients.

Employees must also be able to get along with their fellow co-workers. You simply cannot have any “loners” on staff looking to better themselves before bettering the team. I look for people with a past history of working well in a team environment and only hire people that I believe will fit our company culture.

I also seek out employees who are self-starters with a strong desire to grow both in life and in their careers. Is she able to perform jobs without constant direction or tasks being assigned? Is he determined to improve a process or take on responsibility without being asked to do so first?

First and foremost, NEVER overlook red flags. Past employee problems can and will become your problems eventually. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give someone a second chance, but do your homework and be certain they have resolved any issues that might negatively impact your team or your company.

Another lesson I’ve learned is that when an employee has clearly “checked out” or is becoming a problem, move quickly to get rid of them. Firing someone is not fun— there’s no sugarcoating it. But the longer you wait, the more damage will be done. I have let employees drag things down for too long before finally letting them go. I won’t make this mistake again.

Company volunteer activities- like packing lunches for the Akron Snow Angels Mission- are great team building activities.

Hire people not just because they have the skills and abilities you are looking for, but also because they will fit into your culture. If you’re looking to expand your operation it likely means you’ve had some success already and that you have a small team in place who works well together. You don’t want to bring in new staff who will disrupt the positive “vibe” you have already established.

Specific technical skills can usually be taught, so long as the employee is a self-starter who is willing to take on new challenges and dedicate the time and effort to learn the skills. So as I mentioned previously, make sure a new hire has a strong desire to grow their career.

Another tip, or warning, is to be extremely careful when promoting from within. A great lawyer can’t always run the firm, a great surgeon can’t always run a hospital, and a great technician does not always mean a great manager.

That being said, I always try and promote someone from my team first before bringing in an outside employee. It can be difficult for new hires to come in and adapt to your company culture and immediately grasp how things are done. Your current staff are going to respond much better to someone who already “gets it” rather than someone who tries to do it “their way”.

In addition, be aware of specific technical skills that may be lacking in your hire and put a training plan in place right away to get them to where they need to be.

Finally, remember that people who are not self-starters likely will never be. They may do great in a position that requires them to do a specific task (like answering phones), but they are unlikely to excel at an expanded role that requires them to go above and beyond.

Each member of the PCR team has a clear vision of how we should interact with our customers, our staff, our vendors, and our community. Every employee shares and understands our core value which is “to make someone’s day better.” This is how we approach interaction with everyone we encounter.

Our staff values organization and team performance over the individual. We support one another, and everyone on our team is willing to help out a co-worker even if it isn’t “their job” to do so. We also provide staff training, and pay for any outside training program that an employee is willing to undertake on their own time to improve their skills.

Celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries with office parties and lunches are a great way to boost team morale.

As a business owner, it’s important to communicate what you are trying to accomplish with everyone on the team and then reward them for their outstanding efforts. At PCR, we offer a bonus program tied to our quarterly goals, and we keep team morale high by celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries with lunches and office parties.

We also have a rule that don’t work with any business, regardless of the size of the contract, that doesn’t respect our company values or our team members. Don’t let customers have a negative impact on your team.

The key to any successful business is its staff. If you are looking to bring on new employees do your homework and make sure they will fit into your company culture.

Consider all options when hiring. Staff is a huge expense. Be certain your need for staff isn’t temporary, and that you can’t pay current team members overtime or offer additional incentives instead of bringing in someone new. That being said, if you are expanding and know that you will need to bring in new employees it’s best to hire before you need them. It generally takes six to 12 months for new staff to be able to provide independent value.

Finally, pay the people that matter! If a staff member leaving will negatively impact the performances of your business do everything in your power not to let them leave. Pay them an amount they won’t find anywhere else!

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PCR Welcomes Lucas Wright

We are happy to welcome Lucas Wright to the PCR Business Systems Team. Lucas brings with him IT experience as well as enthusiasm and we’re extremely excited to have him as part of our team.

Here are a few things about Lucas to help you get to know him better:

  • Lucas recently got married!
  • He and his wife adopted a pup a few years ago. It was around Halloween and they named him “Zero” after the ghost dog from Nightmare Before Christmas which was playing at the time
  • He grew up in Tallmadge where he went to high school and was a member of the robotics club and student senate
  • He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Akron before shifting gears and going into IT
  • He enjoys playing PC and tabletop games
  • He recently completed Google’s IT Support Professional Program and has plans in the works to obtain several more IT certifications

Questions for Lucas:

Q: What do you usually have for breakfast?
A: Big bowl of oats

Q: What is your middle name?
A: Walter

Q: Favorite sport to watch?
A: Overwatch League (esport) and the Browns

Q: Goal you have for yourself?
A: My recent goal has been achieved in getting hired here at PCR. Next I want to accomplish getting my A + certifications, and then start working on obtaining other CompTIA certifcations (Network + & Security+) to really expand my knowledge and skillset.

Q: Pets?
A: My pup named Zero. Two cats Lily and Calvin

Q: What is your hobby?
A: PC and tabletop gaming

Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
A: Saffron Patch. It’s an Indian restaurant in the Valley.

Q: What is your favorite drink?
A: French press coffee or really any IPA

Q: What’s your favorite travel destination? (been there or want to go)
A: Cruises anywhere.

Q: What characteristics do you admire (in self or others)?
A: Definitely a good sense of humor! And a genuine sincerity in the way they talk or listen to you.

In businesses since 2004, PCR is the trusted IT provider for Akron area businesses. Learn more at pcrbusiness.com.

It’s Time to Have a Talk with your IT Company

The relationship between a business and IT team or IT person used to be so simple. Do you remember those old Saturday Night Live skits with Jimmy Fallon playing “Nick Burns: Your Company’s Computer Guy?” It was kind of like that, only with less sarcasm.

You would call up your IT Company when you had an issue with your server or a company computer, and someone would come over and fix it.

Today, things are much more complicated. Akron, OH IT Service providers are not only tasked with keeping your networks up and running, but they are also your first line of defense against cyberattacks. If they fail to adequately protect your network, or if their own system gets hacked into, your IT provider could destroy your business and everything you worked so hard for.

We meet with one or two companies every month whose business is on the brink of disaster because their IT company failed to properly secure their network or because they didn’t have a proper backup plan in place. Please, don’t let this happen to your business.

It’s OKAY to ask questions

It’s important to have an open dialogue with your in-house IT team or outsourced IT company to learn everything about what they are doing, and what they plan to do in regards to your company’s Information Technology.

Whether or not you outsource your IT or have an in-house team on staff, your IT provider is an extension of your business. You need to stay on top of what they are up to just as you would one of your employees. Often, business leaders will simply write a check and let the IT provider do “their job.”

10 questions to ask your IT Company

 

Please, have a conversation with your IT Company and ask specific questions about things like cybersecurity, backup plans, and network monitoring.

As we wrote in the article The Wild West of IT Services, there are no regulations governing IT Service Providers. It’s up to you to do your homework before hiring an IT person or team, and to continuing monitoring the work you are doing for you.

What Questions should you ask?

We have created a Cyber Security Risk Assessment that we encourage you to take. This questionnaire takes less than five minutes to complete and will give you an idea of how well your IT Service Provider is managing your network security and protecting your business against cyberattacks.

IN ADDITION, feel free to ask your IT Company any of the questions from this assessment. If there is a question you are unsure of, ASK your IT Provider for the answer. This is a great tool to help you get the conversation started.

 

Feel free to email me directly with any questions.

Pat Carroll

Cyber Tricks to Watch out for!

It’s fitting that Halloween falls during Cyber Awareness Month. That’s because cyber criminals and hackers love to dress up in costumes to try and lure us into online scams or to steal our passwords and sensitive data. This year’s most popular costumes are sure to include the usual suspects: IRS employees, friends and family members in need of cash, and the timeless classic–wealthy Nigerian princes and princesses.

But cyber criminals are also now wearing more sophisticated disguises that are becoming harder for us to identify who they really are. It’s up to us to stay on top of the latest cyber trends and be proactive when it comes to protecting our personal and business information from a devastating cyber trick.

Below are 4 current Cyber “Tricks” to look out for:

1 Malware & Ransomware

What’s scarier than werewolves? How about someone holding your computer files hostage while demanding a large sum for you to get them back! This year alone, ransomware attacks are estimated to cost businesses and individuals close to $12 billion in damages!

How to prevent Malware & Ransomware attacks? There are many things you can do to prevent becoming a victim of a malware or ransomware attack, which can be a devastating cyber trick. You can start by changing your passwords regularly, using multifactor authentication, not using public or unsecured WIFI, installing proper firewalls and antivirus software, as well as following these IT Best Practices.

Cyber trick

2 Social Media Scams

Hackers love to dress up as old high school friends or relatives trying to connect on Facebook and Linkedin, only to take advantage of your trust by asking you to click a corrupt link, viewing your private data, or even stealing your identity.

How to prevent Social Media Scams? Don’t post anything on social media that you wouldn’t want a stranger to know or see. In addition, be careful using apps that log you in through third-party sites; exercise caution when accepting friend requests; and never click on suspicious links or send money to someone asking for cash online (even if it is grandma)!

3 Corrupt Email Attachments and Downloads

Phishing scams are becoming harder and harder to detect. They may appear in the form of normal looking, everyday emails from trusted senders asking you to download a corrupt attachment or click on a corrupt link (often the source of a ransomware attack).

Also, as we discussed in the Cyber Crimes article: Case #104: The Heavy Machinery Hacker, some hackers are so bold that they impersonate vendors or trusted company employees and then ask for money to be wired for business-related purchases or expenses.

How to prevent online phishing scams? First, stay up-to-date on the latest phishing scams and educate yourself on what to look out for. Second, don’t click on any links or attachments without being 100% sure they are from a trusted source. Third, if anyone asks you to send money or for your private information, such as a credit card number, reach out to them by phone to verify that the transaction is in fact authentic.

4 Attacks on Service Providers

Is your IT company the weak link in your company’s online security? How about your cloud computing service provider? It’s becoming more and more common for hackers to go after vendors rather than individual companies.

Why? First off, there are no regulations in the IT Industry. That means your IT provider—the same company who has access to many of your passwords and sensitive company data—may not be practicing the high level of cyber security they preach, and thus are an easy target for hackers. In addition, IT companies work with multiple clients. So when a hacker infiltrates their network they gain information to all of their customer’s data.

It’s like leaving a candy jar out on the porch and letting anyone grab what they like.

How can you prevent a 3rd party vendor from being your weakest link? Only work with trusted service providers. You can start by making sure the vendors you work with have been thorough vetted by an independent auditing firm and are SOC certified.


For more cyber security tips to prevent a cyber trick, follow PCR Business Systems on Linkedin and Facebook.

PCR Welcomes Kevin Fitzgerald

We are happy to welcome Kevin Fitzgerald to the PCR Business Systems Team. Kevin is a talented IT specialist and is sure to make our Akron IT support company even better!

Here are a few things about Kevin to help you get to know him better:

  • After high school he served four years in the United States NAVY
  • In his spare time he enjoys woodworking and working with his hands around the house
  • He enjoys playing video games and also sitting down with a good book
  • He has a degree in Computer Technology and previously worked in IT at Nickles Bakery and Spectrum

Questions for Kevin:

Q: What time did you get up this morning?
A: 6 a.m.

Q: What was the last movie you saw at the cinema?
A: Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Q: What is your favorite TV Show?
A: House

Q: Favorite cuisine?
A: Indian

Q: Least favorite foods?
A: Liver and Onions

Q: Pets?
A: Two Boston Terriors

In businesses since 2004, PCR is the trusted IT provider for Akron area businesses. Learn more at pcrbusiness.com.

New Job Opening!

PCR Business Systems is one of the fastest growing Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in the Akron area, with an ever-expanding list of clients who we provide world-class service for. We offer exciting opportunities for employee advancement in an environment where you can showcase and hone your skills while working alongside talented and like-minded individuals.

We are a close-knit group who enjoy a good company BBQ, an occasional craft beer after work, and who are all supportive of each other in helping achieve one common goal—to provide service that is nothing short of excellent.


Sound like you would be a good fit? Here’s what we’re looking for…

 

The Opportunity…Full-Time Installation Support Specialist

Job Description…This entry level position is perfect for someone looking to gain experience and growth in the IT Industry. The Installation Technician will be tasked with installing, configuring, and testing new computer equipment to client specifications, recycling outdated equipment, and training clients on how to optimize new IT equipment.

Who we’re looking for… Eager, growth-minded individuals who want to grow with us and who are pursuing a career in IT.

A successful candidate will be able to perform the following duties:

  • Inspect computer equipment and prepare equipment for delivery
  • Installation of computer hardware and peripheral components on client’s premises
  • Loads specified software packages such as operating systems, Office applications and other 3rd party software on client’s computer systems
  • Responds to client inquiries concerning systems operation and diagnoses system hardware, software, and operator problems
  • Instructs users in use of equipment, software, and manuals
  • Recommends or performs minor remedial actions to correct problems
  • Coordinates activities with help desk, network services, or other information systems groups
  • Provides updates, status, and completion information to manager, problem request tracking system, and/or users, via voice mail, e-mail, or in-person communication
  • Replaces defective or inadequate software packages
  • Refers major hardware problems to manager for escalation and correction
  • Provides documentation for specific software installations and updates client’s document repository as needed

To be successful in this position, candidates will possess the following personal attributes:

  • Excellent communications skills – clear verbal skills, both spoken and written: ability to explain technical products and processes in a conceptual and clear way to a non-technical audience
  • Writing skills – important for development of customer proposals, statements of work, reports and presentations, and for communication with customers in writing/email
  • Team-oriented and skilled in working within a collaborative environment
  • Strong problem-solving abilities
  • Keen attention to detail
  • Personable and enthusiastic with the ability to build relationships with employees across all levels of the organization
  • Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks
  • Highly self-motivated and directed

Wage: $14.50-19.25/hr. based on experience

Other Benefits:

  • Health Benefits
  • Company matched retirement plan
  • Company paid certification/education program

Email your Resume to: amanda@pcrbusiness.com

The Company… In business since 2004, PCR Business Systems is one of the leading Managed Service Providers (MSP) in Akron, OH.  Learn more here.