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Perspectives

Optimizing the Way We Work: A Tale of Employee Enablement

Written By: Jessica Hawley
March 26, 2018
3 min read

What if you were suddenly empowered to make work life more productive, interesting, and enjoyable for your fellow employees, but their fear of the unknown made them resistant to change? How would you convince them to take the leap from what they know to something that could make a real difference for them and the business?

That’s exactly the situation that Quickbase trailblazer Joanna Schreck, senior manager of Operational Excellence and Data Analytics for Clients Services & Delivery Operations at UBM, found herself in—after she experienced first-hand what the Quickbase platform could do for her colleagues, her company, and her career.

Joanna’s journey

UBM Americas (UBM) is the largest events organizer in America and among the top three in Brazil and Mexico. When leadership there began rolling out plans for an undertaking of product and process transformation, Joanna became part of the solution.

Joanna’s job was to redesign a custom-built Quickbase application supporting Client Services & Delivery Operations and make it more applicable to the transformed business. The challenge was that the existing app was integral to daily work and change raised concerns. Yet when the updated Quickbase app was ready for use, the staff was eager to test it out. How did Joanna build so much enthusiasm?

“I approached the redesign in a fun way,” she explains. “I’d say, ‘Wait until you see all the automations I’m building in.’ or ‘Today I worked on something that’s going to make you smile.’”

Now named “Home Base,” this powerful app has earned a “thumbs-up” from UBM Americas’ Client Services team. With it, their jobs are easier and more engaging, enabling them to deliver a higher level of service with significantly less effort. They also have more time to devote to client-related activities.

More users, broader recognition

The success of that first app positively impacted the trajectory of Joanna’s career, putting her in a broader spotlight as UBM’s Quickbase administrator, educator, and problem-solver.

Today, UBM holds 55 Quickbase seats and there may be more on the way as Joanna and colleague, Karen Gomez, the associate systems manager for Client Services & Delivery Operations, now collaborate with those inside and outside of their department.

“It has been a great opportunity to manage UBM’s Quickbase account,” says Joanna. “It has helped me grow in knowledge and responsibility here. I’m more involved in the business strategy now and have the confidence to make decisions and recommendations that will help us reach our goals.”

Leading Quickbase-inspired business transformation

Below are a few of Joanna’s tips for driving greater employee empowerment and optimized operations through Quickbase adoption:

  • Keep users involved in app evolution—A ticketing system enables users to quickly flag problems and recommend new features and functionality.
  • Show users what it can do—An information hub with a series of introductory videos on Quickbase features and functionality help app requesters appreciate all the possibilities.
  • Offer instructionProvide training opportunities to those who want to become more proficient Quickbase users or new builders.
  • Share successes—Hold open, quarterly recap meetings highlighting the latest app enhancements and efficiencies gained from Quickbase.

Want to know more? Meet Joanna at our live webinar

Joanna, along with Joe Scola, senior director of Technical Operations at Sage Payroll Services, will be sharing their experiences and advice in this on-demand webinar: Secrets to Spreading Quickbase Across Your Organization. This online event was hosted by Adam Hoover, manager of Customer Solutions Engineering at Quickbase. Watch it free today.

Written By: Jessica Hawley
Jessica Hawley is a marketing manager at Quickbase, focused on SEO, content and social media.

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