#loadspring

People are not machines, and employment engagement is a clear example of the difference between them. A machine is either on or off, but for employees engagement can run the whole gamut of ‘totally onboard’ to ‘barely there’. The stakes for organizations concerning employee engagement are high. Companies whose employee engagement is in the top 25 percent have been estimated to make more than twice the revenue of companies where engagement is in the bottom 25 percent. Also, there is four times as much chance that the less engaged employees quit compared to the more engaged employees.

Bottom Line Impacts

But the problem doesn’t stop with a less engaged employee leaving. If the organization wants to replace the employee, it will need to spend time and effort to find the new person, while dealing with possible internal disruption, reduction of knowledge and lower morale. Figures of six months to repair the damage and a third of the departing employee’s salary to locate and bring onboard a replacement are all too common. Keeping employees engaged is more profitable and less expensive, especially when they include your best people.

What’s Your Theory?

How to reinforce engagement is a question that has kept HR departments busy for years. Maslow’s and Hertzberg’s theories are perennial favorites. Their ideas also carry over into new business contexts such as mobile working and cloud business process environments. Both of these recent developments extend employer-employee relationships beyond the traditional workplace, with the possibility of accentuating both the positive and the negative. Good cloud tools in particular can help boost positive engagement.

Mixing Social and Professional in the Cloud

More employees are now expecting and claiming the right to change the way they work – if not completely outside the organization, then at least in parallel with it.  With BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), they use the same computing device for both their social and their professional lives. It is the organization of the information inside that device that demarcates one mode of use from the other, although social interaction is increasingly blending with professional activity. As consumers they expect to be able to access information they need instantly, independently of time and location. This expectation is now spilling over to the workplace.

Any Time, Any Place

Cloud work tools that support this new work paradigm are the ones most likely to find favor.  At the lower level, facilitation of mobile connections to resources such as project management applications is a first step. Single sign-on for secure access to all authorized PM applications is the next. Increasing the sociability of project management work with social media style tools is yet another way to deepen positive engagement, allowing companies to retain employees longer.

Don’t Just Retain – Attract Too

There’s further potential advantage to be had as well. A web presence with the cloud portal described above can demonstrate how an enterprise has embraced the new model of working. Cloud-based talent will then naturally gravitate towards that enterprise. Instead of scrambling to replace employees who leave, a business will be able to retain them and then expand at its own pace, hiring in more of the best via the cloud.

Partnership with LoadSpring Lays Foundation for Web-Based System Easing the Full Construction and Maintenance Lifecycle

Portsmouth, NH – March 10, 2014 – Continuing to re-define the future of construction operation software, industry leader B2W Software today joined forces with LoadSpring to bring its powerful technology to the cloud. The agreement will create a streamlined, unified process for estimating and bidding, field tracking and analysis – as well as resource planning, dispatching and maintenance.

B2W’s ONE (Operational Networked Elements) Platform is the first suite of construction management software that provides everyone from office managers to foremen in the field with direct insight into the construction process. Four separate modules create one unified suite – including B2W Estimate, B2W Track, B2W Dispatch, and B2W Maintain. The end result is a single point of data entry, enabling instant cross-module resource visibility and collaboration – as well as significantly improved operational efficiency and accuracy.

Taking ONE even further, SpringBoard 7.0 will deliver a powerful and flexible cloud interface to promote even higher levels of project management, control and flexibility. The SpringBoard solution allows B2W customers to tap the power of the cloud – with an intuitive user interface, real-time geo-site mapping, and full project management via a private, assignment-based messaging system.

“At B2W, we’ve always been ahead of the curve – providing customers with the most efficient and cost-effective software to manage the construction lifecycle. And the same holds true as we roll-out our cloud-based offering,” said Paul McKeon, CEO of B2W Software. “With LoadSpring, we’re able to ensure the highest levels of security, availability and services – all while eliminating labor-intensive provisioning and deployment. The end result significantly enhances the quality of service and control for our customers.”

The combined solution increases both the breadth and depth of customer usage opportunities by creating a scalable, flexible, and cost-efficient full service product line. Deployed in a hosted environment, B2W ONE for the cloud enables customers to more rapidly implement the software, scale users as needed, and provide secure remote access for all team members. This drives significant improvements in operational efficiency further driving new revenue opportunities.

“As a well-established service provider offering cutting-edge technology and unmatched market knowledge, we’re well positioned to help B2W customers realize new levels of productivity and profitability,” said Eric Leighton, President and CEO of LoadSpring. “With our rapid time-to-deployment, unparalleled IT efficiency and dramatic service levels, SpringBoard 7.0 is the ideal solution to meet B2W’s use of cloud technology.”

B2W will launch its new cloud-based offering in Q2 2014.  For more information on B2W software and the company’s revolutionary technology, visit B2W on Facebook, LinkedIn – or at http://www.b2wsoftware.com/.

About LoadSpring

Founded in 1999, LoadSpring® is a Project Management Solutions company that’s totally dedicated to project management software and the people who use it. Our intuitive, user-friendly SpringBoard™ Cloud Portal combined with the Professional Services Group makes life simpler and easier for Project Managers and IT teams, who see us as major problem-solvers helping them make smart business decisions. LoadSpring supports Fortune 100 companies in the following industries: Architecture; Engineering and Construction; Manufacturing; Real Estate Services; Financial; Gas; Energy/Utilities; City, State and Federal Government; and Healthcare.

About B2W Software Headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, B2W Software (fka BID2WIN Software™) is a premier provider of enterprise-class construction software, services and solutions that is redefining the future for streamlined operations. Powered by our unique ONE platform, B2W solutions effectively leverage the latest technologies into a unified system for estimating and bidding, field tracking and analysis, resource planning and dispatching, equipment maintenance.

 ###

For more information, please contact:

Kevin Brown

Bid2Win Software Direct: 603-570-2541

LoadSpring Solutions Closes $6 Million Growth Equity Investment

Bank Street Capital Partners Investment to Drive Accelerated Growth Initiatives

STAMFORD, CT and WILMINGTON, MA – January 27, 2014 – Bank Street Capital Partners announced the closing of a $6 million investment in LoadSpring Solutions, the leading Cloud-based Project Management Solutions provider serving Fortune 100 companies in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Manufacturing, Real Estate Services, Financial, Energy and Utility, City, State and Federal Government, and Healthcare sectors.

Eric Leighton, Chief Executive Officer of LoadSpring Solutions, said, “After 14 years of building LoadSpring organically with internally generated capital, we are now poised for explosive growth enabling us to expand our market leadership. I have worked with Bank Street for over 4 years and with this investment we have aligned our market expertise with the capital to deliver innovation and exceptional value to the marketplace.”

Steve Lee, Managing Director of Bank Street Capital Partners, said, “LoadSpring is a leader in the Cloud-based Project Management Solutions market segment with its unique SpringBoard Cloud Portal that enhances the experience of using and managing multiple underlying hosted applications for the company’s customers and offers open-ended potential for growth for LoadSpring as a flexible platform for expanding the portfolio of applications under management. We’re excited to invest in a leader like Eric Leighton who has an outstanding track record of growth and a clear vision for the future of LoadSpring.  Eric has assembled an outstanding team and we look forward to working with him closely.”

LoadSpring plans to use the $6 million investment to grow its sales organization and distribution channels, enhance its SpringBoard platform and product offering, and establish a European division to better support existing customers and raise the company’s prominence in the region.  The company also intends to make opportunistic tuck-in acquisitions of complementary businesses.

SpringBoard, LoadSpring’s cloud platform is already a differentiated management tool in the market and a key technology asset for LoadSpring.  With the planned investment, the company expects to accelerate advancements in Mobile applications and Global performance technologies; delivering a powerful and flexible solution that will help Project Management organizations realize the massive power of the cloud.

About LoadSpring Solutions

Founded in 1999,

LoadSpringTM is a Project Management Solutions company that is dedicated to Project Management software and the people who use it. The firm’s intuitive, user-friendly SpringBoard control panel, combined with their Professional Services Group, makes life simpler and easier for Project Managers and IT teams. These professionals see LoadSpring as specialized problem-solvers, helping them make smarter, timelier business decisions. LoadSpring supports Fortune 100 companies in industries such as: Architecture; Engineering & Construction; Manufacturing; Real Estate Services; Financial; Gas; Energy/Utilities; City, State and Federal Government; Entertainment; Healthcare and others.

For more information, contact Stacey Witt at [email protected] or visit www.loadspring.com.

About Bank Street Capital Partners

Mobile computing is not only about your device. It’s about letting you enable a mobilized workforce.

Smartphones and tablets let the mobile workforce gain access to data away from the office, in the client’s conference room, in the airport, or at the project site.  With mobile devices, it is no longer necessary to be cut off from the life line of information when you are away from the office.

The cloud makes all this possible.  The cloud is no longer something dark and ominous or melancholy:  “It’s a cloudy day.”  “Dark and cloudy skies are forecast.”  “There is a cloud hanging over my head.”  Rare was the enthusiastic “cloud with a silver lining.”

Now cloud means something altogether different, at least for those of us who are not mariners or pilots.  Cloud computing means paying a subscription fee to access software hosted by a third-party.  It also means taking big computer servers out of your own data center and renting space on servers from a cloud-service provider instead.  That drives down operating costs due to economies of scale:  the cloud server provider has more computers than you and specialists doing computer administration per computer, so all of this costs less.  These cost savings are passed along to the customer.

Mobile computing means using smartphone applications to tap into that.  The real benefit of mobile computing in the cloud is having access to information where you need it.  Mobile device applications provide access to this back-end data to users in the field.

Today, people who work in the field prefer smartphones and tablets.  Who wants to lug a 14” laptop to the project site? It hardly fits on the fold down tray of the cramped airplane seat. If the guy sitting in front of you reclines his seat, you can hardly work with your knees in your chest, plus the moron has just pinned your computer to the tray, so you cannot move it at all.

Smartphones are wonderful and convenient, but they have a small screen.  It is awkward to use the company’s portal to try to enter data into the contract and project management website (portal) when the screen won’t fit on the page and keeps shifting around as you try to type into it.  What the mobile user needs is an easy-to-use data entry screen that is specifically designed for the size of the small screen of the mobile phone and tablet. The fields need to be large and easy-to-fill and not disappear altogether when the touch-screen keyboard pops into view.

People working on projects in the field need to be able to update the status and due dates on tasks assigned to them.  They need to be able to update contract information and route changes to their boss for approval.  While the project might be located in one country, the engineering might be done in another.  Contractors and far flung employees need to be able to get onto the project management system, over the internet, regardless of where they are located and without the annoying need to connect to VPN and create a VPN account for each person on the project.

This is where mobile cloud applications come in. LoadSpring Solutions, Inc. is a leader in program management software hosting and cloud management. LoadSpring’s project management software, SpringBoardTM 7.0, not only runs in the cloud, it also comes in a convenient smartphone application called LoadSpringMobileTM.  LoadSpringMobile is designed to fit the screen of the mobile user’s tablet or smartphone, unlike portals which are designed for the desktop.

LoadSpringMobile is secure.  The Internet connection back to the cloud is encrypted, because it uses HTTPS (SSL encryption) to connect to Primavera 6 and Contract Manager.  No hacker sitting in Starbucks can spy on your data in transit.  No data is stored on the mobile device, so there is no risk of losing company secrets if you lose your phone or it is stolen. The result is an easy interface to multiple backend applications. That way, you’ll know that updates made in the field securely make it into the server. If only the barista could make choosing which latte to order that simple.

So leave the laptop in the hotel, in the office, or at home and use your mobile phone or tablet to access project management software in the cloud instead.  As for meteorological clouds, if it is a cloudy day, take along your umbrella.

A major reason behind the failure of most projects in any business environment is often the lack of understanding by the project team members of the actual business drivers for creating a new product or service and what results project leaders are expecting from the delivery of the solution. Even the most simple of IT, manufacturing, and construction projects are best served when providing to their teams, a clear scope and critical success criteria for completion, prior to developing or constructing their solution. For example, the purpose to build a new bridge is obvious, but does your team understand what a successfully completed bridge project looks like? How will you measure that? Is it simply to have a standing edifice in the end or are their additional specifically targeted goals such as timelines, budgets, new technologies, political influences or cultural considerations? Different companies will have different ways of managing their projects which is what separates them from their competition, but at the core, there are basic questions that companies need to ask themselves to ensure that completion of the project and delivering the expected solution is one-hundred-percent successful.

1.      Understand Your Stakeholders?

Most projects at work operate in a very client-supplier manner, where we, being the supplier of necessary services, get paid by the client to successfully undertake a project whose success helps the client in some specific way. So clearly, in such cases, the primary stake holder of the project is the client, and even though he might not have the technical expertise necessary to fully comprehend such a task, it still needs their approval at all major stages. Depending on the skill and role of the chief stakeholder, a project can be simply monitored by that individual or it could be managed closely. Either way, identifying the difference, understanding what data the stakeholder monitors and values is important as it can determine the success or failure of the project.

  2.      Necessity of the Project?

 There could be a number of reasons why a project is being planned and executed. It can range from being a necessity to stay competitive in the marketplace to being an add-on task due to current availability of resources. Not all ideas are worthy of being acted upon and each one should be looked at both independently and in comparison to a portfolio of other potential project investments.  Questions that might be asked include: Does the project fit in your current suite of products or services? Is the organization prepared to diversify and take on additional risk to compete in a new sector of the marketplace? Do we have the skills in place to deliver a solution or will the cost to develop or hire that talent too high for the estimated return? There are any number of questions that could and should be asked when taking on even the smallest of projects as it will divert resources towards a new goal – any of which an organization should be prepared to manage and sustain into the future.

3.      Project Scope?

Scope of a project basically implies the list of goals, costs, tasks and deliverables and deadlines associated with a project. When all these goals are met, then it can be said that "Yes, the project is a success". There are mainly two types of scope - high level scope, which is part of the project charter, and low level scope, which is defined in the document listing the business requirements. For primary completion of any given project, it is however the deliverables that needs to be fulfilled for successful completion, just in case the rest of the variables are tied up due to time, resources or paperwork.

4.     Change in Scope?

Change is inevitable. Just like everything else in business, a project too will undergo some changes in its life. Successful organizations manage change whereas unsuccessful organizations can be brought down by the inability to address even a small change in scope. One of the key components of successful project management is an organization’s ability to formally identify, react to and manage change using a formal change management process. There is no doubt that application of a change process will have eventual impact on the product or service regardless of the industry. Change management does not necessarily have to be complex to be useful but it needs to be adaptable enough to address the impact to quality, cost and schedule for all involved. Coming to an agreement at the inception of a project as to how changes to scope will be managed will no doubt be a major criteria for project success.

 5.      Organization and Communication?

Depending on the size of a company, the communication between the different members, supervisors and stake holders can vary. It could be a flat structure where all members answer to one project leader or it could be a matrix setup that provides for two or more functional and divisional lines of project responsibility. A third option might include a structure where the bulk of the work is performed

by subcontractors. Each of these structures has its own pros and cons. Depending on the nature of the project it is wise to adjust accordingly. Holding regular status meeting and using processes and applications that make needed information available to the appropriate participants is key in delivering a successful project that meets the needs of all involved.

6.      What about Risks?

Any project has to contend with having some level of risk. Attempting to identifying risk before commencing the actual project as much as possible is very important. Equally important is having a process for identifying and managing in flight project risks. Risks can stem from anywhere: including poorly defined product or design requirements, inaccurate cost or schedule estimation, lack of technical experience, or market conditions, etc. By using a risk management process with key components of identification, assessing, mitigating, monitoring, and informing about risk, you improve your opportunity to reduce risk impact and improve the quality and performance of the project.

Once all these questions are addressed, you and your team are ready to handle any project that has been assigned to you.

Did you miss Oracle OpenWorld? It was three days of our much anticipated SpringBoard 7.0 launch, end user discussions, live LoadSpringMobile demos, VIP partying and a little bit of sailing action. Watch our video to see our LoadSpring OOW13 highlights.

All the talk was SpringBoard 7.0 which launched with enormous success. Our team was available to discuss the latest enhancements to our ingenious SpringBoard Cloud Portal. Also, every half hour were presentations bringing viewers up to speed on the latest trends in implementation, cloud solutions and Project Management. Attendees covered every seat to hear what the brouhaha was all about and learn how the reengineered SB 7.0 provides more power for its users.

Day 3 was of particular note as our presentations were briefly interrupted by the surprise live feed at our booth for Oracle Team USA making a historic comeback in the America’s Cup. This was made possible by our resourceful team who are clearly driven to create solutions that are easier to deploy and implement than anything on the planet – or at a trade show.

Another crowd pleaser was our LoadSpringMobile iPad stations. iPads were loaded with a custom app that allowed users to demo the product with real case scenarios and also played a one minute long sizzle reel about the LoadSpringMobile product. The demo finished by asking the user if they wanted to enter to win the very iPad they were using – well, who doesn’t want to win an iPad? Needless to say thousands of attendees experienced this exclusive hands-on demo of our most innovative product, and three lucky visitors won the iPad giveaway. Click here to see if you were a winner!

Our booth traffic stayed incredibly busy as people were able to catch a glimpse of our grand prize giveaway – a shiny new scooter. While waiting for a closer look, attendees were also able to participate in lively Q&A discussions and more in depth sharing about SpringBoard 7.0 by our knowledgeable team.

The last day of the show saw one lucky winner speeding home with the grand prize scooter that had stood for three days in the center of the booth as a model of speed, and flexibility which is reflected in our products. Congratulations to Terry Frasure, our winner!

The event concluded with our 9th Annual LoadSpring VIP Reception at the View Lounge at the top of the San Francisco Marriott Marquis which featured drinks, hors d’oeuvres and ample opportunity to connect with over 250 of our loyal and new customers while enjoying a spectacular view of downtown San Francisco.

We said our goodbye’s after the live performances by Maroon 5 and The Black Keys. Team Oracle USA also made a brief in person appearance following their miraculous Americas Cup win. At the end of Oracle OpenWorld 2013, everyone was a winner.

Human beings are creatures of habit! We all do things the way we are accustomed to doing and we don’t really want to change anything. Even in simple day-to-day activities we tend to be rather set in our ways. For example, if we are used to placing our pen stand on the right side of the laptop on the desk, if someone has moved it, then we need to quickly put it back where it was. For God’s sake! Does it really matter where the pen stand is?  Is it really of any importance? But that’s the way we are!

We are human, after all!

As individuals, our individuality is our differentiator and we like to be different.  None of us really want to be part of a crowd. 

In the business world, unfortunately, this individuality can actually deter efficient business management as a business requires not one or two but several individuals to work together to achieve a common business goal.  Business models hinge on projects where a group of people with distinct activities work together to attain a specific goal!  

Organizations today are, thus, characterized as dispersed, technology driven and but more importantly they are human focused and skill based.  

Individuals make up projects

These human beings do not undertake pigeon holed tasks. On the other hand, they are a group of experts, working together on holistic projects.  Since projects are people driven, where skills, knowledge and potentiality are shared and drawn together, projects require management to organize and trouble shoot and bring about optimum efficiency.

In this empowered scenario, employees are reaching beyond their skills to achieve higher levels of efficiency. They are more creative and work to create an impact.  To provide for a flexible and at the same time structured work environment, there is the need for project management or processes and procedures to be introduced at the beginning of the project.  Project management ensures adaptability by providing employees flexibility but also remaining structured and organized because of its underlying standard processes and procedures.

Process and procedures are a necessity and not a luxury

More often than not, because of lack of procedures and processes, projects suffer delayed delivery dates, escalating costs, issues with time management and overall management of the project itself.  Projects which do not have set processes and procedures not only create internal difficulties but can even impact customer relationships, like not adhering to milestones, reporting, communication and even regulatory issues. In such cases,  project managers struggle not just with cost management and delivery deadlines, but more often they, as well as their teams, get caught up with umpteen requirements which are contractual or administrative in nature.  Thus, it is only when a problem occurs is a solution sought and a cyclical effect is set off where, process follows problem and so on and so forth! 

Also, it is important to remember that the basis of good project management is balancing cost, time and quality.  A project needs to be under budget, delivered on time and maintain high levels of quality.   But in spite of the best laid plans, most projects face mistakes, back tracking, confusion and delays.  Viewed from this angle, processes and procedures are not burdensome but actually empowering as it gives employees the flexibility to perform their jobs creatively, secure in the knowledge that their time and effort won’t be wasted in correcting mistakes, retracing steps or time consuming extraneous activities.

Where do we begin?

It is essential, therefore, to start with understanding customer requirements and what the project should achieve. Thus, it is important to start off with a clear understanding of the business goals, then add processes and procedures at the beginning itself, to ensure that the project does not derail, go overboard cost wise or encounter unnecessary delays.  

LoadSpring – your project management partner

For LoadSpring, project management solutions are its very life.  It does not just provide applications, but a total end-to-end package of expert implementation, hosting, security and support. LoadSpring’s easy-to-use access portal gives project managers complete control and assures faster adoption of technology.  Not related to assessing the goals so your process and procedures are adopted and doing what you want them to do.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LoadSpring to Be Featured on 21st Century Business Television series August 7, 2013

Click Here for Airing Schedule

Boca Raton, FL (TBD) --- Multi-Media Productions (USA), Inc. is pleased to announce that LoadSpring will be airing on 21st Century Business on CNBC (as paid programming.).

LoadSpring’s complete Project Management Solutions Platform helps their clients make easier, smarter business decisions and gives them the power to act on them. LoadSpring speeds up the decision-making process and moves customers towards organizational PM maturity by eliminating barriers like software selection, deployment, implementation, capital investment and internal support issues. Application hosting through their unique SpringBoard™ portal provides secure access to total software solutions—any time and anywhere.

SpringBoard – LoadSpring’s state-of-the-art web platform offers:

Deployment of enterprise-level software in days – not weeks

Provides a single portal for organizations complete PM suite of applications including: estimating, BIM, scheduling, and data sharing software

Enterprise-level security

Fast global application upgrades and version changes

Administration and executive reporting functionality

Support and service 24/7/365

Identity Management for effortless corporate-wide ID control

Disaster recovery options to meet all corporate standards

LoadSpring Academy for online easy to access and measure training

Implementation services with Best Practice configurations

Because LoadSpring deploys and implements complete solutions sooner than ever imagined, their clients see results (and cost savings) that much faster.

LoadSpring application hosting gives their client’s total software access and control – anytime and anywhere. With just a few keystrokes, companies share the most up-to-date reports and project data possible. It all resides on reliable, secure networks – not internal systems. The result?  Easier, more robust delivery of information, security, service and support.

JL Haber, Vice President of Programming at Multi Media Productions, added, “As the leader in their industry, LoadSpring is a natural fit for our show. We are excited to have them as a guest on our program.”

For more information go to: www.loadspring.com.

About 21st Century Business

21st Century Business is an award winning television series produced by Multi-Media Productions. The show features companies providing business viewers an in depth opportunity to find solutions within many industries globally.

21st Century Business airs on CNBC and the Fox Business Network to over 100 million viewers nationwide as well as internationally via DirecTV and Dish Network. The show can also be viewed through video on demand via www.21cbtv.com. The series is also available at more than 27 prestigious college universities, including Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Dartmouth College and Georgetown University.

For specific market-by-market air dates and times, please e-mail [email protected]. For more information, please visit www.21cbtv.com.

About LoadSpring Solutions