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.

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