2014 Zuercher Suite User Conference: Long-term Solution, Long-term Perspective

As a new hire at Zuercher Technologies, I joined the company just a few weeks before the 2014 Zuercher Suite User Conference. There was a lot to pick up on. And fast. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect as we prepared for the event. We had representatives from many of the agencies who use our software coming from all across the county, and I hoped to learn a few things right along with them.

When people began to arrive for the evening reception at the Sioux Falls Convention Center, it was fun to watch Zuercher employees greeting people they'd known for years and meeting new clients.
 

The next morning, the ballroom was packed. My seat in the back was the perfect spot to take it all in and really listen to the message from our co-founder and CEO, Michael Zuercher.
 

We heard about the ways Zuercher Suite has evolved in the past year, everything from brand-new products and new configuration options to behind-the-scenes technology upgrades. More importantly, we learned about what drives Zuercher Technologies how Zuercher Technologies and Zuercher Suite evolve: a long term perspective.

"When we talk about evolving together, what's important is not just that we're changing -- it's that we're changing in a way and changing the right things to give you the reasonable expectation that we're actually going to be the product and the company that you need us to be 10 and 15 years from now. And that gives you the reasons, the justification, to put the energy and the effort into continuing to make the system work well for you."

What that means for the Zuercher Technologies team: we'll keep adding to and enhancing our software, moving its technical platform forward, continually improving our services, because we want to be a long-term solution. We want to provide the software that our clients will use for many years.

What that means for the agencies that use Zuercher Suite: we hope that you will invest the time and effort to use the system to its full potential. The more you configure the system to automate your workflow -- setting up recurring reports, building custom forms into the system -- the more benefit you receive from it. It's a powerful tool, and we hope you will dig deep and really it make your own.

As the day went on, I saw that very thing happen:
 

Inside the classrooms, where the latest features were taught by the Zuercher Technologies staff, the mood was lively, even early in the morning. Everyone from brand new users to many-year veterans, came ready to do more than just pick up tips. They wanted to really get more out of their Zuercher Suite system. To get sneak peaks at the latest developments. To use their software to do things they hadn't realized it could do.

In the training lab, our clients came with questions in hand and sat down alongside our technical staff, everyone from support and trainers to product managers and software developers. They learned more about ways to configure Zuercher Suite and asked the "what ifs" about what their system could really do.

I also sat in on a few roundtables: sessions where the users led the action. I wanted to hear agencies share their ideas and experiences with our other clients. It was interesting to hear our clients talk about the different ways they've configured their Zuercher Suite system to handle record-keeping challenges, inmate tracking, and day-to-day operations.

Even the hallway conversations were fun to listen to and join in on. A couple of times I saw clusters of people from one agency with schedules in hand making a plan to divide and conquer, to bring home as much information as possible.

As a new member of the sales and marketing team, I enjoyed watching my new colleagues in action. They had a chance to connect and reconnect with clients, demonstrating some of the enhancements and fun toys (officially known as peripheral equipment) that can be used with Zuercher Suite. We had a good time demonstrating digital iris and fingerprint scanners and how tablets and laptops can be used with our new Extend platform.

At the end of the day, it was great to relax and get to know our users at Carnaval Brazilian Grill, where the highlight is always the delicious meat served on swords. Sitting across the table from the people who use your product every day is incredibly motivating and helps us all understand you and your needs even better.
 

After our last session was done, our clients headed home armed with new skills and knowledge to take back to their agencies. I headed back to the office with arms full of equipment and a fuller understanding of those agencies we serve.

To those of you that I talked with over a meal, or sat next to in the classroom, let me just say thank you. Thank you for spending a few minutes chatting about how you use Zuercher Mobile Records software to write your case reports in the field, or how you made the decision to choose Zuercher.
 

Thank you for making the commitment to come and learn more, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share your experiences with us. We really do appreciate getting to know you and hearing your stories.

I'm looking forward to doing this again in 2015. I can't wait to reflect on the changes we've made in another year. And to touch base with those of you who share that long-term perspective with us. We'll see you again next year!