The demands on enterprise organizations to keep pace in a rapidly changing digital economy have never been greater. Every company in every industry has had to evolve, and keeping up with advancements in application development, hybrid cloud, automation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity is a major challenge. Company leaders trying to modernize their business struggle with understanding which technologies, partners, and processes are right for them. 

CBTS stays at the forefront of these modernization efforts, advising our clients on how to leverage transformative technologies to improve their business and give them a competitive advantage. For over a quarter century, we have delivered technology solutions to thousands of global enterprise clients in all industries, and today we are entering into the next phase of our evolution.  

I am incredibly excited and proud to announce that CBTS has entered into an agreement to be fully acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners, a purpose-driven, transatlantic management firm that has raised in excess of $23 billion to date and which holds assets in technology, media, healthcare, financial services, industrial organizations, and consumer goods and services.  

The partnership with TowerBrook will be a catalyst for both organic and inorganic growth for CBTS and its subsidiary OnX Canada. We’ll be looking at opportunities to expand our already diverse product portfolio, make improvements to operations and service delivery, and acquire companies that broaden our capabilities and/or allow us to enter new markets.  

Today’s announcement is great news for our employees, clients, and partners.  

To our 2,400 employees around the world, your commitment and dedication to delivering exceptional service to our customers is how we have grown into a respected leader in the markets we serve. Keep up the great work and get excited about the opportunities in our future.  

To our valued clients and partners, you should expect the same high-level of support and partnership that you have come to know from CBTS. As we grow, we will deliver new solutions and capabilities that add increased value to your business and improve your position in the markets you serve. 

TowerBrook understands our industry and is very much aligned with our core values and the culture here at CBTS. Since our founding over 25 years ago, we have always maintained a culture of entrepreneurship, hard work, mutual respect, and going above and beyond to deliver exceptional service to our customers. This will not change as TowerBrook is committed to partnering with management teams and employees to not only deliver growth, but also build excellent companies that make a positive impact on society. 

I could not be more excited about the future of our company, and I’m so proud to work alongside the brightest professionals in our industry. With TowerBrook’s guidance and support, I’m looking forward to continuing to grow with our clients, delivering transformative technologies that give them a competitive edge in the markets where they do business. 

Thank you,

Jeff Lackey
President & CEO
CBTS

As enterprise technology continues to evolve, so must the quality of IT service delivery to ensure your company achieves its goals. For businesses challenged with managing performance, availability, and security of complex, mission-critical infrastructure, CBTS is a trusted partner known for its accountability, established processes, and insight to help you achieve success.

CBTS provides the breadth of experience you need, from managing our data centers to your on-premises environments, public cloud, and hybrid configurations. Our 700-plus certified engineers have the expertise to propel fast-moving companies by optimizing infrastructure to advance bottom-line objectives.

At the heart of our commitment to outstanding IT service delivery are people committed to flexibility and responsiveness as business needs change. With proven, well-documented processes and tested alerting and escalation, our 24×7 client service ensures rapid resolution when problems arise.

Dedicated project managers and operational engineers work alongside your staff, providing incremental knowledge and bandwidth to maximize your company’s productivity.   

Read more to discover how CBTS IT service delivery can transform your approach to managing your most valued business-critical assets.

How CBTS operational excellence transforms enterprise IT services

CBTS facilitates transformation of IT service delivery across your enterprise through well-defined processes for migration, platform build, onboarding, and ongoing monitoring, management, and escalation.

Step 1
A dedicated project manager will be assigned to help guide the migration and coordinate all engineering team activities.

Step 2
Once an optimal platform has been defined based on your organizational needs, CBTS operational engineers build the environment.

Step 3
CBTS operational engineers then move your applications and infrastructure with minimal impact to your daily operations.

Step 4
With the contract in place, the onboarding process begins including access to Service Now and how to engage with our team.

Step 5
Escalation Managers and Service Delivery Managers are assigned and will be your ongoing point of contact.

Step 6
All ongoing monitoring and management for applications, infrastructure, cloud, backup, and disaster recovery is delivered from the CBTS Network Operations Center (NOC).

Efficiently delivering predictive IT services

A partnership with CBTS includes meticulous planning for effective incident management. Developing an escalation policy that identifies and addresses predictable events is a priority in IT service delivery.

To improve your organization’s experience systematically over time, CBTS engineers use rich analytics to gain insights into troubled devices, suboptimal monitoring settings, and noisy environments.

Using our predictive alarm algorithm, engineers proactively identify and address predictable events before “would be” incidents occur. For instance, if capacity or usage thresholds impacting performance trigger a predictive alarm algorithm, on-call engineers will address the problem before it escalates and negatively affects your operations.

Commitment to excellence in IT service delivery is our priority

The goals of your organization are paramount to successful IT service delivery.

Quarterly reviews ensure our CBTS team meets predefined metrics for performance and continuous improvement. Additionally, CBTS has developed a “Metrics That Matter” program designed to measure and inform operations about response times (wait times, time to escalation, urgency of interactions) and the quality of resolutions (closure of issues, limiting ticket re-opens).

Finally, the CBTS quality assurance team focuses exclusively on identifying and recommending process improvements to increase quality of IT service delivery.

We understand the complex issues today’s enterprise organizations face and strive to deliver continuous improvements to our products and services to exceed customer expectations and meet all regulatory requirements.

Choosing an IT service delivery partner

When choosing an IT partner to manage your complex enterprise environment, look for technology companies that are flexible and responsive to your changing business needs, with multiple NOC locations and 24×7 coverage.

A commitment to organizational excellence, outstanding customer service, strategic focus, quality, and continuous process improvement are all critical attributes of a partner that can help your company achieve its goals.

At CBTS, our culture of collaboration, integrity, trust, and leadership—in concert with outstanding IT service delivery and expertise in compliance and technology trends—gives us the ability to be a valuable extension of your IT team.

Companies of all sizes increasingly realize that aging, on-premises (on-prem), legacy technology systems are not a worthwhile investment. Maintaining and upgrading on-prem ecosystems are costly, resource-heavy endeavors that squander IT department resources. Therefore, companies are turning to the Cloud to get the most out of their technology budgets.

Cloud technology offers more than just storage. It also provides cutting-edge solutions for Unified Communications (UCaaS), Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), Networking and Infrastructure, IoT devices, and security protocols to keep your business’s digital estate safe. 

But choosing the right implementation partner is no small feat. Few providers deliver a broad spectrum of integrated solutions that modern businesses rely on to stay competitive. What makes CBTS stand out in the field? Three things:

1. History
2. Process
3. Philosophy

For over 25 years, CBTS has been offering cutting-edge technology implementation services. CBTS branched out from a 100-year-old telecom company and over time, the CBTS engineers developed a high-quality implementation process that guides our clients in large-scale, high-velocity new technology deployments. CBTS believes that delivery should be as, if not more, important than technology. In other words, CBTS prioritizes finding the best solutions to specific operational problems over pushing particular technologies. CBTS has developed hundreds of partnerships with technology providers and can offer end-to-end client experience, linking our clients with our world-class Software as a Service (SaaS) products.       This blog will detail the CBTS technology implementation process.

The CBTS technology implementation process

The CBTS client journey begins with the pre-sales consultation. The goal at this phase is not to force a sale. Instead, our sales team asks strategic questions to determine whether the client is a good fit for CBTS. Part of the CBTS attitude is to seek out long-term relationships with our clients. An exemplary implementation partner will adapt as your business grows. By learning your business as intimately as possible, our project managers and engineers can recommend the best technology to implement, upgrade, or replace. The technology implementation process moves through three broad phases and five smaller steps. Every client moves through all three stages—Design, Build, Run. However, not every client will need all steps, which are detailed below.

Design

Once both sides have determined that CBTS is the right implementation partner for the client, the consultation process begins by assigning the client a dedicated project manager or managers and appropriate subject matter experts. The project Kickoff step involves a series of deep dive meetings to align goals for both CBTS and our client, plan the work, and define the criteria for project success. These sessions generate a network design document that serves as a blueprint of how the work will proceed.

Build

Some clients may need to engage in the Proof of Concept (POC) step, in which the CBTS team builds a prototype of the technology solution that will be implemented. Then the engineers will rigorously stress test the solution and, if necessary, extend the solution to a trial branch location.

At this point, the CBTS team will evaluate the result of the POC to pinpoint any necessary improvements before moving on to the Pilot step. The pilot is a soft launch in which more test locations are added, evaluated, and closely monitored. The lessons learned from the Pilot are the foundation on which the Rollout step occurs.

Run

The Rollout launches all the remaining stores or branches with the client’s new technology implementation. In this phase and step, the CBTS team finalizes documentation and processes. They also create and execute a rollout “ramp” strategy, which guides the process. Next, CBTS sets up the client on ServiceNow, a 24x7x365 support platform. After the rollout, CBTS transitions into support—on-call tech support and monthly business reviews—and finds ways to improve service continuously.

A co-managed experience

In years past, when a company bought a new piece of technology, they owned it. The company was responsible for design, installation, implementation, and day two care and feeding. Now, the market demands that technology providers offer co-management. Instead of the “black box,” or “set it and forget it,” mentality, managed service providers now must be willing to grant greater control to their clients. Yet, many providers only pay lip service to this idea, fearing that clients will accidentally take out swaths of newly implemented software.

CBTS offers an authentic co-management experience. The CBTS team provides complete control over a client’s technology solutions with greater visibility and access than a fully managed solution. CBTS also offers 24x7x365 support in case something goes wrong. A co-managed environment provides the best of both worlds—it grants your company the speed and flexibility of on-prem technology with the support, security, and expertise of a fully managed service.

The future of technology implementation

As we have discussed, technology is steadily shifting away from on-prem technology to the Cloud. Because of this development, companies can move technology implementation from CapEx budgets to OpEx—in other words, from core infrastructure investments to operating expenses. Companies need implementation partners that fully understand their needs and can provide around-the-clock support.

Choosing the right implementation partner can be daunting. But CBTS has solidified its implementation process over 25 years and our experts offer tech support on day two of the technology implementation process and through each sequential step. Once the new technology is up and running, we offer a genuinely co-managed solution that is a unique hybrid between the “black box” of fully managed service and the speed and flexibility of self-management.

Get in touch to learn more about how CBTS can support your technology implementation journey.

Recently, CBTS earned a Sustainability Specialization with Cisco. The specialization is a training program for Cisco’s partners in sustainable business practices such as the circular economy, achieving sustainability goals, and meeting government environmental mandates. The timing is vital. According to experts, the circular economy will reach a market value of $4.5 trillion by 2030. This also comes as governments and markets shift strategies to address environmental concerns on an unprecedented scale.

Download the Environmental Sustainability Specialization and Takeback Incentive Ebook now.

As a part of the Sustainability Specialization, CBTS signed onto Cisco’s Sustainability Pledge. The goals outlined in this pledge include:

• Achieving net zero across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 2040.
• Ensuring 100% of its products and packaging incorporate Circular Design Principles by FY2025.
• Accomplishing 100% return on end-of-use hardware.

“We are proud to earn this specialization, which supports our sustainability leadership and helps our clients reduce their environmental footprint by ensuring the technology they consume is reused or recycled,” said Jeff Lackey, President of CBTS.

This blog will examine details of the sustainable business practices that the Sustainability Specialization emphasizes. Additionally, we will explore the business opportunities unlocked for CBTS and their partners by participating.

The takeback incentive

Cisco’s Takeback Incentive is a program that offers discounts of up to 7% on newly registered products. The products return to Cisco at the end of use, and the discount is applied to replacement products.

The Takeback Incentive illustrates a dedication to the circular economy. Keeping hardware out of landfills through remanufacturing or recycling is a powerful way to generate cost-effective, sustainable business practices and pass those savings onto partners.

The Takeback Incentive also protects against hardware ending up on the gray market. Illegal hardware sales are estimated to be $2.5-3B yearly. The Takeback Incentive closes that loop and stamps down on bootleg competition.

Learn about CBTS social impact initiatives.

How sustainable business practices generate new opportunities

The Sustainability Specialization creates opportunities for CBTS and its partners to stand out from the competition in many ways, including:

Meet government requirements

Governments across the globe are creating new stimuli designed to encourage growth in green business and sustainability. Companies can access these funds by participating in programs like Cisco’s Takeback Initiative.

Enter new lines of business

Companies actively seek new ways to transform business practices through environmental and social good programs (ESG). Engaging in the circular economy and sustainable business practices is socially responsible and can be an icebreaker when reaching out to new business prospects. If nothing else, the Cisco Sustainability Specialization is a conversation starter for sales teams.

Expand service offerings

Customers often don’t know what to do with old hardware. Takeback programs are a great way to boost service levels and add value to existing customer relationships. Advising customers on ways to reuse, recycle, or refurbish obsolete technology are other ways to leverage the Sustainability Specialization.

Support partners’ efforts to reduce carbon emissions

Reducing emissions is vital for the world—and businesses in particular. CBTS is pleased to be able to advise its clients and partners with the expertise gained through this Specialization.

Win more proposals

A growing trend among businesses is to only source from sustainable and socially responsible companies. Certifications like this one from Cisco build credibility and meet customer expectations.

Also read: How Cisco Meraki + CBTS NaaS team up to deliver cost-efficient modernization for your network

Working towards a circular economy

Across the globe, companies of all shapes and sizes are stepping up to meet the threat posed by climate change. However, the time is fast approaching when companies who are not rapidly evolving to embrace sustainable business practices will be left in the dust.

According to an internal survey at Cisco, 41% of its partners were already engaged in some form of takeback or recycling services, and 45% expected to generate significant revenue from sustainability offerings.

CBTS is proud to offer a range of technology services for clients looking to advance their application modernization journey, including consulting, cloud, security, communications, and infrastructure solutions. A team of CBTS experts manages all services. The Sustainability Specialization from Cisco is only the latest in a long and fruitful partnership with Cisco. Additionally, CBTS has dozens of strategic partnerships with industry leaders, including Microsoft, Dell, Amazon, and many more.

Get in touch to see how CBTS can advise you on adopting sustainable technology business practices or providing other tech solutions.

The benefits of moving to the cloud are no longer a secret. Cloud services make everything easier for businesses and organizations of any size. The key to maximizing your benefits is making sure your transition to the cloud is customized to meet your specific business objectives and your environment becomes cloud efficient. To that end, it’s critical to find a Microsoft certified partner that helps you develop the right strategy and ensures a successful deployment.

If you’re like most organizations moving to the cloud, your first step will be an Office 365 migration for collaboration and communication solutions. Microsoft’s Office 365 productivity suite is one of the most powerful business tools available. According to Gartner, nearly three-quarters of all medium and large organizations in the U.S. use the platform, particularly in areas like healthcare and finance, which have seen usage double over the last two years. 

An end-to-end solution provider 

A qualified Microsoft certified partner can offer informed recommendations based on their ability to capture a holistic view of your IT environment’s infrastructure and applications to provide a modernization roadmap for your journey to the cloud.  A Microsoft certified partner should have the proven experience and certified expertise to assess your environment, look at every workload application, and determine what’s ideal for the cloud and what is not. Even if you’re already using Microsoft, a Microsoft certified partner can increase your efficiencies, lower costs, and improve your security posture. 

Also read: Efficiency, security, and savings are in reach with managed database services

Why invest in a Microsoft certified partner?

There are many benefits to partnering with an experienced Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, including:

Flexibility.

Only pay for what you need. Take Office 365, for example. If you had 1,000 Office 365 licenses and needed to increase that by 50 licenses for a big project but wanted to drop it back to down to 1,000 afterward, you can. When using Azure, you only pay for what you use, just like an electric bill.

Logical billing.

Every month, you’ll receive a bill for the communication licenses you used and/or the amount of Azure you utilized. Gone are the days of upfront licensing costs.

Superior Microsoft support.

Your Microsoft certified partner also acts as your support team. When necessary, your partner deals with Microsoft on your behalf. This ensures a resolution that can occur in a matter of hours vs. days or longer.

Trusted advisors.

You may be aware that Microsoft’s service offerings and licensing can be complex. With a Microsoft certified partner, you have an experienced guide that is able to evaluate your options and enable you to maximize your technology investment.

Right-size your Microsoft environment

Whether your organization’s IT infrastructure is on-premises, in the cloud, or uses a hybrid model, CBTS—as a Microsoft certified partner—can customize solutions to fit your unique needs. If you’re unsure of what you need, no worries. CBTS has the expertise to evaluate and recommend agile solutions that meet your currents needs and can easily scale. 

If you already use at least one Microsoft solution, CBTS would love to show you how to get the most out of your investment. You’ll be surprised at how unlocking the full potential of your current Microsoft solution can transform your organizational digital disruption.

Contact CBTS  for assistance with finding a Microsoft certified partner and streamlining your cloud migration

Continue reading:

Learn what the power of a fully managed Microsoft Azure cloud platform can do for your organization

Leverage Office 365 to transform your business

How CBTS is integrating Hosted UCaaS with Microsoft Teams

The past year has seen a meteoric rise in the demand for, and proliferation of, remote collaboration technology as organizations of every size, shape, and type have scrambled to meet the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an influential figure in this rapidly shifting atmosphere, CBTS has been recognized for its efforts in providing access to revolutionary solutions for mid-size and enterprise businesses.

Market research and business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan recently placed CBTS within the top quadrant of the 2020 Frost Radar™ for growth and innovation in Hosted IP Telephony and Unified Communications as a Service [UCaaS] for North America.

“CBTS differentiates from its competitors with its broad cloud, infrastructure, communications, and consulting expertise, and its unique ability to leverage the resources of a large organization and nimbleness of an entrepreneurial company culture to deliver excellent customer value. With its rich portfolio of cloud communications, collaboration and contact center solutions CBTS can effectively address the diverse needs of a broad customer spectrum—from SMB to large enterprise and from private to public companies. CBTS also stands out with its tailored approach to different industries. Specialized teams of vertical industry experts enable CBTS to custom-tailor solutions for SLED, healthcare, retail and other verticals’ highly specific requirements.”

Elka Popova
Vice President and Senior Fellow, Digital Transformation of Frost & Sullivan

The report further explores the tumultuous but opportunity-rich environment that managed service providers currently find themselves in.

“Digital technologies, including cloud communications solutions, have captured the spotlight in this time of crisis,” the study reads in part. “At the time this study is publishing, the global pandemic is already experiencing a second wave, which means that most businesses will be unable to resume normal operations for the foreseeable future.”

Despite the myriad challenges presented by the pandemic in 2020, there is also significant room for growth that agile and forward-facing organizations may capitalize on.

Although cloud migration rates could be hampered by the current economic climate, the Frost Radar report suggests considerable growth potential for the UCaaS marketplace.

“In the near term, UCaaS solutions are likely to see pockets of rapid growth in certain customer segments and verticals,” the report reads. “Service providers leveraging modern cloud architectures and with the ability to deliver services over public broadband, on any connected device and network utilizing technologies like SD-WAN, are likely to better capitalize on the growing demand for hosted IP telephony and UCaaS than providers relying on managed circuits, premises-based infrastructure (e.g., session border controllers (SBCs) and desktop devices.”

The report elaborates that in the future, diversified offerings and comprehensive service suites that offer “one-stop shopping” for clients, such as unified communications, contact center solutions, and collaboration toolkits, are likely to provide the broadest avenue toward sustainable growth.

“Going forward, providers with broader cloud services suites are likely to experience faster growth than those selling point solutions,” the report reads. “Integrated cloud collaboration suites such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Cisco Webex will gain traction as businesses seek to deliver more compelling user experiences whereby users can use a single pane of glass to access a variety of modalities including, voice, video, team messaging, SMS, and more.”

CBTS is a global company with deep roots in our communities. The events of 2020 strengthened our resolve to “give where we live” and devote time and effort to the neighborhoods where we live, work, and do business.

We quickly adapted as restrictions created in response to a global pandemic halted plans for in-person events and activities. The company expanded on existing initiatives, sought and organized other opportunities, and we gave to those in need in a variety of ways.

• United Way of Greater Cincinnati
  We raised $614,000 for the United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s fund raising campaign through employee contributions, exceeding our $600,000 corporate goal. This year’s United Way campaign came during an extremely challenging time as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, our company made a contribution of $250,000, plus a subsequent corporate pledge of $136,000 to help United Way close their funding gap.
   
• Connect Our Students Program
  With Connect Our Students, parent company Cincinnati Bell partnered with Cincinnati Public Schools, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and ComputerXpress to help thousands of K-12 public school students in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky access free Internet connectivity at home in time for the 2020-21 school year. This program focused on increasing digital equity through pilot programs in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky that will be tailored to meet the needs of local school districts.
   
• CancerFree Kids
  We have supported CancerFree Kids for over a decade in its effort to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening disease in children by funding promising research that might otherwise go unfunded. This year we sponsored CFK’s annual Celebration of Champions Dinner, which raised a record $436,700.
   
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  At Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night—which went virtual for its October 8 event—our corporate team raised more than $13,000. We’re also proud to share that teammate Kat Taylor, Community Relations Manager, has been nominated for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 2021 Man & Woman of the Year. She will dedicate the next six months to fundraising for LLS.

Employees came through in so many other ways: fulfilling our ArtsWave fund raising pledge, helping Make-a-Wish wishes come true; delivering meals to local homeless shelters and families; tutoring students virtually; corresponding with local senior citizens who have been isolated by pandemic restrictions; completing our annual wish list drive for local families; answering calls for telethons supporting local charities; and joining the virtualized Heart Mini Marathon.

2020 has demanded more of each of us than at any time in recent memory. We are proud to have collectively accomplished so much for our communities; this year and we look forward to exceeding these efforts in 2021.

Also Read:

Surviving in 2020: Our Employees are at the Heart of Our Business

Thriving in 2020: Employee Resource Groups Cultivate our Culture

Our employees and how they responded to the events of 2020 personally and professionally mirror how CBTS has weathered the year: with the resilient attitude on which our customer-first approach is built. Like our company, they adapted, transformed, and rose to the occasion to support our clients and each other.

From the moment we went home, our leaders made internal communication a priority, and took care to encourage us to communicate with them. Early on, more than 1,200 employees posted on an internal Gratitude Wall, sharing the positives coming out of the situation. The company, in turn, is indescribably grateful to our employees not just for their hard work but also for speaking out and trusting the company to have their safety and comfort at heart.

Headsets and earbuds became our new work wear and our loved ones became our new office mates. We are now intimately familiar with connectivity, collaboration tools, alternative backgrounds, and when we are—and are not—on mute during a record number of Webex meetings. Through trial and error we improved how we operate remotely as we worked toward an effective and productive remote situation. If this crisis has a silver lining, it is that it gave us the opportunity to explore how to improve the collaboration and communication experience for our employees and enhance our remote work products and services for our clients.

The key to everything was and is communication. In response to the initial reports about COVID-19, company leaders acted quickly to issue travel restrictions and establish frequent communications with employees. By mid-March, we’d all gone home and begun adapting, hoping, and planning for a temporary situation. Daily emails from the CEO stimulated transparency throughout the entire company and frequent health alerts empowered our new work-from-home culture with news about COVID-19, changes in the company, and suggestions and resources to help us all take care of ourselves and remain connected, productive, and healthy.

While CBTS is primarily a technology company with powerful tools to enable collaboration and communication, the recognition that our people are essential to our success is what drives us to survive and thrive in 2020 and beyond.

Join our team! Visit our careers page.

Also Read:

Community in 2020: We Give Where We Live

Thriving in 2020: Employee Resource Groups Cultivate our Culture

When it came to sustaining our employees beyond the necessities of work, our employee resource groups (ERGs) stepped up reconnect us in crucial ways and became essential to strengthening our new virtual culture.

Despite the social distancing, ERGs creatively continued their collective mission to foster diversity and inclusion efforts. In addition to numerous virtual happy hours and informative talks, our ERGs stayed active with these important activities and initiatives that impact our employees and our society as a whole in 2020, like:

• BOLD, the ERG for Black employees, created and shared a video series in which local Black leaders and professionals shared their experiences in corporate America.
• PRIDE, for LGBTQ+ employees and their allies, organized a month-long virtual Pride celebration in June that featured testimonials from company leaders and wrapped with a virtual Porch Party streamed to Facebook Live.
• Conexión, which celebrates Hispanic culture, observed Hispanic Heritage Month virtually with weekly shares of Hispanic heroes, culture, language, and cooking classes as well as a campaign to support some Hispanic families that recently moved to the region.
• BEAD, for employees with disabilities and their supporters, hosted panels and discussions during Mental Disability Awareness Week as well as a series of cooking classes.
• VALOR, for Veterans and their supporters, hosted an inspiring talk with Ret. Army General Rick Lynch, a virtual event attended by more than 70 employees. Several members of the VALOR ERG canvassed a local cemetery over a month and then placed flags at veteran graves there for Veterans Day.

All of our employee resource groups found ways to keep their members connected with each other and with the community through other virtual events and volunteer work.

The pandemic transformed the workplace as we knew it in early 2020, shifting overnight to a work-from-home environment that practically erased the social interaction of the shared workspace, canceling casual conversations on the elevator, group lunches, and team meetings. The employee resource groups tackled our new work-from-home silos and proved that connections are made stronger when we embrace the diversity in our employees, customers, and community.

Also Read:

Community in 2020: We Give Where We Live

Surviving 2020: Our Employees are at the Heart of our Business

The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for successful organizations like CBTS to prove that they could scale, adapt, and transform when a crisis hit. Looking back, we remained nimble, responsive, and resilient to meet the challenges head on. We supported our clients to grow stronger and more prepared to tackle any business challenge in the future.

Early on, CBTS leaders had begun thinking about how we should respond to a potential pandemic. They quickly implemented travel restrictions and established transparent communication with employees and clients. As a company that sells and supports technology solutions, we were in a good place to switch our gears and pull those proverbial levers to seamlessly transition to a work-from-home situation.

However, a bigger challenge loomed: sustaining our clients’ trust in us to securely support those same technology solutions they rely on to keep their businesses moving and adapting to the new realities. Between a 24x7x365 enterprise network operations center and teams of engineers and specialists that collaborate on longer range solutions, CBTS provides a level of immediate response and quick resolution, which we could not and would not compromise.

Leveraging our agility, flexible delivery models, and client focus, we sent people and their access to technology home to resume the same standard of responsiveness, security, and attention to detail that our clients have come to expect. And we couldn’t be happier with the results.

Within a week of shifting operations, we were responding to clients in crisis, clients who were trying to meet the needs of their customers, patients, employees, students, faculty, and citizens. Just as quickly as the problems poured in, our teams met them head-on. A few of our successes include:

• When a healthcare client needed a technology solution to help it rapidly expand its COVID pop-up clinics, our teams created and deployed a solution for secure connectivity and full access to hospital applications.
• When schools were scrambling to adapt to remote learning, we provided hardware, software, connectivity, and support to enable teachers and students to quickly adapt.
• When a public assistance service needed a remote option to check on seniors, we launched an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solution in eight days.
• One government-based client turned to us to securely connect their now-remote employees while another came to us to improve their call center capacity.

We are proud of our employees, who went above and beyond, worked through lunches, pulled long hours, and performed like the superheroes they are to quickly resolve each client issue. And we are grateful for our clients, who have trusted us to help them solve their business challenges, in 2020 and beyond. While we hope that we never see a year like this again, the changes we have had to make have made us a better, stronger company and partner to our clients.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business become future-proof and ready to thrive in a crisis.

Also Read:

Community in 2020: We Give Where We Live

Surviving 2020: our employees are at the heart of our business

Thriving in 2020: Employee Resource Groups Cultivate our Culture

A message from our president about the acquisition