A virtual company teaming up on the Internet
by Cape Business staffSome businesses – like NeuEon Inc. – extend teamwork into virtual space.
This new-age technology consulting company is here, there and everywhere – partnering formally and informally with scores of companies locally and beyond Cape Cod – all via the Internet.
Its mission statement reads: “We are a diverse group of creative professionals, consultants, designers, architects, writers, geeks, developers and managers who have been brought together under NeuEon to provide high-quality consulting services in the areas of software, hardware, online and other technology-oriented solutions designed to improve your business.”
The company’s guru, Peter Karlson, more often than not works from his laptop in places like the Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans. As long as there is Wi-Fi, he is in business.
In fact, NeuEon has led a year-long effort to Wi-Fi the entire town. Now, wireless-enabled laptop users can access the Internet along much of Main Street and even the Orleans Cardinals’ ballpark on Route 28. During the 2006 season, scouts used the Internet to send information about players while they were watching the games there.
By building a network of experts from the Lower Cape to Falmouth, Karlson can assure any client hands-on help within hours – if not sooner. And since he has organized so many different experts under his NeuEon umbrella, he is able to assure clients a full-service menu of services.
More intriguing, however, is NeuEon’s commitment to establish client business operations as Web-based, as opposed to on individual computers or networks. In this way, there are no physical hard drives and servers to maintain.
Karlson’s business model echoes that of companies like Intuit, which has moved its highly popular QuickBooks software to the Internet. “The software is online and accessible anywhere, anytime,” he explained. “That changes the equation. You don’t have to even have a computer in your business. You can go to the library and do your books.”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Companies like SalesForce.com let businesses manage their customer relationships entirely online and totally collaboratively,” said Karlson.
“I came from a traditional professional service company: very centralized and monolithic. When I decided to leave Boston for Cape Cod, I wanted to try a different model, essentially a virtual company. I would be in the center and everybody else would be virtual employees – lots of contractors, all managed from where ever I was on a particular day.”
With his consultants and associates – plus a few paid employees – sharing a unified phone system, Karlson assures that any customer calling any individual person in his network will be answered by a “NeuEon” greeting. “That is huge,” he enthuses.
Among Karlson’s key partners is Secure Networks in Centerville. It specializes in design and installation of server systems, disaster recovery solutions, and server consolidation.
“They are the server and networking skill set that we needed to complement ours. We intermesh our support and technical support employees with theirs. When you call into the NeuEon support line, you may get ours or theirs, or another contractor,” said Karlson. “Everyone we do business with has access to our entire infrastructure. We do a specific set of jobs, and we basically act as one company – seamless to the client.”
When a typical client calls NeuEon, whoever is next in queue among the company’s staff and consultants will respond. Whenever possible, the company tries to make the fix remotely. That happens because NeuEon has set up remote desktop technology for many of its clients. Nine out of 10 problems can be addressed remotely, said Karlson.
He markets this as the “workstation and network monitoring” program, a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service that allows NeuEon to watch every aspect of a business’ network to detect and report problems before they escalate into downtime, data loss or expensive repairs.
When an onsite visit is necessary, there are representatives at both ends of the Cape who can dispatch help on an hourly basis.
Karlson’s personal expertise is conceptualizing and building systems and networks for businesses. Sometimes, that means designing a strategy before they procure tens of thousands of dollars in hardware and software. Other times, it is helping a company move from traditional servers and computers to virtual space with maximum connectivity to both staff and clients.
“The virtual world is allowing people who are ambitious business wise to also live on Cape Cod with the lifestyle they want without necessarily compromising productivity,” said Karlson. “[It’s] business on their terms. At three in morning, you can get up to work QuickBooks at home while talking with your accountant in India.”
“From a cost savings standpoint, you don’t have the overhead of employees on the clock. During slow periods, your associates are doing other things. Basically, it is resources on demand.
“Yes, there is the cost and infrastructure of a network. But there is no need for a building, rent, energy,” he said. “Now you can plow that money into better technology and systems, such as our investment in NetSuite, our CRM/ERP system, and Secure Networks’ investment in Kaseya, the network monitoring system.”
Originally published in the Nov/Dec 2006 issue of Cape Business.
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