Last week we announced that our Techrigy family had been adopted (acquired) by Alterian, a company with analytical products for marketers. They intend to bring SM2 into the mainstream. It’s time for SM2 to come of age. Alterian’s three hundred strong has assumed our vision and will take it to the next level!

Before the announcement some of Alterian’s executives joined us at the home office to share their enthusiasm and vision for bringing us into their company. David Eldridge, CEO of Alterian summarized it best by saying that he wants to revolutionize marketing. If you’ve used a social media monitoring tool you know the power of bringing in online conversations and viewing the information in a variety of ways. There’s a learning curve but that’s part of what I enjoy so much about my job! There’s also a sense of unknown being on the leading edge. We’re going down a road that hasn’t been mapped yet!

Friends have asked me a number of questions & it’s easier to answer them here:

1. Will I have to relocate?

No! Alterian is a global company with people living where they live. When I was asked how I felt about travel, I said, “We have airports!”. I didn’t confess to not having iPhone access, but they use Blackberry’s. I am now connected with a global Tour! And I now have lots of motherships to visit.

• Techrigy headquarters will remain in Rochester, NY
• UK offices in Bristol & Newbury (I’m traveling there next week! )
• US office in Chicago – a one flight hop for me (I’ll be there last week of August)
• and they also have other US offices

2. Why did they choose Techrigy?

Alterian researched many companies and chose SM2 for a number of reasons:

• similar corporate culture (I love this one! more coming on this topic)
• similar selling geographies & use of partner channels
• similar approach to software innovation

And I must say I am so excited & pleased about the first & third. I’ve written about our culture at Techrigy & my contributions to that. And in the third case I’ve worked closely with customers to evolve SM2 to their needs. So I’m really proud of Techrigy’s being chosen & believe that it underlines the value of having a community manager. I’m also excited to join Alterian as we continue to evolve SM2!

3. Why did Techrigy choose to be acquired by Alterian?

We have built our brand and reputation on our technology & excellent customer service. We see a lot of potential in joining with Alterian’s sales channels & partners. Together we can do more and continue to offer a leading social media monitoring product as well as integrate it with Alterian’s products.

Mike Talbot, CTO at Alterian summarized it in his tweet last week:

4. What will my role be?

I wore a few hats at Techrigy (and no I can’t say that without smiling). My concern in being adopted by a new company was that I would have to ‘sell’ the use of social media. It’s apparent that I shouldn’t have been concerned at all! Everyone is very enthusiastic about getting involved in utilizing SM2 and social media so I have a new challenge of how to transition a B2B company into online engagement. The VP of Marketing has agreed that I can blog this journey, so you’ll get to learn along with us. How’s that for transparency?! I’m impressed that they not only want to lead the revolution in marketing, but also walk the talk. So we’ll do that! Stay tuned …

5.  How will this affect our customers?

As mentioned previously, our customers are our number one priority. There are going to be so many benefits! We are already offering more resources:

• http://training.techrigy.com Check out the downloadable workbook! It rocks!!
• Webinars on SM2 starting next week – come see what it’s all about
• Faster evolution of the product to meet customer’s needs

So our Techrigy SM2 is growing up! And I’ll be taking the community building strategy that has been working well at Techrigy and applying it at a corporate level. I always enjoy the  challenge of taking things to a new level!

What questions do you have?

Working remotely suits the community building role for a number of reasons. We are an independent type that is self motivated. There are also many advantages to not being onsite:

• provides a unique perspective from the customer’s eyes
• ability to wok on projects without frequent interruptions at the office
• employer has access to a larger more skilled & experienced hiring pool
• it’s convenient to work flexible hours & provide 24/7 service
• utilization of Web 2.0 tools
• higher job satisfaction
• lower cost of living

The downsides for working remotely:

• working too many hours (I am guilty)
• lack of social interaction in real life with coworkers
• conference calls with speakerphones are a pain

I’ve been working remotely for 12 years. As a librarian, my region office was 75 miles away. I supervised 7 sites. Online I’ve worked with a number of companies. The main ones have been located in Victoria, BC Canada, Herndon, VA, San Francisco, and my present one is in Rochester, NY. (I live in northern Minnesota)

The following considerations for working remotely are important. Many of these are important in any workplace.

• the contact at the company plays a big role
• trust & respect are imperative
• common vision & goals
• listening & communication in both directions
• outline expectations for both sides
• will provide internal support & connection
• deliverables rather than a time clock
• projects & routine tasks based on a timeframe
• goals based on strategy & objectives (mutually established)
• reporting based on deliverables
• collaboration tools – it’s all about efficiency
• imperative to working remote
• utilize what the company has established & add to that if needed
• share calendars for scheduling meetings
• wikis are great for planning
• access to the bug reporting software (yes I provide product feedback directly into the system)

Suggestions for success in working remotely:

• Establish relationships with key people in the organization
• Find out how they prefer to communicate & use that
• Be perceptive to needs of the organization & remember that at meetings you’ll be missing the nonverbal cues
• Train them in Web 2.0 activities – this will build mutual respect
• Talk about what your work & responsibilities because many may not know what you’re doing
• Circulate positive feedback within the company (I love sending company wide emails  ) Remember that you’re the link to the customers
• Encourage communication internally amongst departments – I frequently joked, "Don’t you people talk to each other?!!"
• Ask the right questions (see the previous one) – there is more burden on you as a remote employee to stay up to date.
• Work with a transparent organization.
• Interview the potential employer in order to identify expectations.

Home office visits are another important aspect of working remotely. I will be covering that in a future post. That is a time to solidify the relationships & get to know each other in person.

If you’re en employer I would encourage you to consider offering a remote option. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. As more knowledge workers realize that they offer valuable assets  think that geography will become less of an issue.

What questions do you have about working remotely?

Outsourcing: It’s not just possible to find someone to make/code/do something for you quickly & cheaply; it is now easy. The means of production of physical goods & intellectual property is no longer based on geography but is based on talent & efficiency instead.

I LOVE Steve’s term ‘Digital Nomads’. Really though, we call ourselves Remote Warriors. hmm Digital Warriors? just doesn’t sound quite right… if I was a coder, maybe?!

Here’s what I say:

No matter what you call us – I believe that if employers are requiring people to work onsite then they are overlooking some serious talent that could improve their bottom line

I think Remote Warrior is more appropriate in my case because I felt like it was a battle to find a job working remotely. I’ve been successfully working remotely as well as building a personal brand since I began working online. Before that I supervised 7 public libraries (6 were spread across an area spanning 85 miles). I have experience in this both from an administrative perspective as well as the more important one of leadership. Those skills easily transferred to the online setting. As many people commented on Chris’ blog it’s about communication. ‘That can be lacking even if everyone is in the same building! The one thing with working remotely is that I try to ask the right questions to ensure efficiency. Communication is my forte.

Chris also made the point of employers mixing personal brands with corporate brands. In applying for community manager jobs I was surprised that about half were specifically asking for someone well connected with influential bloggers. Some were asking what bloggers the applicant follows regularly (which would give a sense of their interests). So some companies are starting to recognize that a person’s network has value.

The interesting thing is that my present position with Network Solutions came to my inbox while I was on vacation in London. Yes, it was my network. As Chris suggested, my work is project oriented & measured by deliverables. And now I can meld the influence of my personal brand with Shashi’s commitment to moving the company forward. Is there value in that? stay tuned.. This week we made a step forward & it will gain momentum. (That’s what happens in my projects – I don’t like things standing still).

So what does this mean to you? I know that many of you are wanting to work remotely. Put the word out thru your network that you’re looking. I agree with Chris & Steve that we’re going to see some changing trends. And I’ve taken on the issue awhile ago.

If you’re an employer reading this ask yourself:

• For what reason are you sticking with the traditional paradigm?
• What would happen if you experimented with it? On a previous post people admitted that they get more done at working at home.
• Would it increase work performance & satisfaction?

So my question is if the realm of marketing and public relations is being changed by customer influence, does this affect how employees work? Can a community manager work remotely? Should a company consider this compromise? Is it practical?

I consider some of the newly evolving positions as totally web 2.0. The persona is one of an independent self starter that’s project oriented – or at least that’s what they’re advertising for!

I have been working remotely since 2006 & have established myself online professionally & personally. But it’s a compromise on both sides & requires a lot of trust. But the whole concept of the community  manager position requires that anyway. We are the voice of the brand as we move amongst the customers.

There are a number of us that are remote warriors. We firmly believe that we efficiently & effectively accomplish our jobs! We love working in this style.
Working remotely offers the following positives that I don’t think companies are realizing:
    – higher productivity
    – higher job satisfaction & happier employee
    – lower cost of living – I can work for a lower wage from MN & provide high quality service
    – onsite time is maximized & relationships are built – my home office visits are invaluable
    – huge spectrum of talent to draw on – requiring onsite limits it to those able to relocate
    – the community manager position is a web 2.0 position & there are many advantages to be off site

on the Facebook Community Manager Group Mark Woodward referred to it as ‘crucial freedoms’

I definitely agree. How many meetings do you go to? How many are necessary? Do interruptions at the office affect your multitasking? Do you sometimes wish you could tune it out? (I can turn off my chat aggregator or Twitterstream). At my previous job when I was onsite there were times when I worked from home in order to be able to focus.

There are downsides:

• I miss my coworkers sometimes – but then I use old technology (telephone)
• Sometimes it’s hard to hear when there are many in the room at a con call
• if wiki’s or collaborative doc tools aren’t used – it generates a lot of email

My role has extended to a worldwide presence as I mentor and now am partnering with friends who have businesses in Texas, the UK & Singapore. Web 2.0 tools has reduced the limitations geography used to place on us. In Seth Godin’s Meatball Sundae he comments on the trend of ‘Outsourcing’:

It’s not just possible to find someone to make/code/do something for you quickly & cheaply; it is now easy. The means of production of physical goods and intellectual property is no longer based on geography but is based on talent & efficiency instead.

So a note to employers: Where is your talent located at? and is it more efficient to compromise & allow them to work remotely with periodic home office visits? Think of the commute time that many of your employees have – are they using that time productively? Web 2.0 is an experiment in many ways, why not in this way too?

What do you think? I’d like to hear form both sides (and yes, also my fellow remote warriors! tell me the pro’s & con’s ).

The following interview questions were sent to me by Angie Pedersen. She’s an information maven in the scrapbooking industry & author of some excellent books!

How does working virtually/remotely work for you and your team?

I divide my work into segments. My team is the company as a whole & I communicate with specific people depending on what tasks/projects I’m working on.

• Customer Service/Tech Support – answering questions in forums & email
• Email – I try to address as much as I can immediately & label the rest
• Project Work – documents & connecting with people

What tasks do you and your team complete virtually/via email?

The majority of my work is done virtually. My sister & I have been working together for a year now on our website & over that time we experiment with many collaborative tools & found many things that work well. Much of my work with customers is done virtually in the product forums & via email. For internal use, we have an intranet, ftp dropboxes, and I access the network by VPN each day.

What forms of communication do you use? i.e. email, fax, conference call

The primary method is email, but there are also many conference calls. My company has a satellite in Miami, FL, so conference calls are logical. Some people prefer calls to IM or email. This is a BIG change from my previous job where I managed 7 sites. My telephone there was located furthest from me & used the least. But now, I have many scheduled phone calls.

I use Meebo for aggregating my chat clients which works well for me. The preferred IM at my company is MSN & many use Facebook, which staff can access at work.

Do you have regular/scheduled “meetings” via phone or chat? Please explain/describe.

My manager & I have a weekly phone call which lasts about an hour. It’s a time where we both discuss concerns, ideas, etc. I use it for a time to learn procedures & ask questions.

Weekly phone call with company that manages the affiliate program. The affiliate program is part of my responsibilities. We talk weekly.

ACDSee has a bi-monthly community meeting where many dept’s provide updates on their projects. Marketing leads it, but all departments that impact customers are represented. It’s an incredibly great idea because everyone gets insight into what others are doing. It reinforces the team concept & lowers the silos I believe.

For all other meetings, I use Outlook to arrange them. I’ve come to appreciate Outlook’s functionality! And I block time off where I’m not available. So it truly is an excellent tool.

Do you ever arrange face-to-face meetings?

The face to face meetings are imperative. If someone were to ask my advice of what the most important thing is after being hired, I would say – go meet everyone. For my first trip to the home offices, I schedule over 20 meetings & met with every department. It was a time to put faces with names & connect in person. Granted they all knew what I looked like from my web presence, it was important for me to make the same connection.

On my second trip, my husband accompanied me & I think this gave him a better sense of the reality of the job after seeing the building & meeting many of the people. My meetings ranged from project overview meetings to connecting with managers on more specific topics.

What kinds of tasks/discussions benefit from “face time”? Please explain/describe.

Brainstorming in person is more fun. I find that when I’m talking with people in person, things occur to me. When I’m at home Twitter provides my space to ‘talk things out’ or IM depending on the subject matter.

Training for large groups is better in person I think. And if the project/task needs my enthusiasm then it’s best imparted in person if possible, by phone is second choice.

What are some challenges you face because you don’t work in the same office?

Sometimes I don’t feel that I’m included in all of the meetings that I would maybe be if I were on-site. Although the upside of this is that I have less time spent in meetings & more time to work on projects & with my community.

Can you describe your home office set-up (if applicable)?

I purchased a 3-in-1 printer & a flat panel monitor to go with the laptop the company provided. Sometimes I need to print hard copies of doc’s while I’m working on them. And the extra real estate on the flat panel is always appreciated! It makes multitasking that much easier. A couple of days ago I gave a tour of my office ’space’.

Can you share some “Best Practices” or tips you’ve learned on how to manage working virtually/off-site/at home?

motivation – you need to be a self-starter (although I got mired at my other job too – the key is to be able to know when it happens & switch tasks. Come back when you’ll be productive)

make lists – that was something that was important in my other job too – it forces me to organize & prioritize

phone – because my husband’s office is also at home, most people calling in expect him to answer. So I had a second number installed & don’t answer his work calls.

routine – as with anything that took awhile, but it’s getting better

travel to home office – this still interrupts my routine, but that’s probably a good thing! It adds variety to the mix.

For those of you that work from home, what do you find that you enjoy the most? and what challenges do you encounter?

I enjoy working from home, but had read about the downsides. Because of those I chose my location carefully & made sure that I set it up for convenience as well as serious work. From the photos you’ll see that I need a better desk situation, but other than that it has all the amenities one needs for an office.

Here’s a tour with photos. If you work from a home office, please share your space.
Thanks to @callkathy for my intro to the jing project! I’ll be using this tool more to showcase ACDSee software.

On Sunday I read Justin Kownacki’s post where he talks about living in a fly over state in terms of social media. My first thought was how I jokingly refer to myself as being ‘geographically challenged’. But after thinking about it, I realize how thankful I am that the web has created new opportunities for me!

Justin talks about

…why there’s a glass fence around the “social media” hierarchy, and why it’s so tough to scale it.

My experience has been quiet the opposite. In analyzing my networking at Facebook I tend to interact people in groups first, then later find out their occupation. I meet them as people first. So I haven’t been scaling a fence. I’ve been connecting with a lot of people in Facebook & Twitter thru sincere interactions. Isn’t that the point? I firmly believe that if you help people, they will reciprocate in return. What do you have to offer?

…since the web is built upon the democratized promise that physical location no longer matters, I shouldn’t feel hamstrung by living in Pittsburgh as opposed to NYC / LA / SF. However, it’s undeniable that “the action” still takes place in the major media centers — which, if that’s the case, essentially means that the liberating power of the web is a lie.

In a previous post people from Microsoft commented on how the web has leveled the playing field. It truly has because I have a position proving that. Not long ago I was a librarian overseeing a number of branches in rural Minnesota far removed from the social media scene. Did this hinder me from participating? not really. I seem to have found a voice. Why do people know my name? maybe because I’ve contributed to the conversation? In early August I was invited to lunch with a major blogger & now a recognized author wants to join us when I get to SF. In December I’m speaking at an event in Seattle & that’s a great opportunity to meet new people. My home offices are in Victoria BC, so it’s a great fit. Sometimes getting out of your own locale helps you to see a new world & grow. I’m looking forward to that! It’s interesting to me that I’ve had a trend of people from Singapore connecting with me at Facebook.

In my case rather than feeling separated from the “the action” I have felt very warmly included by bloggers, social media experts & others like myself that are learning & I’m thankful for that. This group of people are VERY generous with their time no matter where they’re from. When I travel to their locale, I’ll be able to connect. That’s the true power of the web! (and I can still enjoy rural life because our airports easily connect us)