While remote or satellite offices are not a new concept, until the last few years, they were primarily reserved for functions such as creating a local sales office for companies selling nationally or internationally. Core functions, such as product design, accounting, marketing and corporate management were reserved for those operating out of the headquarters office.
The advent of ubiquitous computing generally, and the Internet in particular, changed all of that. Suddenly working with a fellow employee in another town or state became as easy as working with one in the next office. It has been a game-changer for many organizations, allowing them to keep employees on-staff who in the past would have had to leave the company due to relocation as well as to hire people with particular skills regardless of where they live. As more organizations adopt advanced technologies such as VoIP, the line between headquarters and satellite offices blurs even further.
One area where the transition hasn’t been so smooth for many organizations, however, has been faxing. Organizations that still rely on faxes (such as many manufacturing and retail operations) for at least a portion of their business communications are finding that their old fax machines are increasingly incompatible with their new business model.
Client
Bergeron Companies is the parent organization for a group of companies that manufacture and sell various forms of seating for infants, toddlers and young children. Included under the Bergeron Companies umbrella are AdaptiveMall.com, an Internet retail site offering a variety of products designed specifically for special needs children; Special Tomato, a designer and manufacturer of positioning products from individual cushions to complete strollers for special needs children; and Keekaroo, which designs and manufactures furniture and cushioning for typical development infants. Founded in 1998, the privately held company’s headquarters and manufacturing facilities are in Dolgeville in upstate New York. Bergeron Companies also has five satellite offices focused on areas such as marketing, sales and product design.
Challenge
In 1998, Tim Bergeron founded AdapativeMall.com to provide a one-stop shop for furniture, pads, strollers, clothing, suppliers and other items for special needs children. The company grew quickly and became a destination site for parents, therapists, teachers, clinics and others. Along with that growth came more employees including his son Jamie and his daughter Katie Bergeron Peglow. With the business in good hands, Tim Bergeron made a decision to return to his true passion – designing and manufacturing innovative products. That decision resulted in the founding of both Special Tomato and Keekaroo.
