Small Business Wins Computer, Software, and Network Services from Microsoft and Corporate Network Services

A.C.T. by Deese, a fitness center in Greensboro, NC, recently received a Windows 7 office makeover in a nationwide small business marketing campaign from Microsoft.  As a runner-up in the competition, the award was three new Sony Vaio laptops running Microsoft Windows 7 Professional and Office 2010 Professional – and a full day of corporate IT services consulting with Corporate Network Services.  As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in the Washington DC Metro area, CNS was pleased to spend the day with this small business and help them institute technology best practices.

The contest was advertised through several channels, and A.C.T. discovered it at their very first Tech Thursday event at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.  The contest involved submitting a video essay detailing how Windows 7 would help their business grow.  A.C.T.’s message focused on how a more stable environment would help their fitness center better serve their local community and their senior fitness members.  Their goals of removing paper and being able to better serve corporate customers with enhanced on-site technology are vital to the long-term success of their business.

On the day of installation, the business owners sat down with CNS to discuss the overall objectives for the new computer system.  We discussed their business goals so we could make certain the technology would support them and their growing business.  They shared their ideas for increasing clientele through on-site corporate wellness visits, their desire to reduce paper consumption to be more green, and their need to increase personal training appointments by having a shared calendar.

CNS got to work!  We quickly consolidated the data into a single shared file store, configured the multi-function printer to print and scan, installed proprietary fitness software and developed a method to email reports on the spot and setup a cloud-based shared calendar system.  Finally, all of the users were trained to use the new systems and the day ended with a Q&A session to make sure that the staff knew how to use the systems.

In the midst of all that, A.C.T. by Deese sponsored a luncheon for Chamber members to celebrate their win and listen to CNS Vice President Jason Tierney give a presentation about the benefits of Windows 7.  As a special bonus, CNS also surprised the company with a free 6-month subscription to our PROSuiteTM computer consulting managed services solution to make sure that A.C.T. by Deese has access to our award-winning Support Centre.

Now that the system is installed, the fitness professionals can perform body metric and personal fitness testing at local corporations and feel more secure knowing their network is stable.  The makeover had side benefits, too—to share their experience with others, A.C.T. by Deese has become engaged in social marketing.  With these new efforts they certainly expect to see membership rise, as they spread their story of making over peoples lives just as their office was made over by Microsoft and Corporate Network Services.

“Just wanted you to know we are still playing with our new system and finding fun new discoveries,” said owner Gina Deese in an email a few days following the installation.  “Many of these features are going to be extremely helpful as we learn them with confidence. Thank you all…this is a special gift to our company.”