As an account executive for a public relations and marketing firm specializing in technology, it’s my job to clearly communicate our clients’ products and services to journalists and analysts alike. The result of this effort includes brand awareness, credibility, and favorable coverage in the form of press articles and industry research reports.

To maintain PR workflow and success with our clients, Springboard invests in a broad range of technology. For example, we were an early adopter of BlackBerry phones since email is vital to our business. We understand the need to continually embrace new tools that keep us “connected.”

Aside from subscribing to the latest PR tools like BurrellesLuce’s clipping services, PRNewswire’s Profnet and Bacon’s MediaSource, we frequently test and use many of our clients’ products and services.

We accomplish two objectives. First, we benefit from the functionality offered by the product or service, which helps our business run more efficiently. Second, and more importantly, using our clients’ product or service allows us the opportunity to be more hands-on and gain a better perspective on the benefits they offer to their target customer. The latter is what sets us apart from other agencies.

Here is a snapshot of some products/services offered by our clients that are utilized at Springboard Public Relations:

• FootPrints from UniPress Software (now Numara Software)
As a Springboard client since 1999, the former UniPress Software has enjoyed much success with our PR services. And we have done the same in using their Web-based service desk product FootPrints, which provides a central platform to track and manage all client activities and projects. The software also provides us with automatic reporting, time tracking and billing management functionalities. By optimizing the software’s breadth of features, it has played a pivotal role in the success of our firm’s business operations. Plus, as a user, we have hands-on experience with the product, and when an editor fires a question at us, we are able to respond with a fast, accurate answer.

• FaxCore’s Namesake Fax Server Platform
Like many others, we have not brushed aside fax, nor do we loathe the long-lived technology (as Initech employees do in the 1999 comedy Office Space). FaxCore’s product eliminates what we all dislike most about traditional standalone fax machines: costly paper and toner, maintenance contracts and frustrating error messages (see below).

Since the FaxCore software integrates with Microsoft Exchange, we are provided with a streamlined approach to faxing that’s as simple as email. It was a no-brainer to deploy FaxCore soon after having the company sign on as a client, and ROI was realized in no time, as expected. With FaxCore, we are able to quickly send faxes the same way we email, and view all incoming and outgoing communications anytime, anywhere via email or through a web browser.

• FreeConferenceCall.com Service from Free Conferencing Corporation
Teleconference services need not cost a fortune, and the FreeConferenceCall.com service is proof. To open a free account, users are simply asked to provide their name and an email address. The service can accommodate up to 96 callers per session and administrators can record calls, as well. The recording feature of this service is widely used by our team for planning discussions, case study interviews, press briefings, etc. After the call, we can download the audio file, stream it off the web, or add to our podcast.

• ATEN Technology’s CL1758 Slideaway LCD KVM Switch
To effectively manage four servers (BlackBerry, file, email, etc), we needed a solution that could eliminate the monitors and keyboards required for each. Real estate in a rack is very important to organizations, and we are no exception. Our client ATEN Technology offers a broad range of KVM and other network solutions.

KVM stands for keyboard/video/mouse and helps companies, small and large, access and monitor multiple computers, servers and peripherals easily and conveniently from a single keyboard, monitor and mouse. We have a rackmount integrated LCD KVM switch that is helping us manage all servers and optimize rack space.

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