Expanding Marlborough Firm Gets HP Designation
Versatile Communications Inc. CEO John Barker said most companies know that cloud-based services hold value for their businesses today, but they're not quite sure how to implement them.
And now more than ever, Versatile is helping area business owners and managers learn how the cloud applies to them.
"How does it work for a business?" That's the question, Barker said Wednesday, a day after Versatile celebrated a ribbon cutting at the company's new Hewlett Packard Cloud Center of Excellence (CCOE) at company headquarters in Marlborough.
Saving Money And Increasing Production
Cloud-based services are beneficial because they allow companies to bring information on separate departments together in one service to give a clear picture of production and spending, according to Baker, and it can be a big budget saver.
"Most big businesses don't really have a good handle, in that kind of a sense, of what departments are spending," Baker said.
Hewlett Packard (HP) has opened a number of CCOEs across the country, and Versatile's facilities became the second New England center after HP executives nominated the company six months ago, according to Barker.
Potential cloud customers can now learn how HP cloud software can work for their specific operations.
Though the CCOE designation is new, Versatile, founded in 1994 by Barker and his partner, Kevin Meany, has been schooling clients in other software applications at its training center for much of its history.
Barker said providing in-house training is a model that's little-used in the industry, and it's something that's helped set the business apart. He attributes the company's growing success in part to this model, as well as the popularity of its cloud-based software solutions.
Versatile Adds Employees, Offices
In the past two years, Versatile has doubled its workforce, and now employs nearly 60 people. Since moving into its new headquarters 15 months ago, Versatile has added about 10,000 square feet at that location, and expanded its presence along the east coast. Most recently, new offices opened in Florida.
And the opening of the new CCOE in Marlborough this week increases Versatile's visibility and offerings, as well as sales opportunities for HP, Barker said.
"This cloud piece is just a logical extension of that approach to doing things," he said.
About 150 employees, customers and HP representatives attended the celebration Tuesday.
Patriots hall-of-famer Troy Brown appeared as the keynote speaker. Barker explained he is a fan, and he joked that Brown was recognized as the 5th most "versatile" player in the history of the National Football League.
Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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