Biz and Tech Talks | Business & Technology Trends

Centric Commemorates presents a conversation about understanding and celebrating Juneteenth in this special edition of our Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks podcast. Monday, June 19, marks the celebration of Juneteenth, which became a federal holiday in 2021. The holiday now reflects an even more widespread recognition. Team members Maurice Faison, Blaiden Kirk and Dr. Jodi Merriday join our Couch Convos podcast host John Kackley for an insightful discussion on Juneteenth. They dive into why – and how – people celebrate it today. Whether you actively celebrate Juneteenth or are just starting to learn about it, we encourage all to enjoy this informative and inspiring dialogue. Happy Juneteenth! Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 54: Celebrating Juneteenth  

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, our automation experts discuss what went wrong with Taylor Swift's latest concert ticket sales. In November 2022, tickets for Taylor Swift's latest concert tour went on sale on Ticketmaster. Huge demand swamped the website during the “pre-sales” period, crashing it and resulting in considerable outcry about customer service, a near-monopolistic business, and other concerns. We are only now seeing how many lawsuits people are filing. In this podcast, we dive into this situation from a technical point of view. What if your organization manages a website that faces substantial demand? It's not only concert tickets that can drive that kind of demand. What about the widespread use of bots, which is one point of contention regarding the topic? Join us for more discussion about the intricate dance between policy and technology in managing high-volume websites! Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 51: Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle  

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we sit down with some of our finest innovators to discuss their ideas for this year's CampIO. Every year Centric Consulting hosts CampIO, an internal tech conference where our consultants can get together to share crazy ideas, amazing projects and good times. In this podcast, we visit with Eric Galluzzo, the organizer, and this year's two winners for top presentations, Becky Gandillon and Jeff Aalto. Join us to hear about their amazing projects and for a far-reaching discussion among passionate people excitedly talking about their favorite side projects. How do these passion projects relate to the client work people do? What problem-solving approaches do these passionate people use, and how can you apply them? We also share ideas about how you can share your own enthusiasms with us even if you can't make it to Centric's CampIO 2023! Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 50: Camp IO 2022  

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we talk about organizational change management and how it works within your business, no matter where you are in your change journey. To other roles in a transformational project, organizational change management (OCM) can feel like a discipline on its own little island. It's certainly connected to the rest of the project, but how? We talk with Mark Paulson, Senior Manager for People and Change in Chicago, about how OCM best practices mesh with changes in other disciplines, including agile methodology, sprint development, and new expectations in corporate culture. He also walks us through answers to questions like: How does it engage with the technical world? How do you assess an organization's capacity for change? How does OCM adapt for hybrid or remote work? Join us as we dive into OCM in the context of your business projects. Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 49: OCM In Context Have you heard our latest podcast? Catch up on Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks! See What's New

In this episode of our Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we sit down with a consultant recently recognized by Consulting Magazine as Women Leaders in Technology. In this podcast, we're celebrating some of our finest consultants, recognized in 2022 by Consulting Magazine among the Women Leaders in Technology: our Chicago operating group's Anelia Schmitt and Hilary Lee. We wanted to get a take from these leaders on the challenges women face in consulting today and what they have learned from their experiences. One of the challenges that is all too common these days is being tremendously busy, which meant we couldn't make the schedule work to talk to Hilary. Instead, another Chicago leader, Amy McJoynt, joins the conversation. In this discussion, we talk about these challenges and more. While we look back on their formative professional years, we look forwards as well discussing how we can lay the groundwork for the leaders of the future. Join us for this podcast to get Amy's and Anelia's thoughtful insights on the opportunities for women in consulting today. Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 48: Women In Consulting  

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we sit down with Modern Software Delivery expert Pete Walen to talk about using test automation to support software development. A lot of software testing is repetitive, and therefore a great candidate for some sort of automation. Automation on its own doesn't solve all your problems, however. You need to design it around the needs of your business environment and the business solution you're implementing. And even then, it can have surprising complications. In this discussion, we talk to Pete Walen about how to get the most out of test automation: when it works, when it doesn't, and how to make the most of it in your particular situation. Join us for this podcast to see how test automation can support your software development project, plus a whole lot more! Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 47: Test Automation in Software Development  

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we sit down with a few members of our Innovation Lab to talk about their latest accomplishment – the Centric Virtual Assistant. Our Innovation Lab is familiar with developing meaningful, realizable solutions for our clients and our company. In 2021, we faced a new challenge: could we use the Lab's innovation process to drive a project that could build teamwork, relationships and skill-building with our technologists worldwide? In this discussion, we talk to Eric Galluzzo, Carmelita Resh and Shawn Wallace about how the Virtual Assistant Project came to be and how the team brought it all together. With a volunteer team, resources found on an as-needed basis, and a constant pushing-of-the-envelope technological puzzle, they walk through how our culture reinforces itself even when circumstances make things difficult. Join us for this podcast to see how you can engage team members in an exciting pilot project that builds skills, camaraderie and even a pretty helpful search tool, all at the same time! Listen Here Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 46: Virtual Assistant Innovation Only want the highlights? Check out our mini-podcast, Centric Shorts. Listen to Centric Shorts Centric Consulting · Biz and Tech Talks 46 (Centric Short): Virtual Assistant Innovation

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we sit down with our Insurance experts to talk about using a security logging framework with Guidewire. Guidewire is an industry leader core tool in the insurance space. As a Guidewire partner, Centric often works with clients to adapt Guidewire to their unique needs. Recently, we teamed up with a client to add a security logging framework to their implementation of the system. In this discussion, we talk to Sean Neben, our National Insurance and Guidewire Practice Lead, and Steve Dripps, Architect, about their objective on this project. We also walk through how they adapted the security logging framework to the Guidewire architecture, and the scope of how logging activities can supplement more traditional security measures. Join us for this podcast about Guidewire's security logging platform, and see how you can adapt some of these ideas to your own needs. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Centric-Podcast-45-Guidewire-Final.mp3

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we discuss the various uses of Microsoft Teams as a collaboration tool and learn how businesses can use it as a full digital hub for remote and hybrid employees. The business world initially warmly welcomed Microsoft Teams due to its strong integration of chats, calls and collaboration. The subsequent pandemic and virtualization of many work environments led to an explosion of growth, and with that came many new ideas about how to use it. For those of us who may have seen Teams as a user-friendly skin on top of SharePoint, boy, is there more to learn! In this discussion, we talk to our Modern Workplace Co-Lead Michael McNett about how companies can use Microsoft Teams as a platform to enable other workflow, documentation standards and business processes. McNett also shares how your organization's IT department can enable options for expansion. Beyond the basics, there're also the exciting new integration capabilities of Microsoft Viva. McNett runs through the capabilities of Viva. For instance, if you hadn't noticed Viva besides its replacement for Cortana's daily digest, you may be surprised how much you already use this tool. Surprised or not, there are even more functions you can use. Join us for this podcast on Microsoft Teams as a platform and get your creative, collaboration juices flowing. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Centric-Podcast-44-Teams-as-Platform-Final.mp3 Do you only want the highlights about Microsoft Viva? Check out this episode of Centric Shorts. Listen to Centric Shorts https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Centric-Podcast-44a-Teams-as-Platform-Short-Final.wav

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to two of our Salesforce specialists about using Salesforce Lightning to build out their own version of Wordle. Some of our more recent podcasts have touched on a hot topic in the tech world – citizen development. Now we're talking about what a business user might want to implement within a broader platform and how difficult would that be to create? We're looking at a concrete example of citizen development in action to answer these questions. Doug Burkhart and Shahid Mahmood, two of our Salesforce specialists, decided to replicate the word game Wordle on the Salesforce platform. Your users might have a slightly more practical objective, but maybe not one so much fun (or addicting). In this podcast, we demonstrate the demo application and examine what we can learn from it about citizen development and the use of a platform for application construction. You can either watch or listen to this special edition podcast! Join us for more! Watch Here https://vimeo.com/718432049 Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Centric-Podcast-43-Final-Salesforce-Wordle-1.mp3

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we're looking at how company culture can determine business success. Company culture is a common topic of discussion these days and has been for quite some time. As early as 1951, businesses noted culture as a concept, and arguably, we can associate it with earlier industrial organizations such as Ford Motor Company in the early 20th century. Much of the discussion, however, has evolved into either: Company culture is a goal of its own – basically, you should have one. Or, Company culture is important for hiring people. Neither of those relates culture to the success a company may have in accomplishing its goals, whether at a project level or the bottom line. In this podcast, we talk about how culture can impact a company's success, as well as how diversity and social media reflect a company's culture and have their own impacts. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Centric-Podcast-42.mp3 Only want the highlights? Check out our mini-podcast, Centric Shorts. John shares an example about his time on a project where he personally observed how culture can impact the outcome of work effort. Listen to Centric Shorts https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Centric-Podcast-42-Centric-Shorts.mp3

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to our experts about the importance of people, process and technology working together for business success. People, process and technology can combine to provide your business with a complete solution to your most complex problems. While all three of these offerings can do wonders for your organization and can make complex or challenging problems easier, combining the three brings you to an even stronger solution that will truly transform your business. While we focus on the synergy of people, process and technology in our latest podcast, we also spent quite a bit of time talking about metrics. Depending on where we were with our metaphor at any given point in the discussion, metrics were either a fourth leg of the project stool or a reflection of the stool's effectiveness as something to sit on. Join us as we dive deeper into how metrics can help the synergy of various focus areas within your business and can encourage collaboration across groups. Listen here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Centric-Podcast-41-Final-1.mp3   Only want the highlights? Check out our mini-podcast, Centric Shorts. We drill down to talk about how you can define and implement metrics that reflect the cooperation of people, process and technology. Listen to Centric Shorts https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Centric-Podcast-41-Centric-Shorts-Final.mp3

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we sit down with Noah Grayson to talk about how customer journey mapping can benefit your business. With brick-and-mortar shops, websites, apps and social media, companies have more ways to interact with their customers and business partners than ever before. That sounds like a situation rife with opportunity, but it's also a recipe for disaster if you don't cohesively design the overall experience with the customer experience in mind. In this podcast, we talk with Noah Grayson about a marketing and user experience design tool called customer journey mapping. We talk about how you can employ it to transform not just the basic customer experience, but your entire enterprise. Join us, and let your imagination run wild with how you can use this methodology for the needs you have now! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Centric-Podcast-40-Final-1.mp3

In this episode of Couch Convos: Biz and Tech Talks, we sit down with Becky Gandillion to talk about the intricacies of small (and big) data. Do you think data is kind of dry and dull? Or do you believe data is the bread and butter of life? It doesn't matter because either way, we have a podcast that's right up your alley! We visit with Becky Gandillon, a Data Analysis Manager from our St. Louis practice, to discuss how you can use different types of data in unique and creative ways.  Do you find analyzing data makes your eyes glaze over? Becky shows us how to read the data, breathe life into it, and make it relatable and useful. On the flip side, do you love data and want to learn more? Becky shows us how to take data, big or small, and interpret it for people who don't think about data in quite the same way.  Join us to hear more, including what data analysis has to do with Disney World and what hibiscus-flavored sparkling water has to do with data! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Centric-Podcast-39-4.mp3

In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we're talking about how leaders need to rethink their leadership styles in the remote and hybrid workplace. It's now early 2022, and many of us thought we'd be back in the office full-time by July of last year. It seems we were wrong about that! But what we weren't wrong about is how many people enjoy working remotely. In fact, according to the Qualtrics Future of Work in 2021 Report, 80 percent of us like doing work - at least some of the time - from somewhere besides our offices. Permanently adopting a remote or hybrid workplace strategy will be a big change for all of us with a different kind of change for managers, executives and leaders everywhere. We can't expect to be in the same place, seeing the same motivational posters on the walls, and hanging out in the same break room to keep us connected and visible. It takes more than that. In this conversation, Larry English, president of Centric Consulting and author of "Office Optional: How to Build a Connected Culture with Virtual Teams," talks about what's needed to lead and develop people in this new environment. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Podcast-Interview-38-Rethinking-Leadership.mp3

In this episode of our Centric podcast, we reflect on our DEI initiative, Centric Together, and our first year since its conception. It's been a year since we met with Jen Barnes and Maurice Faison and discussed the launch of Centric Together, Centric's initiative to go beyond Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to ensure an unmatched employee experience for every one of us. In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we look back at the last year: What did we accomplish? What did we learn? How has the road ahead changed for Centric Together? We have Jen and Maurice back to talk about their experiences, and also joining us is Shan Mukhtar, Centric's DEI lead. Together we talk about what Centric Together means, how it is critical to our culture, and how it fits in with today's business world. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/CT-podcast.m4a

In this edition of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk with our experts about the ins and outs of citizen development, taking an even closer look at how citizen developers can benefit your business. What is Citizen Development? At a high level, it is implementing supporting business processes using enterprise tools developed by end users rather than IT. Various forms of this have been around for a long time, but as tools grow in sophistication, so do the options available to these citizen developers. The goal is to provide efficiency-enabling solutions to your business where the rigor of IT portfolio management and development methodology aren't needed. Two of our ace specialists, Senior Manager for Enterprise Collaboration Brit Kwait, and Senior Architect Jo Karnes, have teamed up on a series of webinars on Citizen Development, covering the capabilities of several leading platforms as well as the enterprise support needed for success. Today's chat is a companion piece to answer other questions you may have about the movement -- where it is and where's it going. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Podcast-Interview-35-Citizen-Development-Introduction.mp3 Want to take a deeper diver into the world of citizen development? We discuss the tools to use in our "Microsoft Power Hour" on-demand webinar. Watch our webinar

In this edition of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we share our “Citizen Development: How Business and IT Teams Achieve More” webinar. In this edition of our podcast, National Enterprise Collaboration Practice Lead Joe Hartsel, Senior Manager for Enterprise Collaboration Brit Kwait, and Senior Architect Jo Karnes discuss how citizen development is improving productivity, accelerating innovation, and freeing up IT groups to focus on the most business-critical applications and solutions. Would your company be better off if you could complete internal projects faster? We all know the answer is yes. But, it's difficult to fathom freeing up time and completing more projects when the demand for applications and solutions only grows by the day. Our two-part webinar, “Citizen Development: How Business and IT Teams Achieve More,” which we are now offering as an easy-listening podcast, dives into why and how companies are beginning to use citizen development. Want to take a deeper diver into the world of citizen development? We discuss the tools to use in our "Microsoft Power Hour" on-demand webinar. Watch our webinar Our host John Kackley introduces the podcast, which shares how citizen development empowers employees to build the tools they need without depending on the software experts in IT to get it done. Our experts and business leaders who specialize in creating and empowering citizen developers share: What citizen development means and why it's important to both business and IT Who can (and should) be a citizen developer How to know if citizen development is the right fit Four ways to have successful citizen development initiatives Establishing a center of excellence to create proper governance, security, and adoption over citizen development This recording concludes with a Q&A session to ensure you have a solid foundation. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Podcast-Interview-32-Citizen-Development-Webinar-pt-1-1.mp3

It's the rise of the hybrid workplace, but implementation may not be as easy as you think. In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we discuss what you need to do to prepare for a hybrid model. 2020 saw an unprecedented change to how we work in the industrialized world, with many people working from home - or at least away from the office - early returns suggest that productivity soared. In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk with our President Larry English and People and Change Co-Lead Steve Jenkins about what happens next. It turns out people like the option to work from home, and employers will have to embrace it to hold on to their top employees. So, what can a company do to remold itself into a hybrid workplace, where sometimes people work remotely and sometimes on-site? Want to learn more about going hybrid? Watch our on-demand webinar. Watch the Webinar As Steve tells us, it's a little more difficult than just telling everyone to do what they want. In this discussion, Steve and Larry take us through the key decisions an organization must make in defining its new workplace model. We also discuss other impacts on company culture and career development. Join us to hear more! Listen Here: https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Podcast-Interview-31-Hybrid-Workplace.mp3 And if you're interested in reading more about what the world has learned about the virtual work model, check out this recent article in The Atlantic.  

On this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk to Brian Sedor, head of our Centric Innovation Lab, about big ideas, virtual water coolers and what the future holds for innovation. We're starting to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel here in the United States, but what new ideas are waiting for us? In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk with Brian Sedor, practice lead of the Centric Innovation Lab. We talk about the very timely biggest success story of the lab and the part it plays in turning new ideas into reality. In addition, we discuss the concept of a virtual water cooler - what is it, how does it work, and why would you want one? Join us to hear more! Listen Here: https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Podcast-Interview-30-Innovation-Update-20210602.mp3 And if you're interested in reading more about the use of virtual reality in medicine, check out this recent article in the New York Times. It doesn't mention our work, but that just shows how much is going on in this area. Very cool stuff!

In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk to our leadership team about this past year and look at how we will navigate what’s next as a company in 2021. 2020 has been an epically strange year, but has this epic strangeness impacted Centric Consulting? In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to our leadership team, the legendary Four Amigos, about what we've gone through in 2020 and our positioning for the future. We pride ourselves on our culture, and in this talk, our leaders talk about what that culture has meant to us in this past year. While they’re doing that, the conversation also hints at the uniqueness already resident in our culture, as we explain how to use dogs as lumbar supports, fake office backgrounds for video calls, and the social meaning of Golden Corral gift cards. Join us to hear more and figure this out for yourself. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Podcast-Interview-28-Amigos-2021-1.mp3

This year has taught us the importance of flexibility. Sometimes that need for flexibility overflows into who you select to be on a project team. In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we discuss how to tackle the difficult subject of staffing changes for your company's benefit. How do you know when to replace someone on a project? When do you remove someone from your team and bring in someone else? When has someone contributed all they're going to contribute to the team? In this installment of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, John Kackley talks with Centric colleague Hilary Lee to dive into this subject. Decisions to make changes in a team are not easy. It's a challenging topic and not one that tends to get talked about in training. For one thing, project resources are often scarce enough without choosing to let someone go, and even a mediocre performer typically has enough background and momentum to make them more valuable than whoever could replace them. John and Hilary discuss their experiences with this challenge, look for the central levers on making a team decision, and offer suggestions on how others can navigate a problematic situation. Join us for this engaging podcast on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Podcast-Interview-12-Changing-the-Lineup.mp3

In the latest edition of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we go deeper into the world of data and analytics. Now, more than ever, D&A needs to integrate with new technologies. Data and analytics is a hot topic in the business world, so what are the key things we can learn at the front of the curve? In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to Carlos Cruz (along with his work-from-home "interns") about how organizations expect more from their data environments. They're looking for their data to work smoothly with their other emerging technologies, like machine intelligence and cloud adoption, to be the basis for their future success. Carlos also talks about the next level of challenges found in data and analytics and where organizations are looking for help. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Podcast-Interview-D-and-A-Followup-Sep-2020.mp3

In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we look at how companies can successfully migrate their business data into the cloud. Moving applications, infrastructure, and data from your premises and into the cloud has become increasingly popular. Companies typically look to this migration for benefits in the application and operational flexibility, but is that the limit of available benefits? And what about the costs and barriers to this migration? In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to Nai Chauncey and Mike Sroka about their cloud migration experiences. What is cloud migration really about? How can an organization plan a migration to the cloud with the greatest chance of success and deliver the most significant benefits? Nai and Mike talk about their experiences with different organizations, discussing what they've found to be the crucial elements of a successful cloud adoption program. While it may seem like it's a technical solution with primarily technical benefits, Nai and Mike have seen just how much more important is the transition to an organization built around a cloud mindset. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Podcast-Interview-26-Cloud-Adoption.mp3

In this episode of Biz and Tech Talks, we hear from Traci Whetzel about Salesforce's role in the world of CRM tools. Over the years, Customer Relationship Management tools (CRM) have become ubiquitous, and Salesforce has been leading the charge. A pioneer of software as a service, Salesforce is a major player with its CRM tools and more. In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we listen to Traci Whetzel talk about her background with Salesforce and what she's learned from it. What does it take to make a Salesforce implementation successful? What should executives consider in planning for implementation, as well as for the operational organization needed afterward? Among other things, Traci touches on the skills required and the community resources available. Traci looks to the future as well as the past. Salesforce has significantly contributed to making CRM a common tool used by organizations worldwide -- how it moves forward to meet today's challenges will continue to impact organizations. Those looking to build a team, a business capability, or their career with Salesforce can all learn from Traci's abundant experience with this tool. Join us to hear more! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Podcast-Interview-25-Salesforce-and-CRM-1.mp3

In this episode of Biz and Tech Talks, we hear from Traci Whetzel about Salesforce's role in the world of CRM tools. Over the years, Customer Relationship Management tools (CRM) have become ubiquitous, and Salesforce has been leading the charge. Read More › The post [Podcast] Salesforce Success and the Journey to Get There appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk about our ebook and how a Modern Analytics Approach can improve Property & Casualty insurance data issues. Is there an industry more about data, pure data, and nothing Read More › The post [Podcast] Taking a Modern Analytics Approach to Property & Casualty Insurance appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk about planning for disaster recovery and maintaining business continuity. In different ways, in both businesses as well as personal arenas, we've all been dealing with the impact of Read More › The post [Podcast] Walking Through Elements of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of our Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk about planning for disaster recovery and maintaining business continuity. In different ways, in both businesses as well as personal arenas, we've all been dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in recent months. From a business point of view, this hasn't fit the classic scenario for disaster recovery. Disaster recovery usually focuses on data centers, systems, and infrastructure, but this scenario has been more focused on people and fundamental business functions. Nevertheless, some organizations saw an event like this as a potential disruption and planned for it. In contrast, others had to scramble, and may even go out of business before this is over. In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to senior manager and National DevOps Practice Lead Joe Ours and Rich Caldwell, an AWS Cloud Architect in our Cloud practice. Joe gives us his insight on the business side - people and process - while Rich zeroes in on the technical side of things. From brainstorming, planning, and testing through to response and recovery, Rich and Joe take us through every stage of the business continuity and disaster recovery experience, asking the following questions, and many more. When is an event too unlikely to plan for? How can you test your organization's readiness for events like these? What should you think about when implementing your organization's systems to be best prepared for disruption? Join us for a deep and thoughtful conversation on a timely topic. John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Podcast-Interview-23-BC-and-DR.mp3

In this episode of our Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we share our “Using Microsoft Teams to Enable Remote Work” webinar. In this edition of our Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, Office 365 Teamwork Lead Michael McNett, Microsoft Certified Read More › The post [Podcast] Using Microsoft Teams to Enable Remote Work appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of our Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we share our “Using Microsoft Teams to Enable Remote Work” webinar. In this edition of our Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, Office 365 Teamwork Lead Michael McNett, Microsoft Certified Senior Solutions Architect Veenus Maximuik, and People and Change expert Phil Swettenham talk about how to deploy Microsoft Teams rapidly while driving employee adoption and maintaining company culture and engagement. To meet the urgent need for remote work during the COVID-19 crisis, thousands of companies worldwide turned to Microsoft Teams. In fact, March 31, 2020, Microsoft set a new daily record for Teams meetings—2.7 billion minutes on alone, compared to 900 million minutes on March 16. Our webinar, “Using Microsoft Teams to Enable Remote Work,” which we are now pleased to present as a podcast, was a record-setter, too. Over 200 attendees submitted more than 50 questions making the webinar was one of our most popular virtual events ever. The hosts extended the event 15 minutes past its scheduled end time so that they could keep answering questions, and they went on to field dozens more offline. Clearly, people want to know more about Teams—but it’s not just a matter of getting the cloud-based, remote-work platform up and running. Even with tools like our own 3-Week Teams Rapid Startup Engagement and Microsoft Teams Support Services, challenges remain after startup: What can I do to make my implementation go more smoothly? How can deploy Teams when my organization wants to keep using Outlook and Skype—or GoToMeeting and Zoom? Is it possible to automate support, so my IT staff isn’t overwhelmed with questions? The hosts fielded questions like these questions and many others throughout the 75-minute webinar. From basics to specific technical recommendations, there is truly something for everyone in our “Using Microsoft Teams to Enable Remote Work” podcast. John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Podcast-22-Using-Microsoft-Teams-to-Enable-Remote-Work.mp3

In this episode of our Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to Michael McNeal about Marketing Automation. How do you define marketing? Maybe you think it's a continuous cycle of campaigns to customers, with metrics tracking hits, responses, and Read More › The post [Podcast] An Inside Look at Marketing Automation appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of our Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to Michael McNeal about Marketing Automation. How do you define marketing? Maybe you think it's a continuous cycle of campaigns to customers, with metrics tracking hits, responses, and - hopefully - sales or revenue. Maybe, if you're especially savvy, you successfully target a campaign at high-quality leads. But often time, it's no more than a guess. Well, welcome to the 21st century of marketing! In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk with Michael McNeal, our National Marketing Operations Lead, about the journey into modern marketing and marketing automation. We talk about how marketing automation drives continuous campaigns, with communication focused on the life cycle of a customer. For example, let's say you're doing marketing for Acme Motors, and you've just sold a car to Jane Consumer. You don't need to tell her all about your new models right now: she just bought a car, and she's not likely in a position to buy another one right away. What's more, she's probably pretty excited about the vehicle she recently bought from you-- telling her about next year's model with its snazzy new features is only likely to create a sense of disappointment. Instead of blasting her with news about the latest models, you can use marketing automation to send her a different message-- such as how exciting it is to be part of the secret society of cool people who bought an Acme Motors car! As time passes, you can use marketing automation to share maintenance specials with her, and then gradually bring in news about newer models. So, when Jane Consumer starts thinking about her next new car, your communications are perfectly in sync with her needs. As the podcast continues, we also talk about how machine learning and artificial intelligence play a role here, along with the technology that's out there for it. Critically, we dive into what it takes to make marketing automation successful for an organization. Join us to see what the future holds in store! John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Podcast-Interview-11-Marketing-Automation.mp3

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk to participants and attendees from our Expedition: Data event. Data science and machine learning are gathering speed, moving from the technology sphere into day to day business. Read More › The post [Podcast] Relive Expedition: Data, Man on the Street appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk to participants and attendees from our Expedition: Data event. Data science and machine learning are gathering speed, moving from the technology sphere into day to day business. Last year, Centric Consulting organized a machine learning hackathon at its spring meeting so its consultants could learn, experiment, and get even more excited about the new technology. It was a great success, but what could our Data & Analytics team do for an encore? In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we go on location Centric's spring meeting and learn about the Expedition: Data event. For this event, we partnered with Microsoft and RevLocal to use live business data in different experiments, applying machine learning and data visualization to a client's immediate business problems. We talk with organizers, participants, and observers to hear about the event and what it's accomplished. Watching it all was a representative of our client, and we get his perspective on the activity as well. Join the team on this expedition into the jungles of data! Hear what we learned, what it means for business and what's coming up next! John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Podcast-Interview-20-Expedition-Data.mp3

In this episode of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, founder and president Larry English shares insights from his book about building community while working virtually. Companies have been making use of flexible work arrangements, remote staffing, and virtual teams for Read More › The post [Podcast] Remote Work and the Virtual Community appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, founder and president Larry English shares insights from his book about building community while working virtually. Companies have been making use of flexible work arrangements, remote staffing, and virtual teams for years, but until the recent pandemic, few companies have leaped to commit to these in a major way. For organizations trying to make that leap, there's not just the question of how to make the change, but how to make it succeed. In this episode of Centric Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to Centric Consulting's founding member and president Larry English. Larry recently wrote a book on how to build community in a virtual organization, and he talks about the questions executives have and the lessons he's learned over twenty years running a virtual company. What makes people most effective in a virtual environment? How can you make people comfortable with the new reality? Having the right tools is essential, but so is preparing both the individual and the team for success under new ground rules. In the end, the objective is to make the tools work for you so well that you can address your business and personal issues, and you don't even think about the fact you're in a virtual environment. Join us to hear Larry's tips on how to achieve this. John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Need more tips, tools and techniques to work from anywhere? Contact us to learn more Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Podcast-Inteview-21-Virtual-Community.mp3

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk about the importance of "innovation culture" and the benefits it brings. Innovation is one of the top buzz words of our time. While it's often likened to Read More › The post [Podcast] Cultivating an Innovation Culture appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk about the importance of "innovation culture" and the benefits it brings. Innovation is one of the top buzz words of our time. While it's often likened to a lightning strike, innovators like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford didn't wait for the lightning to show up. They created an environment where innovation could blossom and then tested new ideas continuously. In this episode of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we meet with Brian Sedor, leader of Centric's Virtual Innovation Lab, and talk about how to build innovation into an organization and its culture. We start at the beginning with a discussion of the essence of innovation, and then we talk about what it means for a company to value and drive continuous innovation. Brian has a favorite analogy taken from the movie Ratatouille. Not everybody innovates, but innovation can come from anybody. It's crucial to the idea of an innovation culture. Put another way, a culture of innovation gets everybody thinking about new ideas, not just a select group inside a think tank or R & D lab. With that in place, the next step is to make sure that new ideas have a chance to grow and develop. We cover this and more in this latest installment of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks. John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Podcast-Interview-10-Innovation.mp3

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk with Centric Consulting founder Larry English about reevaluating your business strategy. It's a cliché the world is changing faster than ever before, but that doesn't make it Read More › The post [Podcast] Rebooting Business Strategy appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we talk with Centric Consulting founder Larry English about reevaluating your business strategy. It's a cliché the world is changing faster than ever before, but that doesn't make it any less true. You work hard to establish your strategy and build on it, but in the whirlwind we live in, what's the best way to manage your business strategy and keep your business on the right path? In this installment of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we visit with Centric Consulting president Larry English. We start by talking about the nuts and bolts of business strategy, like: What signs indicate you need to reevaluate your strategy? How often to check in on it? Who do you engage to be part of the process? Do you Include external advisors, or not? Are you looking at incremental change, or is everything on the table? In the course of our discussion, we hit numerous examples pulled directly from today's headlines, as companies make strategic decisions every day which can make them successful -- or spell the beginning of the end for them. Working from decades of business experience, we dig deep into the tension, uncertainty, and sheer thrill of making setting the course for a business enterprise. Join us by listening in on this latest discussion in the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast series! John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podcast-Interview-13-Strategy-Reboot.mp3

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we discuss the importance of deep work. Jason Fisher led Centric's long-time technologists Chris  Urian and Shawn Wallace in a talk about deep work-- the basics, how to get started, practical tips to Read More › The post [Podcast] Taking a Look at Deep Work appeared first on Centric Consulting.

In this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, we discuss the importance of deep work. Jason Fisher led Centric's long-time technologists Chris  Urian and Shawn Wallace in a talk about deep work-- the basics, how to get started, practical tips to stay engaged, the benefits, and how to take advantage of it in business. Studies show that, annually, US companies lose approximately 28 billion hours in productivity each year due to distractions and interruptions. Their discussion goes beyond defining the subject into reflecting on how employing it improves employee productivity and creates a competitive advantage. Listen in to learn what the practice is and how you can take advantage of this practice for yourself and your teams. And, hear Chris, Shawn, and Jason discuss how you can get started and where you can find additional resources to take a deeper dive into it.  Learn their insights on these topics as well as practical tips for creating an environment that fosters deep work. Join in the discussion on this installment of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast! Jason Fisher is a Manager on our Columbus team. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/deep-work-finalNoiseRemoved.mp3

This week on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to our four founders, the Four Amigos, to reflect on the start of Centric Consulting and our 20 years together. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of Read More › The post [Podcast] 20 Years as a Company appeared first on Centric Consulting.

This week on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we talk to our four founders, the Four Amigos, to reflect on the start of Centric Consulting and our 20 years together. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of Centric Consulting, although that wasn't the name back then. The name's changed, and so have a lot of other things. Or have they? In this episode of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we talk with the founders and long-time leaders of Centric, Dave Rosevelt, Eric Van Luven, Larry English, and Jeff Lloyd. With the Four Amigos as our guides, we go back to the early days of Centric to learn what it took to start a client- and consultant-centered firm back in those turbulent times. We look to separate the myths from the truth, but we also look at how the organization's founding stories shaped how Centric serves its clients today. Among the searching questions answered in this discussion: What was the company’s original name, and how did we land on Centric? What did the original logo look like, and why don't we see it anymore? What was the origin of our famously non-hierarchical company hierarchy? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this emotional, very special episode of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks! John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Podcast-Interview-20th-anniversary-review.mp3

This week on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we discuss the importance of motivation in a consulting role. How do you find your motivation and use this to perform your best? A while back, we held a Centric Book Club Read More › The post [Podcast] Finding Your Motivation in Consulting appeared first on Centric Consulting.

This week on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we discuss the importance of motivation in a consulting role. How do you find your motivation and use this to perform your best? A while back, we held a Centric Book Club discussion on the book "Drive," by Daniel Pink. The book focuses on motivation, with the thesis stating tangible rewards (like bonuses) motivate people less, and satisfying experiences or how excited they are by the outcome motivate people more — people connected to this theory, as they recognized this psychology in themselves. As consultants, however, motivation based on an outcome has an extra wrinkle. We don't always have the same goal as those of our clients. To ponder this challenge, we invited Centric Chicago's Ted Goodman and Jill Sidoti to talk about motivation and what it means to a consultant. We discuss where motivation comes from and how a career of constant change affects this. We touch on questions of motivation when you change projects frequently or when you've been in one place for too long. Ted takes us in-depth through some of his early experiences in consulting and how he and his team found motivation through the challenges they faced. We touch on these questions and a lot more in this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, and we hope you'll find something that resonates with you. John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Podcast-Interview-8-Find-Your-Motivation.mp3

This week on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we take a look at continued learning in a professional capacity. We share tips and tricks to make furthering education less daunting. The continuing development of skills and knowledge is more critical Read More › The post [Podcast] Make Continued Learning Easy with a Learning Toolkit appeared first on Centric Consulting.

This week on Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we take a look at continued learning in a professional capacity. We share tips and tricks to make furthering education less daunting. The continuing development of skills and knowledge is more critical than ever, even beyond the professional realm. For many of us, though, it leaves us with numerous questions: What can I do to be a lifelong learner? How can I fit that into my already packed schedule?   In this episode of Centric's Biz and Tech Talks, we talk with Erynn Truex, learning manager for Centric, about her answers to those questions. We talk about the importance of continuing education and how to take steps towards professional learning. We break down specific activities everyone can do to make the most of their learning and experience.   We dive into the learning process itself, discussing learning styles and platforms. After all, learning is not limited to reading a book, listening to a podcast, or attending a seminar. It is also about applying your day to day experience, as well as understanding how to unlearn something when it's no longer applicable or timely.    No matter how you learn or what you'd like to learn, Erynn's tips will help. John Kackley is a senior manager and program manager at Centric Chicago. Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Podcast-Interview-19-Learning-Toolkit.mp3

There is more than one type of Cloud Provider. We take a look at two of the more notable options, Containers and Serverless, and determine if one is better than the other. Episode 10 On this episode of the Centric Read More › The post [Podcast] Containers Versus Serverless Architecture appeared first on Centric Consulting.

There is more than one type of Cloud Provider. We take a look at two of the more notable options, Containers and Serverless, and determine if one is better than the other. On this episode of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast, Jason Fisher leads a discussion about Containers versus Serverless architectures. Centric technologists Mike Brooks and Matt Miller join Jason Fisher to talk about Containers versus Serverless – the major differences, pros, cons and trends. Containers are a light-weight standalone execution environment for your application, with a complete operating system, applications, and all dependencies including your network. We discuss how containers benefit you. In Serverless, you only care about the code, since the Cloud Provider manages the servers. You write your code and deploy it to the Cloud, and they manage and scaling how it is run.  Listen in to hear what Serverless is ideal for. Finally, we discuss trends for both and determine if one Cloud Provider is better than another. Join in the discussion on this installment of the Centric Biz and Tech Talks podcast! Listen Here https://centricconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Containers-vs-Serverless_FinalWNoiseRemoved-1-1.mp3