There is so much in store for those attending the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 in Nashville this year.  Be sure to attend if you would like to see how leading organizations are meeting the demands of ever empowered customers and business partners. Gain expert insight on synchronizing the supply chain, optimizing inventory, personalizing promotions, micro-target marketing, increased relevance and surpassing customer expectations.

REMEDI has sponsored and exhibited at each of the three Smarter Commerce Global Summits since the event’s inception.  For the upcoming summit, we will also be sponsoring a Customer Led Breakout Session ( SB-3620 ) in the Smarter Commerce Sell track on Tuesday May 21^st from 3 pm – 4 pm  ( Room: Canal B), entitled “How B2B Solutions Can Enable Growth”.  Additionally, you will find us in the Solution Center at location E-30.

Come see us at the Customer Led session and learn how Blue Star, a mid-sized company and global distributor, partnered with REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group to upgrade its B2B systems to manage increased B2B transaction volumes and trading partners, and significantly reduce manual processing and errors.

Also, join us in the Solutions Center to learn more about REMEDI Rapid Deployment, Supply Chain Visibility, and Executive Dashboard Solutions deployed with B2B Integration and MFT solutions from IBM.

We look forward to seeing you in Nashville!

I am catching up on my reading today and ran across a survey that has some great statistics that I would like to share.  The information is from a report called The World Without Us – Results from the EDI Professionals Survey by Ann Grackin from ChainLink Research.

Below are some of the statistics I found interesting…

While I don’t think these statistics are surprising to those in the EDI group or department…maybe they could pass them on to their manager

To get a free copy of the full report, you can register at ChainLink Research.

1. Separate Job Responsibilities  - When Brad joined REMEDI in 1996, we had established that he would be responsible for sales and administrative tasks and I would be responsible for anything technical – our internal systems, interviewing technical resources, consulting, etc.  Although, our job responsibilities have changed over the years with our growth, we still have a separation of responsibilities.
2. Respect Boundaries - Brad and I aren’t always going to agree (and if you ask anyone at our office, we rarely do agree), but Brad has the final say in matters in his “area” of the business and I have the final say in my “area”.
3. Handle Differences As You Would Anyone Else At The Office - When we do have differences, we handle them the same as we would anyone else in the office and argue about it at home – Now, this one has not been easy for me.  When we have a disagreement at the office, I try not to show my disagreement and anger, but I don’t do a good job of it.  One of our associates has suggested that we have referee shirts hanging outside of our offices, so people can put them on when they attend a meeting with us!  We do try to be professional at the office, but when we get home, all bets are off!
4. Don’t Be All Business - People know we are married, so why act like we aren’t?  Now I don’t mean that you should be hugging on each other like you are on a date, but we joke around and “harass” each other like we do at home.
5. Talk Outside Of The Office  - While I know that many articles say that you should keep work at work, I think we have had many good discussions away from the office.   Most of these are during a date night, walking the dog, or on vacation with our kids.  It is well documented, that time away from work for vacation or conferences, away from the day-to-day, gets the creative juices flowing.  Same applies for us, but we have the added benefit of someone with us to talk through any of our ideas.

Are you attending Smarter Commerce 2013 in Nashville?  REMEDI is exhibiting and sponsoring a Breakout Session this year.  Join us Tuesday May 21^st from 3 pm – 4 pm and learn “How B2B Solutions Can Enable Growth”. 

Many businesses have seen trading partner growth quadruple, average connections rise 30%, and are supporting four times the number of integration platforms.

Putting together a business case for B2B integration can be a huge challenge. But in order to justify a strategic B2B initiative, developing a strong case is essential.

Learn how Blue Star, a mid-sized company and global distributor, partnered with REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group to upgrade its B2B systems to manage increased B2B transaction volumes and more trading partners, and significantly reduce manual processing and errors. Hear the advantages of investing in improving supply chain management and its resulting impact on productivity, customer service and future business growth.

We look forward to seeing you in Nashville!

Smarter Commerce moves to Nashville this year!  Join us May 21-23 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center.

With only 8 weeks left until Smarter Commerce 2013 in Nashville, TN. REMEDI is busy making the final preparations for our exhibit. This year at Smarter Commerce you can look forward to exploring new solutions to optimize your most complex business challenges.

The new Session Preview Tool allows you to find the sessions that are the most relevant to you and your business. Sessions topics include B2B Integration, Advanced Analytics, Supply Chain, and many more. With over 150 sessions to choose from, you will certainly find value in attending.

If you are attending or considering attending, please contact us to learn more about how Smarter Commerce can help your business. We hope to see you in Nashville!

How would you rate your Hiring Process?

As we find ourselves at the end of the first quarter, it has been a busy time for hiring in IT.  Whether you are searching for a job or the perfect candidate, the hiring process can be a daunting one.  Searching for and selecting talent is time consuming and often the best candidates are in competitive situations with multiple offers.

The hiring process varies for each employer but what happens when your favorite candidate makes their way through the process and you are ready to offer them a job…..only to have them decline your offer for a variety of reasons …forcing you to start the process over again. Communication is extremely important during the hiring process.  When candidates feel the process is taking too long, the #1 outcome is they accept another opportunity.

So what’s broken in the process?  How can you avoid losing top talent in your hiring process?  A recent blog, 5 Reasons Companies Lose Top Talent in the Recruiting Process, highlights the reasons companies often loose top talent and need to start over.  Often times we are too focused on finding the right talent and not on what is inefficient in the process.

So what kind of process do you have?  When clients reach out to us to help with their resource needs, along with finding out what type of candidate they are looking for, we also classify their timelines.  There are 3 types of “shoppers” so to speak.

• Shopper “A” – Shopper A needs to hire good talent now, they have an immediate need and are looking for someone they can hire in a timely manner.  These are companies that have clearly identified their need, have a profile,  and are ready to execute.
• Shopper “B” – Shopper B knows they have a need in the future.  The need is not immediate and they may not even have a firm date but they know it will be in the next “x” weeks/months.  They are interested in knowing what type of talent will be available to fill their need in the desired timeline.
• Shopper “C” – Shopper C is a tire kicker so to speak. They know they will have a need in the future at some point….maybe…but nothing is certain and they are interested in seeing the type of talent that may potentially be available to them.  These shoppers often see talent they like but can expect their top choice will be gone.  These types of shoppers are typically in a budgeting cycle and want to get an idea of the type of talent they can expect and at what price.

The proper handling and execution of the hiring process is vital to companies.  When your process is slow or lacks communication you will have a difficult time finding the talent you are searching to hire in a timely manner.

Here are a few ideas on how one can improve their process:

• Communicate.  When you first contact the candidate, set an expectation of the process, schedule, and when you would like to have someone hired.
• Don’t overdo it with the applications.  Candidates often get frustrated when they are asked to fill out a 4 page application, background check, and personality evaluation before they have even spoken to the hiring manager.  If the process is too time consuming upfront you may lose good candidates.
• Provide clear job descriptions.  Don’t waste your time or the time of your candidates with vague, confusing job descriptions.  Make it clear and easy for candidates to know if the position will be a good fit for them.
• When a candidate is not a fit, reject them in a timely manner.  One of the biggest frustrations with a job seeker is not knowing, almost 50% of those asked stated that they never receive a response from companies they have applied to.  Have the courtesy to respond to them even if you are not interested in their background.

While many of these suggestions are applicable for the full time hire, these suggestions can also be useful in your interaction with utilization of professional services organizations.

In other news:

Join us in Nashville!  REMEDI will be a Sponsor and Exhibitor at Smarter Commerce 2013, join us May 21-23rd.

Considering moving to a new Integration System?  Learn how REMEDI’s Rapid Deployment Framework can help you deploy IBM Sterling B2B Integrator 4x faster!

How B2B Solutions Enable Growth:  REMEDI, partnered with IBM, recently shared a success story demonstrating how B2B Integration solutions can enable growth for your business.

Join REMEDI and IBM for a look inside IBM’s ILOG Supply Chain Optimization Applications.  Register Today!

GOING BEYOND THE SPREADSHEET:

How to Use Optimization Software to Improve 3PL Performance
February 20th from 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. EST

In this hands-on demonstration, learn how to leverage IBM Optimization technology to:

• Win more business through faster, more effective and professional RFP responses
• Delight your current customers by providing on-going valuable analysis of their business
• Improve internal operations, reduce costs and improve efficiency through optimization

Presented by:
Derek Nelson, the world-wide client solution lead for IBM’s ILOG Supply Chain Applications.
Mr. Nelson has personally been involved in the design and implementation of these solutions at many companies across a wide range of industries since 2001, serving as Vice President of Product Management at LogicTools (now part of IBM). This team covers strategic network design, multi-site production sourcing and optimized S&OP, inventory and flow path optimization, and strategic transportation optimization.

Please join our virtual session on February 20th from 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. EST

In the 4^th quarter of 2012, REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group sold and implemented IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for six clients.  Connect:Direct is an affordable solution and provides a point-to-point file transfer solution for high-volume, secure, assured delivery of files within and among enterprises. These solutions were implemented in a large financial institution, a Software Company, Financial process Automation Company, a Production Company and a large Investment Firm.  Connect:Direct offers business of any size a scale-able solution for file transfer  automation, assured file delivery, and security.

For more information on IBM Sterling Connect:Direct…

Explore other File Transfer Solutions…..

View our MFT Webinar…..

Contact us to discuss your file transfer needs.

IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 is in Nashville, TN!   This year the conference will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Conference Center, May 21-23, 2013.

REMEDI will be exhibiting again this year at the event.  The Smarter Commerce Summit is an event similar to the Sterling Commerce Customer Connection events of years past. The Smarter Commerce event brings together IBM commerce solutions (Buy, Market, Sell, Service), best practice implementers, industry experts, and integrated educational opportunities for those with (or contemplating) solutions in the Smarter Commerce solution spectrum.

Let us know if you will be attending the Smarter Commerce Summit. We would enjoy meeting with you at the conference and discussing any integration challenges you might be facing.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more information regarding Smarter Commerce in the upcoming weeks