Going the Distance

By Amy Oldham
July 15, 2013

I am a runner. I love running. I love endorphins—they motivate me to get off the couch and out the door on a day I'd rather sit comfortably in my air conditioned house. But what I love even more is the sense of accomplishment that washes over me when I finish a race.

I did not participate in organized running in high school or college. Beyond a few backyard activities with my son, I had never run a step of my adult life. But I was intrigued by the thought of running and decided to give it a whirl six years ago. I began reading articles on running and then joined a local training group. I discovered that I loved the physical challenges of running, as well as the reward that comes from finishing a run.

Since I began running, I've completed scores of 5K races, a number of half marathons, and one marathon. Even though the distance and terrain of each of those races varied, I used a training plan in preparation for them all. A training plan outlines the schedule of runs that I must complete before race day to ensure peak race day performance.

Developing telecom solutions that address real world business challenges is a lot like running. Each job is different in length and intensity, so we create and follow different “training” plans. Smaller projects are more like 5Ks, while larger jobs are more like marathons. By following training plans tailored to each customer's specific need, our team is able to deliver solutions that have quick turnarounds as well as projects that require a sustained effort over a longer period of time.

Just because we specialize in custom solutions, that does not mean we start with a blank slate on every project. Instead, we leverage from the vast library of software solutions and tools we've built over the years (we've been delivering custom solution for the telecom industry since 1986) as the first step in formulating each “training” plan. By getting our veteran staff members involved with customers at the outset of the project (the average tenure of the development staff is over 15 ½ years each), we can quickly develop the right plan regardless of the software functionality we are asked to deliver. Furthermore, the development team's depth of knowledge ensures that each plan includes the right combination of technical skill and telecom know-how needed for the job at hand and that the solution is delivered as quickly and cost efficiently as possible.

Our core business is and always has been to help our customers in the telecom industry be more efficient. We've been successful in this venture because we love what we do, and satisfaction in a job well done motivates the development team to go the extra mile.

About the Author: Amy Oldham is in Corporate Communications at Equinox Information Systems, where she creates and maintains the company's technical documentation as well as all other customer-facing publications. As part of her efforts on the Sales & Marketing team, Amy is responsible for the company's newsletter, email campaigns, press releases, and social media presence. When not writing, Amy enjoys swimming, running, and spending time with her family. To learn more, visit www.equinoxis.com or call (615) 612-1200.