Case Study: Silicon Space
Profile
Founded in 1996, Silicon Space develops custom applications, focused in the areas of knowledge management, collaboration, and workflow. Silicon Space works with large enterprises to automate internal business processes through IT and software consulting; mid-size firms seeking a competitive edge with ebusiness consulting and services; and small high-growth firms in need of computer consulting, intranet portals, and outsourcing.
Curt Nelson, CEO, and Kevin Harris, COO, along with their 70 employees, including managers and individual team members in the marketing, sales, HR, IT, and professional services departments use QuickBase to automate and manage their various processes and operations.
The Challenge
- Flexible way to manage evolving processes enterprise-wide
- Need for an adoptable solution employees actually use
- Quick reporting of key metrics with less work
In 2004, Silicon Space adopted QuickBase as their bug tracking system for the engineering team. As a rapidly growing company, Curt Nelson, CEO and Kevin Harris, COO were also looking for a better way to manage other departmental processes. While they weren't sure one solution could do the trick, they knew each department needed an agile and flexible solution that could be deployed quickly and changed as needed, since their processes were still evolving.
"During our search, we were learning more about the power of QuickBase through using it as our bug tracking solution," said Kevin. "There was no question that it was flexible enough to automate many of our processes."
As Kevin considered QuickBase for solving problems in other departments, he recognized employee adoption of any new systems was critical to those systems actually solving Silicon Space's pains. Kevin was adamant that their new solutions be customizable to fit their employees' specific needs.
The Solution
- Easy access to critical information company-wide
- Open communication and quick reporting functionality
- Seamless workflow
Since introducing QuickBase, Curt and Kevin have seen the adoption of the solution soar — eliminating their workflow automation and system adoption concerns. Now, there are over 150 users, including contractors, clients, employees and vendors, on over 50 QuickBase applications.
"As a metrics driven company, we rely on QuickBase to get the visibility needed to manage to our objectives. QuickBase's automated email notifications, roles and reporting features make it easy to keep initiatives, processes and results at our finger tips at all times," said Curt.
Silicon Space's applications today include:
Projects and Staffing helps track employees, staff projects, process invoices; report bill rates and cost rates; summarize project budgets; and track gross margins and team assignments.
Sales Force Automation gives sales reps an easy place to access and update deal size, prospect assignments and prioritization. Sales managers can now closely manage activities, send automated email reminders, and get real-time pipeline visibility, as well as more accurate and actionable reports on activity and more importantly results.
Bug and Issues Tracking provides engineering staff and customers a better way of tracking, prioritizing, and responding to issues. Customers enter their problems directly into this QuickBase, making response times shorter.
Recruiting System manages the workflow for staffing requests, candidates, job descriptions, phone screens, interviews, firms, postings, references, job offers and the overall recruiting plan.
Dataroom gives management a way to coordinate and spin off additional business offerings quickly and seamlessly, by providing outside accounting and legal counsel easy access to task lists and critical documents.
Planner keeps management focused on priorities and the big picture, with on-demand access to critical financial information.
Other QuickBase Applications created and used by Silicon Space include TORF (Time Off Request Forms), HR Documentation, and Performance Reviews & Peer Reviews.
The Results
- Increase in employee accountability
- No more excuses for missed deadlines
- Tremendous cost savings compared to other more expensive solutions
Today, Curt and Kevin are seeing that QuickBase delivers results by improving visibility and accountability, and promotes actionability company-wide.
"Now with QuickBase keeping employees and programs on track, there are no excuses for missing deadlines or missing critical information," Kevin emphasized. "Everyone is 100% accountable — no more excuses."
Since adopting the QuickBase solution at Silicon Space the cost savings has been tremendous. Three to four years ago, Silicon Space purchased a PSA solution that cost $10-15,000 a month and did only 10-20% of what QuickBase does.
Kevin shared, "From a cost perspective, we now are paying a tenth of what we used to and get 10 times the value."
