A More Advanced Work Environment Benefits Symplicity's Clients
Symplicity Communications celebrated the opening of our larger, more advanced work environment by hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. The event was attended by a diverse collection of clients, technology partners, and fellow members of the Chamber of Commerce. We were honored to be joined by so many great members of the Michigan business community for a night we’ll always remember.
Dante Villarreal, VP of Business Services for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, had kind words to say about his experience touring our space, meeting Symplicity clients, and checking out our team awards. “It’s exciting,” said Villarreal, “when we hear about awesome activity in our community. This is what it’s about.”
Symplicity’s VP of Client Experience, Tracy Pryce, was moved by Villarreal’s presentation before the ribbon cutting, as well as the Chamber’s overall level of professionalism and support. Pryce says the Chamber “really knocked it out of the park on an evening that was so important for us, helping us provide a memorable experience to clients that don’t often have the chance to make it to our office.”
Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss was also on hand to share moving words in a pre-ribbon cutting tribute to Symplicity. Mayor Bliss and Symplicity’s founder and president, Catherine Lazarock, are both members of Inforum Michigan, an organization that advances the careers of women and boosts talent initiatives for businesses in Michigan. According to Mayor Bliss, “When I have time to do ribbon cuttings, it always warms my heart, but today is extra special to me because I’m here to support a woman-owned business and female entrepreneur.” She went on to praise Catherine’s work growing the business: “It’s really amazing, the journey that has brought you here today, through your hard work and dedication.”
The move to our new space aligns with Symplicity’s 12th anniversary, a fact not lost on Catherine, who started Symplicity as a single-mother of two. According to her: “What helped us get through the first eleven years of being a small, woman-owned business in the competitive technology market is the quality of our clients and the integrity and compassion of our team. This was true from our humble beginnings with a dedicated small staff that helped Symplicity make it over the hump, to what we can share with clients now: a fourteen-person team of experts who are fully equipped to be there for our clients every step of the way."
To assist our team in delivering an unbeatable experience to clients, the new Symplicity work environment provides our staff with more room, more collaboration areas, and additional technology resources. As we continue to take on new business, provide even more touch points for clients, and expand our enterprise relationships, it’s important for us to have a “base camp” that supports productivity, collaboration and efficiency. According to Brian Bonebrake II, our Technical Solutions Engineer, “I really like how the new office feels like a second home where I can enjoy spending extra time on projects as needed. We’ve got great communal workspaces now, and easy access to all the resources I need to help streamline my path to completing what needs to be done.” Similarly, Client Relationship Manager Sara Tamminga loves the “comfortable and inviting environment that enables better collaboration and easier workflow.”
Tracy Pryce added, with a chuckle, “My favorite thing is the crushed ice in our new fridge. I also like that we all have our own desk – we aren’t sharing anymore. It’s amazing to think how much we got done when some of us were actually sharing desks. It’s exciting to think about how much more we can get done now.” According to Pryce, everything that goes into improving our work experience directly translates to an improved experience for both clients and the technology providers we connect them with.
As dozens of people mingled around him at the open house that followed the ribbon cutting, Jeff Winker, VP of Business Development at Symplicity, felt humbled by the turnout: “This is a wonderful way for our team to feel rewarded for their hard work. There’s nothing like connecting with the people you serve every day at an event like this. Plus…” he said, as motioned towards the catering tables, “the meatballs and Captain Morgan don’t hurt.” Jeff, who has an insatiable appetite for learning about different technology providers, says he was most impressed by the lineup of Cloud service providers who were willing to contribute and be on site for this event, saying, “It speaks loudly for the kinds of relationships Symplicity is building with them on behalf of our clients.”
