In almost every New Year’s Eve celebration you will hear that song “Auld Lang Syne“. “Auld Lang Syne”, meaning “Old Long Since” or “long long ago” in our field, it may refer to things we did last year.

While we frequently don’t expect to use the word tradition to describe anything we do with technology, you might be surprised at the ways tradition affects your use of technology. Many IT software and hardware companies have lulled us to sleep with the expectation that we can continue paying maintenance, replace hardware on a pre-set schedule and all of our technology problems will stay away for another year. The truth of the matter is that even technology savvy companies get into habits that lead technology down the dangerous road to tradition.

I recently had a client call to ask if we could help develop a backup solution. They have been using the same backup software from a major vendor for the past 8 years, keeping maintenance and upgrading when needed. As I took the call, I illustrated, based specific requirements, I actually would recommend a different solution today than I would have just 6 months ago. Another client just this week asked me, “can I call-in to get my voice mail”? Funny, I thought, I haven’t dialed-in to voicemail in years, simply viewed it on my mobile device as a .wav file or utilize ‘single-number-reach‘ to leave one voice mail for all devices.

While your technology traditions may not date back to the 1700s like Auld Lang Syne, being conscious of those areas where technology becomes tradition helps your company keep from becoming stagnate. Happy New Year from Five Nines.

-Ben Pankonin

As 8″ of snow blanketed the Midwest, many grumbled about the challenges of conducting business in while worrying about road conditions. Several brave souls at Five Nines dared to think differently, creating the first ever Five Nines Flyers. These unique thinkers crafted a one-of-a-kind racing sled from a Dell r710 server box, a little extra tape, a trash bag and a passion for fun. Was this a lesson in the uncalculated risks of a tail-bone injury or a way to keep work from becoming stale?

Five Nines Flyers

Developing a culture of innovation begins with individuals who are willing to think outside of the immediate work in front of them.  Businesses often expect individuals to come up with an idea when asked, but we need to understand that innovation often begets innovation.  That is, whether you are looking for a fun idea with 8″ of snow on the ground or a creative way to structure a 25 branch office, it is easier when you are surrounded with innovators.

While at Five Nines we may not have discovered a new Olympic sport nor did we actually break Clark Griswald’s land speed record, we may have inspired a few to think differently about work, life and even innovation.

For more exciting video visit Five Nines on YouTube.

I asked one of our engineers how he felt after joining Five Nines recently from another company.  His response was simple, “I’m glad to not be the smartest person in the company”. I found his answer both encouraging and thought-provoking.

While pointing out that Five Nines has some highly skilled engineers, he also illustrated a principal that is not often embraced in an industry full of know-it-alls. Most of us have experienced the arrogant nature of technical staff who feel like they are the smartest person in the room or even the company, which usually only encourages intellectual arguments, not productive collaboration.

Sensing that you are ‘not the smartest person in the company’ will not only help you to learn from those ahead of you, but it will also encourage you to push harder to improve yourself personally and professionally. I recently ran across an article on CIO.com titled, “Why Even CIOs Need Smart Friends”, which points to the same concept, encouraging technology leaders to find smart friends in a variety of roles.  If each of us as technology professionals realizes that we are not the smartest, we begin to measure our success not in our intelligence related to the people we know, but in the solutions that make businesses successful.

Regardless of your position and profession, we hope you can say that “you are glad to not be the smartest person in the company”, and if you find that you are, it may be time to make some new friends.

-Ben Pankonin

by Michelle Leach
The Lincoln Business Journal

Businesses have powerful ammunition to fight the fall-out of the recession: new technology. But tech experts contend many businesses don’t know what’s out there and don’t understand the splash that can be made by implementing a new tool or process.
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Five Nines Technology is getting noticed through both Twitter and Facebook, and recently launched a blog.

“We found many businesses and individuals within the community who asked us for specific thoughts about technology,” said Ben Pankonin. “A blog provides a unique way for us to communicate with clients, prospects and even other IT partners within our industry.”

Pankonin said the use of blogs and other types of viral communication isn’t anything new to IT firms.

“But many IT professionals are not accustomed to communicating these concepts to business leaders, only other people who speak their language,” he said.

The Five Nines’ blog, “Boardroom Ideas,” offers clients tips on how to solve problems through IT, according to its Web site.

As for the future of IT, one need only look at what kids in junior high are doing, Pankonin said.

“Middle-school students don’t need advanced server infrastructures to communicate effectively with dozens of friends; they do it through utilizing a network of tools that can share information,” he said. “Tomorrow’s businesses will rely heavily on outsourced hardware, software and services – cloud-based computing and software as a service.”