Spreadsheets (Part 2 of 3) - What's in A Name?

The task of putting a name onto something is an extremely important matter.  As humans we name everything – people, animals, buildings, companies, software.  Naming is not simply putting a tag on a ‘thing’ but it is a powerful way of prescribing character and purpose.  When we were trying to name our little corner of the universe, we thought long and hard about the character and purpose we wanted to bestow onto the world.  What did we have to offer?  What did Quick Base have to offer?  Within this context it was easy to see why we used the term ‘collaborative’ in our company name – it’s not just because we like really long names!

The question is often asked whether web-based applications like QuickBase are really any different or better than the standard off-the-shelf approaches like Excel or Access.  The answer starts with collaboration.  While those products are useful in many ways, they are not meant for collaboration, and are not agile enough to keep up with the complex and changing needs of the average business unit.  This collaboration is experienced in many ways: departments can share information and reports easily; field offices can access the same information in real-time; many applications (or spreadsheets) can be consolidated into one application; and QuickBase plays extremely well with other systems, such as accounting systems.

Our first ever client, Stronghold Exteriors, was managing their business on six separate spreadsheets!  We took all of those spreadsheets and put them into one single online database.  There was no more double entry of information, fewer errors, better communication between departments, and real-time access to information by team members in off-site locations.  All of this allowed the company to double within a year without increasing the number of administrative employees. 

After our work on the project, Stronghold named QuickBase as the brain of their operation.  I still believe (as I’m sure they do) that people are always the brain of the operation.  But, if names are as meaningful as I claim, then I’ll take that name for our work! 

Brains, Muscles, Nervous System… we’ll get your organizational body performing like an Olympic athlete! Take our tour to find out how we use Intuit's QuickBase to improve productivity, maximize flexibility, and save you money by getting you onto the Cloud.