2017 Business Excellence Awards

16 Acquisition International - Business Excellence Awards 2017 Best Business Technology Solutions Provider - Texas UBEO Business Services UBEO Business Services (formerly Documation) is the premium provider of business technology integration solutions. We invited Jim Sheffield, CEO, to talk us through the firm and the services it offers. Company: UBEO Business Services (formerly Documation) Contact: Ronnie Hay Contact Email: [email protected] Address: 2112 Rutland Dr. #140, Austin, Texas, 78758, USA Phone: 001512 672 4431 BE170028 UBEO is the premier business technology provider in the business technology market, specializing in supporting clients that seek value through investments in efficiency and productivity. Jim outlines in more detail how the firm achieves this by supporting its clients, who range from boutique operations to large multi-national companies, throughout the process. “At UBEO, all of our new partnerships begin with a detailed Business Technology Assessment. The phrase “Technology Assessment” has become ubiquitous throughout our industry. Everyone does a technology assessment now. Where we differ from other service providers is in the depth of the analysis. Most providers will provide a detailed data analysis, but data is only the beginning for our team. “Our systems analysts examine the client’s workflow and listen to their needs in order to understand how best to help them achieve their goals. At the end of this BTA process, we will recommend the optimum solution based on all aspects of data, interviews, and observation. Some of our findings don’t result in a partnership because the minimum recommendation might exceed the client’s budget. As we are more comfortable with choosing not to partner over budget rather than strip out vital services in order to get a deal this is not a big issue for our firm. Ultimately, we will fail to live up to the client’s expectations and our own if we work any other way. Many clients that have been through our analysis process have come back to us after reassessing some priorities and chosen to partner with us, which is a great testimony to our level of excellence.” Jim, who draws on over 30 years’ experience in the business technology market, has helped drive UBEO to the success it enjoys today through strong leadership. He discusses the challenges he has faced leading a team at this level and how he has worked to overcome these. “There are challenges with everything you do at every level, and I have worked in every level of an organization from a front-line salesperson to now the CEO of a successful company. “One of the biggest changes I have gone through is from being a manager to becoming a leader. Being a manager and a leader are not the same thing. Managing is running a day-to-day operation, setting expectations and following up to ensure those expectations are being met. There are great managers out there and no business can be successful without great managers. Our organization has some excellent managers. “Leading at this level is a bit different. Ironically, you have to be comfortable with less control. You cannot directly manage anymore. Instead of setting expectations or giving direction, I try to tell my people what I am thinking and where I believe we need to go. That is the vision. Being close to our clients, my team understands the nuances of the market even better than me. As such, I set the vision and then allow their feedback to help me navigate, and turn that vision into execution on the ground. Allowing for that feedback also solves the buy-in problem. If my team has helped me craft the vision, they are already way down the line of executing without me having to sell it.” Drawing on his vast industry expertise, Jim also has a strong insight into the market and the challenges and developments it faces, which he is keen to share with us. “Currently, every provider in our industry is in a race to be the lowest cost option. UBEO is the greatest value provider in our industry, and sometimes that also means we may not be the least expensive option. Whilst we do have to be competitive to be viable, I think what the market is missing is that when you get a low priced service provider, know they are making up the difference somewhere else. “Another aspect of our changing industry is the move to “Go Paperless.” A business can certainly go paperless, but there are some things you need to consider. “Moving forward, our business will continue to gowheremarket needs takeus . Our customers are demanding more and more services fromus that are slightly outside of what we consider to be our core business.”