Working to Make a Difference
It’s the time of year when you look back on what you’ve worked on and take pride in the projects that made a difference to someone else. This year, we took our Office Makeover Contest to nonprofit businesses, and the impact was an emotional one. Organizations like the Latin American Coalition in Charlotte, OpenWorld Learning in Denver, the Indiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Indianapolis, and the Hickok Center for Brain Injury in Rochester that already provide so much for the communities they serve—are now meeting the needs of even more with simple changes in technology and design within their offices. It’s extraordinary reactions like this one from Jess George, associate director, Latin American Coalition in Charlotte that get you in the spirit this time of year:
As a nonprofit organization we typically end up sacrificing quality for a good price. This year, we didn't have to choose.
Like most nonprofits, we serve our clients first and all else falls to the side – technology included. Before our Xerox makeover our office was drab and our equipment was outdated. For programs or events, our only way to attract the attention of our audience was to use colored paper or outsource our printing and duplication needs. We had our own clunky, oversized printers and copiers – all many years old, full of quirks and, of course, donated – spread out in different areas of the office. Our technology was old, we were inefficient, and although this was because we were so focused on meeting the needs of our clients, we were blind to the fact that our clients were the ones who suffered.
The makeover has made our office beautiful and efficient – a place our community can be proud of! Not only is the environment a happy and welcoming one for both clients and staff, our printers and multifunction machines have streamlined the way we work and brought life to dull flyers and brochures. And – this year our Latin American Festival was the biggest and most successful event we have ever planned because we had the right technology and the right workspace.
Every year the festival attracts between 15,000 and 18,000 attendees. It’s an incredible undertaking for us, and the documents alone are always a nightmare. From back stage passes to promotional flyers – we create too many or not enough, catch a typo long after a document has been send to the printing house for duplication, or simply end up with poor quality products because we don’t have the time or resources to get them right. But this year, thanks to our new equipment, we saved time and money, and printed all kinds of terrific, full color promotion materials on demand. The piece of mind I had, knowing that whatever I needed could be produced immediately right in my own office – freed me up to concentrate on other important event details.
So, as I reflect on 2006, it’s exciting to know we helped some very important organizations have a Happy New Year—here’s to a successful 2007!
Paul Gleason
Vice President, Small and Medium Business
Xerox