TiER1 Performance Solutions knows how to help a firm lost in a sea of information.
When this happens it's time for a knowledge flow intervention - at the heart of which lies innovative technology.
"TiER1 has invested heavily in developing software technologies that provide end-to-end online learning and knowledge management solutions," says TiER1 Chairman Normand Desmarais.
According to Desmarais, many of TiER1's grateful clients must communicate with thousands of employees across the globe; a recipe for communication breakdown.
"The clients that benefit the most are experiencing change, needing to educate and inform, and deal with a distributed audience," Desmarais says.
Since founders Dr. Kevin Moore, Greg Harmeyer and Desmarais opened TiER1's doors in 1993, their list of clients has grown to include an impressive list of key players including: Wendy's, FedEx, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Procter and Gamble, Cintas, Kraft, GE, Dell and Kmart.
Now TiER1 employs 40 associates and partners with the likes of Oracle, Northern Kentucky University, the University of Kentucky, the METS Center and more. As a team, TiER1 and its partners handle the information and knowledge needs of 130 clients in the commercial, government and non-profit sectors.
And they're doing a good job of it.
In 2007 and 2008 TiER1 was awarded a Blue Ribbon Award from the US Chamber of Commerce, and named one of the nation's fastest growing companies in the Inc. 5000 list. In 2007, TiER1 received the US Small Business Administration’s KY Small Business Person of the Year Award. Most recently, TiER1 was named Best Small Technology Business of the Year by ConnectKentucky.
As an example of TiER1's work, they helped Wendy's "roll out a customer satisfaction initiative to over 1,500 restaurants," Desmarais says. To do so, TiER1 conducted online training courses for thousands of employees.
"Another example is FedEx," Desmarais continues. "We have worked for several FedEx sales and marketing departments for the past six years and provide them with internal communications, training & education, as well as intranet portals to enable collaboration between the departments."
With their diverse clientele, TiER1 continues to succeed, even in the current economic climate.
"We have been fortunate that our commercial business is spread over 100 companies so not all sectors have stopped spending," he says. "Furthermore, we have invested heavily in our government sector which is now growing significantly to offset the commercial cycles."
Desmarais also attributes much of TiER1's strength to location.
"Northern Kentucky has been a wonderful location to establish a business and the support of many organizations has been tremendous," Desmarais says. "Our geographical location near Cincinnati is also a large benefit as there are several Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Cincinnati."
Not content to coast, TiER1 is constantly expanding and exploring the new.
"We are currently working on three innovative and cutting edge technologies," Desmarais says. "Our primary goal is to continue to grow this company to create as many high-paying, knowledge-based jobs this region needs to prosper and compete in a global environment."