Recognizing Companies That Effectively Use Technology To Service Customers And Produce Revenue.
Supplement compiled by Kevin Moore, contributing editor
for the Hartford Business Journal
Meet the 2010 Strateg-e Award Winners:
Best Use Of Blogs: Thomas R. Clifford
Best Use Of Social Network: Connecticut Science Center
Best Use Of Social Media: NBC Connecticut
Best Use Of Web-Based Videos: Barnes Group
Easiest Web Site To Buy Products And Services From: West Hartford Chamber of Commerce
Easiest Web Site To Navigate: The Pert Group
For Information About the Judges, Click HERE
Re-inventing The Business Model
Few things have advanced as rapidly over the past decade as business communications technology. Sure, we’ve had our web sites and emails for some time. We’re blogging and instant messaging, and most of us are texting by now. But a mere decade ago, none of us had LinkedIn, joined FaceBook, Twittered or joined any number of the hundreds of social media sites proliferating the Web. Tried Foursquare yet? There’s a good chance you will at some point, if you haven’t already.
As the winners of the Hartford Business Journal’s 2010 Strateg-e Awards demonstrate inside, e-technology has passed its infancy. It has matured to the point at which business leaders now include it as a standard part of strategic planning to improve communications with employees, clients, consumers and others.
Business communications technology and social media are merging quickly and the implications to a company’s bottom line have never been greater.
A company’s ability to obtain and exchange information on customers, competitive products and services, job applicants and more, all through e-technology, translates into greater efficiencies and cost savings, smart business decisions and more competitive pricing.
Companies are using web technology aggressively, inside and outside the company. They’re conducting open enrollment benefit periods on-line for employees, hosting web-based meetings and training sessions, utilizing virtual associations for topic specific e-chats, data plumbing for marketing and competitive information, and using social media sites for marketing and advertising purposes.
One winner uses web technology to provide clients with real-time, customized interactive data reports. Another uses Twitter and LinkedIn for branding purposes and to drive traffic to his blog. Commenting about online communications, a third winner said, “It isn’t just about hype. It’s about delivering real educational value.”
For these companies and others like them, their Web site is more important than ever as the front door to their businesses.
Through this door step their employees, customers, clients, investors, and others. Some interact and conduct transactions, all are seeking information and all leave with an impression of their experience.
We’re proud to highlight our region’s 2010 leaders in e-technology. They’re using cutting edge technology that is changing the way we’re all doing business — and, best of all, they’re excited about showing us how. Congratulations winners!
– Gail Lebert, Publisher
On February 25, The Hartford Business Journal hosted an eTechnology Summit assembling the region’s thought leaders on website design, search, e-newsletters, e-advertising, blogs, social networks, business automation and integration for a series of interactive and engaging workshops.
The event also recognized companies who are using this technology in the most effective way to serve customers and produce new revenue with the “Strateg-e Awards.”
