Meetings: All companies need them. But for some reason, no one seems to like them. Of course, organizations have to hold meetings to get teams on the same page, gather input from employees, communicate important information from management and spark collaboration. But employees often view them as a waste of time. Even if a particular…

When I work with customers on data center refreshes, the most successful projects are those that include executives and line-of-business stakeholders in the planning process. This isn’t because the residents of the executive suite or the sales department know more about technology than the IT shop — far from it. Rather, when everyone comes together…

Earlier this year, the CFO of a company I work with opened an urgent email from his boss, the CEO, who we’ll call Sally. The CEO was out on the golf course and forwarded a vendor inquiry to the CFO, who we’ll call Harry. In the message, the vendor asked Sally when it would receive…

The landscape for startups can be treacherous. For many young, growing businesses, it’s a challenge just to stay above water. But the challenge doesn’t end when a product has been accepted by the market or when customers know your business by name and value its brand. As young companies mature, they can’t afford to let…

One of the biggest barriers to digital transformation is knowing where to start. Another is finding the budget. Enhanced video surveillance provides a great example of how to overcome both. Take retail, for instance. Most stores have extensive video surveillance systems to catch shoplifters and pilfering employees. Often, these systems can be quickly and cost-effectively…

For a large retailer in the news recently, 90 minutes of system issues likely cost it approximately $50 million in lost sales. Initial reports showed that the company was unable to process credit card transactions because of an error that occurred during a normal maintenance cycle. Obviously, that’s bad news for a retailer — and…