At the beginning of the each new calendar year, I find it a time for both reflection and forward-thinking. 2011 was an incredible year for SWK; we exceeded our sales goals, built our Sage ERP X3 practice at an incredible pace, solidified customer relationships, added nine full-time staff members, reinforced our ties with key strategic partners, and hit new all-time highs in our customer satisfaction surveys!
But that was then and now it’s 2012. Resting on our past accomplishments is a sure recipe for failure and disaster, so we’re certainly not looking back and doing that. Instead, we’ve conducted some strategy sessions, prepared budgets, closed on a first-of-the-year small acquisition, and positioned ourselves with the right staff and technical tools necessary for continued growth and success! It is a very exciting time to be in the technology business, yet the changes all around us occur so swiftly and dramatically; if you blink, they can be missed!
Our expectations are high, to be sure. We have outlined additional markets for expansion, as well as created several new revenue streams that are sure to keep us ahead of the pack. Our staff resides in close to 15 states, although our Sage practice is concentrated here, in the northeast. Our partners and our MAPADOC customers are located nationwide. In past years, we’ve made small acquisitions in our own backyard; this year, I have a feeling that will change. I say this mainly because our primary publisher and partner, Sage, is evolving and changing – and we must as well.
The world has changed and the days of relying on such a partner, exclusively, are over. Software-as-a-Service, hosting and Sage’s own revenue goals have all contributed to this new reality, but our SWK team embraces these new challenges. Creatively and carefully, we avoid allowing such partners to become enemies or competitors. We simply continue to reinvent ourselves annually. This is what keeps us moving forward and upward. It keeps us strong. It keeps us relevant! It maintains our high level of creativity and critical thought!
If you are facing new challenges in your business, give me or one of my colleagues a call. We can help you sort things out with great solutions and sound advice. After all, we’ve earned your trust and respect over the years and we possess the skill sets to advise you and your team properly.
I look forward to hearing from you and to a prosperous and meaningful 2012!