Specific Duties Include (but not limited to):

• Design A/V Systems utilizing current technology such as Control systems (AMX/Crestron/Extron), DSPs, matrix mixers and switchers; videoconferencing codecs and endpoints (Cisco/Polycom)
• Possess advanced understanding of data network devices/networking
• Create and comprehend advanced system drawings and specifications
• Contribute on projects from estimating through commissioning
• Assist sales team with system design, budgeting and design/drawing activities
• Maintain open lines of communication with Account Manager and other Design Engineers throughout duration of Design process
• Interact with customers and IT/AV personnel in customer service oriented, professional manner
• Ability to understand and follow, create and edit base building and electrical blueprints
• Adhere to Avixia/InfoComm APEx standards and local codes
• Report any project changes, issues, or concerns to assigned internal contacts
• Development and implementation of department standards.
• Development of standards for corporate customer applications.
• Provide support to field technicians, and programmers as required.
• Review and participate in as-built drawing production.
• Maintain knowledge of current products and industry trends through vendor communications and industry training

Qualifications and Work Requirements

Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical field or equivalent experience

Minimum 5 years engineering or technical service experience in the Commercial A/V Industry

AVIXA CTS required

AVIXA CTS-D strongly desired

Manufacturer certifications strongly desired, AMX, Crestron, Extron, BiAmp, QSC

Proficiency with AutoCAD a plus

Must be able to work with minimal supervision

Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

Patience, determination, discipline and maturity to manage time and effectively handle stressful situations, should they arise

Familiarity with other low-voltage disciplines (CCTV, Access Control, Network Cabling, etc.) a plus

Valid driver’s license

Be able to pass drug screen and background check

Periodic regional travel may be required

Job Type: Full-time

Email your resume to AKoukol@ockers.com to apply.

Responsibilities

• Undertake daily administrative tasks to ensure the functionality and coordination of the department’s activities
• Support marketing director in organizing various projects
• Conduct market research and analyze consumer rating reports/ questionnaires
• Collect and maintain sales records required to track, review, and modify performance of marketing initiatives.
• Employ marketing analytics techniques to gather important data (social media, web analytics, rankings etc.)
• Assist in the organizing of promotional events and traditional or digital campaigns and attend them to facilitate their success
• Prepare and deliver promotional presentations
• Compose and post online content on the company’s website and social media accounts
• Write marketing literature (brochures, press releases etc) to augment the company’s presence in the market
• Communicate directly with clients and encourage trusting relationships

Skills

• Good understanding of office management and marketing principles
• Demonstrable ability to multi-task and adhere to deadlines
• Well-organized with a customer-oriented approach
• Good knowledge of market research techniques and databases
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office, marketing computer software and online applications (CRM tools, Online analytics, Google Adwords etc.)
• Exquisite communication and people skills
• High School diploma; BSc in Marketing, Business or relevant field is a strong advantage

Job Type: Full-time

Email your resume to AKoukol@ockers.com to apply.

Proud Partners of the New England Patriots!   GO PATS!

May 13, 2021

BROCKTON-  At a time of uncertainty, during a global pandemic, New England’s leading audio visual and technology solutions provider, Ockers, marks our company’s 100^th anniversary in 2021. Starting off as an office automation dealer selling typewriters and adding machines, the expansion of several stores through the south shore, to our current position as a leading technology, audio visual, security and access control, broadcast and lighting, and managed services provider. Ockers has spent the last century piloting the ever changing technology landscape, all while supporting our clients to do the same. This milestone signifies a century of transformation and resilience. At Ockers, we celebrate our people, core values and the foundation that has allowed our company to flourish over the past 100 years.

As an all-encompassing information and communications technology reseller, Ockers excels at designing, installing, and supporting cost-effective solutions that optimize business performance. Our authorized service centers and certified technicians offer more than 700,000 computer related and communication technology products from over 3,800 of the world’s leading hardware manufacturers and software publishers.

The Ockers Company ensures the most reliable and advanced-technology solution products available all while providing the best in support services from our highly qualified, experienced and certified staff. Exemplary technical services range from pre-sales needs analysis and network configuration to infrastructure cabling, managed IT support and beyond.

Ockers’ primary markets include businesses of every type and size; educational institutions at every level; state and local governments, plus various vertical industries including healthcare, financial and others. Whatever your organization’s IT, communications, and visual technology product requirements… Ockers is your trusted, single-source provider with an acclaimed history of customer satisfaction since 1921.

“My sincere gratitude to the Employees, Vendor partners, Customers and family members who have helped the Company reach this Milestone,” said John Houser, President & CEO.  “The talent and commitment of the employees of this great company have been the cornerstone of our success, it truly is a blessing to have been able to assemble a team of employees and vendors who have helped Ockers become a go to partner for its customers. For over 100 years, Ockers loyal customers have repeatedly called on us to help them reach their technology and office automation goals.    A vast majority of these customers have been with the company for much of it’s history. To all our great customers we owe a debt of gratitude beyond any words I can offer. Ockers ability to continually evolve as a company, has truly been one of our best characteristics, changing with the times and with technology has allowed us to be positioned to best serve our customers today and for tomorrow.    Exactly where our motto came from,  Technology for Tommorrow.”

KEY DATES

• 1921: Ockers was founded by Maurice Ockers
• 1940s: Ockers represented Olivetti Underwood selling typewriters and Adding machines
• 1955: Robert Houser returns from the Korean War and begins his career at Ockers
• 1965: Robert Houser buys out all partners in Ockers
• 1975: Ockers became Massachusetts first IBM Authorized Typewriter Dealer
• 1979-1990: Ockers awarded numerous IBM Typerwriter dealer of the month national awards
• 1995: Ockers authorized as an IBM authorized computer dealer
• 1996: Ockers opens Raynham Location to service Southeastern Mass
• 1998: Robert Houser retires and turns business over to his children
• 2000: Ockers recognized for outstanding sales as an IBM Computer reseller
• 2005: Ockers authorized as Hewlett Packard reseller
• 2009: John Houser buys Ockers from other family members
• 2010: Ockers enters the Audio Visual and Infrastructure business
• 2018: Ockers acquires Integrated Solutions Group
• 2019: Ockers develops and Brings Touchview Interactive to Market
• 2020: Ockers acquires Automation Concepts and Technologies entering the managed services business
• 2020: Ockers acquires Global integrated Technologies entering the physical Security business
• 2020: Ockers name by GrowJo as one of the fastest growing company’s in Massachusetts
• 2021: Ockers celebrates it’s 100^th anniversary and continues to offer products and services for the future

About John Houser

John Houser started his career at Ockers in 1978, first learning the typewriter repair business working for his father. A Graduate of Holbrook High School and Massasoit Community College, John worked for the company through college learning the family business.  In 1998, John took over the reins of the company as President and has led the company’s expansion from office technology to computers and other technologies.  The Houser Family is represented by three additional family members actively working in the business. In his spare time, John enjoys boating, sports fishing, traveling, and spending time with family.

For more information regarding this press release, please contact Nicole Kelly, Marketing Director of the Ockers Company, Nkelly@ockers.com.

Follow Ockers on Twitter: @OckersCompany
Follow Ockers on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.the-ockers-company
Connect with Ockers on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OckersCompany

Proud Partners of the Boston Red Sox!  GO SOX! Play Ball!!!

Why Do People Prefer Mobile?

It’s a simple question with a pretty simple answer. You can take these devices nearly anywhere and can do a lot of the things you can do on a PC. If you consider the importance of content delivery nowadays, these devices probably hold more value for businesses than any other devices in history.

Additionally, think about the amount of applications in the app stores…nearly two million in the Apple App Store and nearly three million in the Google Play Store. That’s a lot of software available for what is supposed to be a telephone. There are productivity apps, communications apps, banking and shopping apps. In fact, if you really think about it, you can do about anything you need to do—computing wise—on a smartphone today. This has created a massive online economy that checks in at around $2 trillion in the U.S. alone. Overall, the mobile device has been a major reason that there has been such a massive shift in the way people do things.

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing has been “cool” for a long time, but the advent of the smartphone in the mid-2000s really changed the way people handle their computing. The development of apps that were specifically designed for mobile devices expanded business’ reach and gave consumers a new way to interface with their companies.

Then came social media.

Social media might just be the biggest driving force in mobile. People of all ages use social media proficiently nowadays. In fact, in the workplace this has been seen as both a major distraction and a massive benefit. There are many different facets to social media, but ultimately the massive popularity of social media has resulted in the acceptance that mobile devices are here to stay and that fighting back about mobile device use is a futile experience. This is one reason why businesses have chosen to utilize mobile rather than stymie the use of it.

Another factor in the growth of mobile for business is the development of applications that work both on PC and on mobile. These applications make it possible to do a lot of things that simply weren’t possible only a few short years ago. Even the most anti-mobile business owner can’t deny that it is arguably the best platform for communications. Not only is it a phone, there are literally thousands of productivity and communication apps to choose from. In fact, some applications that are designed for use on mobile devices have factored this in and allow for interesting integrations that can streamline a lot of business processes.

Email, conferencing, messaging, collaboration apps, analytics, authentication, even productivity apps are optimized for mobile devices and can bring a lot of value to businesses. What’s more, mobile marketing is one of the fastest-growing forms of advertising out there. Taking advantage of that is in the best interest of most small and medium-sized businesses.

What You Need to Know About Going Mobile

If you haven’t seen the demand yet, you aren’t alone. Many smaller organizations have reported that their customers haven’t shown a demand for mobile communications or payment options. Until they see customer demand increase, using mobile for business may not seem like a priority. It absolutely should be. If you are looking to leverage mobile technology to improve your business, you need to start by understanding the risks first. Just like any other computing platform, there are security risks that come from utilizing mobile solutions and you should address them before you go any further.

Most businesses, especially in the SMB sector, aren’t going to have the capital to just hand out mobile devices and data plans to their staff. If your company is that fortunate, you probably already have a mobile device management platform in place. For the average company that is looking to utilize mobile for productivity, they need to utilize the resources that are available to them.

Guess what? Most of your staff have smartphones.

By setting up a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy that uses mobile device management, security software, and solid procedure to allow your employees to use their own personal devices to access work-related applications and data, you are effectively getting the benefits of having a mobile workforce, without the huge expense that goes along with it. Some tips you should consider for a solid BYOD policy include:

• Devices should be protected by some type of screen lock, preferably biometric.
• Users allow IT access so that their work software is always patched and up to date.
• Separate personal and work applications and data.
• No Jailbroken devices should be allowed.

These are only a few considerations in a larger issue. The BYOD policy is designed to protect your company’s digital resources AND provide your employees access to them on their own phones. You may get some push-back from your staff at first, but ultimately by explaining that it is the best way for them to gain the flexibility of using their own device for work, most employees will come around pretty quickly.

If you would like more information about implementing BYOD policies, feel free to give us a call at (800) 346-0122.

Reliability

A lot of businesses need to print little things, and many have begun to move to a more paperless environment. Then there are some businesses that absolutely rely on their printers and copiers. For these companies, finding a maintenance solution is difficult. The first variable any business owner or decision maker should consider is the availability of the maintenance provider. Printers are notorious for having maintenance issues so being able to keep lines of communication open is essential to ensure that you get the service you need when you need it.

Expertise

This variable is a must. A company that fixes copiers and printers needs to have technicians on staff that are proficient in fixing copiers and printers; it’s that simple. Shockingly, there are companies that will advertise that they offer printer and copier maintenance services, but when it comes down to it, there is no experience doing so, and that will substantially increase the cost, not only for the service, but also for the time your machines remain down.

Dedication

For any maintenance provider, time is money, but for whatever reason some companies don’t act like it. You will want a provider that does a lot of the heavy lifting by monitoring systems remotely. Printers and copiers don’t always malfunction on the hardware side, but when they do, a solid maintenance provider has the part you need in stock so that your printer or copier isn’t down for more than a few hours.

Overall Value

Printer maintenance can get expensive. That’s why it is important to find companies that can provide you with the value you need to not only keep your printers and copiers in operational order, but also extend beyond that so that you can justify the growing expense of maintenance for these machines. At The Ockers Company, we offer comprehensive managed IT services that can help you get the IT support you need, including for your copiers and printers.

If you would like more information about copier and printer support or what it takes to keep your business’ technology up and working for you, give us a call today at (800) 346-0122.

Keep Your Phone Locked and Protected

You might know some people who don’t lock their smartphones, and it’s a huge mistake to leave something so simple out of your mobile device travel strategy. What would happen if you were to lose your device? What if it were stolen by someone hoping to make a quick buck off your device or the data it holds? We recommend using multi-factor authentication for your phone, including a passcode and a biometric measure of some kind. In fact, you should be using multi-factor authentication for just about any device or account where it’s available.

Use a Virtual Private Network

Businesses need to keep connected to a wireless network in order to stay connected to their home base, but the problem is that a lot of the wireless connections out there are unsecured and dangerous for devices with sensitive information on them. When you use a virtual private network, you can encrypt data that is sent to and from your device, allowing for the secure transmission of information while out of the office.

Turn Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth When Not in Use

Many people tend to keep their Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled at all times, even when they are not actively being used. This is dangerous, as devices can automatically connect to networks that might be considered risky. We recommend just disabling these connections when not in use. Your battery will also last longer, as your devices will not be actively seeking out connections while out and about.

Use a Mobile Device Management System

Any number of issues could occur when you are on the road. Even if you just set down your device for a moment, someone could pick it up and walk away with it, putting the data on it at risk. A mobile device management tool can help mitigate these dangers somewhat. It won’t help you get your device back, but it will protect the data stored on it in the event of theft. Your mobile device management solution should include the whitelisting and blacklisting of applications, remote wiping of lost or stolen devices, and device location services.

The Ockers Company can work with your business to ensure that mobile devices are not the reason why your employees fear traveling. To learn more about how we can help you stay safe while on the go, reach out to us at (800) 346-0122.

Disasters can be generally defined as any situation where your business suffers from an event that disrupts operations in an impactful way. Some of the following examples of disasters might not be the first ones you think of, but they are important to prepare for all the same.

Natural Disasters

Nobody likes to think about a flood or a hurricane wiping out your business’ infrastructure, but depending on your location, it is a possibility that must be seriously entertained. No matter where you are in the world, chances are that you are susceptible to at least some type of natural disaster, be it a fire, electrical storm, or snowstorm. Make sure you do your research and plan for the worst.

Hardware Failures

Technology does not last forever, so you cannot expect it to. Depending on the age of your hardware and the amount of maintenance you administer to it, you might find yourself more susceptible to hardware failure than you might think. Thankfully, hardware failure can be predicted somewhat thanks to remote monitoring and maintenance tools, but it is still something that must be considered for any disaster planning scenario.

User Error

People make mistakes, and the simple fact of the matter is that these mistakes can often have disastrous consequences. Imagine someone deleting Windows registry files or other important operating system files, or accidentally leaking credentials to hackers due to a phishing attack. These things happen, so be prepared to train your employees on how to adequately respond to such issues. The important thing is that they don’t sweep these issues under the rug; make it clear that you expect them to own up to mistakes, and instead of punishing them for being human, respond by helping them become better as a result of it.

Hacking Attacks

You see the headlines every day: “New Ransomware Strikes So-and-So,” or “Millions of Records Leaked in Massive Cyberattack.” These things happen, even to small businesses like yours. The best thing you can do is be prepared for them with proper network security solutions. In the case of ransomware in particular you want to have a contingency plan in place, as these threats lock down files and essentially shut down operations until the ransom is paid. Sometimes threats can just straight-up destroy or corrupt data, too, meaning that you are really stuck if you don’t have a plan in place.

Get Started with Data Backup and Disaster Recovery

One thing you might notice about all of the above is that they can generally be prepared for with enough proactive thought. If you find your business is underprepared for any of the above, a great way to cover all of your bases is to implement a data backup and disaster recovery solution from The Ockers Company. Our solution, called a backup and disaster recovery tool, or BDR, is designed to minimize downtime and expedite the recovery process in the event of any disaster, natural or otherwise. To learn more, give us a call at (800) 346-0122.

A Necessary Shift

For years, workers had been chomping at the bit to be allowed to work remotely. Some companies made it work for them, while others attempted it only to realize that it was too difficult or in some cases costly to permanently utilize the strategy. The lion’s share of companies axed the idea from the get go. This all changed when jobs that could be done remotely were moved offsite due to health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies that for years had been denying their workforce the ability to work from home, now needed people to.

Obviously, some businesses weren’t set up for this. Others, that had invested in cloud-hosted tools as a way to control capital costs, were miles ahead. Most businesses needed to make adjustments, as did most workers. Regardless of how management viewed the work-from-home model, the sustainability of many businesses was at stake, and as a result, it was clear how the situation had to be approached. Business owners and managers needed remote workers to keep their businesses running.

Workers From Home

For many workers there was some excitement when they were forced to work from home. Over time, however, some workers have shown fatigue. Others have prospered. Workers with children who were also home for much of the time due to the same health concerns, found it to be both a benefit and a curse. As regulations start to ease some workers, who have thrived during this period, are afraid that the good work they put in during the pandemic won’t be rewarded as their management teams bring people back to the workplace. Others just want to get out of their houses and are looking forward to the personal interaction they typically have at work. There are a lot of different situations and a lot of different perspectives.

Ultimately, given the flexibility that remote work provides, a lot of workers simply don’t want to go back to how it was before. The studies that have been conducted over the past several months make this clear. In fact, one survey found that 87 percent of workers that worked remotely over the past year would like the ability to continue to do so in some fashion after the risks subside.

The Compromise

With the lack of concert expectations from management and the workforce, the workforce of the future will likely adopt some type of hybrid model. What this means is that workers will be asked to be in the office on certain days and be able to continue to work from home on the others. This is not just because workers want to work from home. It is also because people are going to be worried about going back to work with the COVID-19 pandemic still an issue, even if they are vaccinated. It’s just an uncomfortable situation, especially as tens of millions of people outright refuse to get the vaccine.

The hybrid model still needs to be hashed out for a lot of businesses, including who would work from where when. Do you need to schedule specific days for people to be in the office, or would it be more about who needs to collaborate or use internal resources that are more secure and more readily available from the confines of the office? Your individual business will dictate how the hybrid workplace should be structured at your company.

The Main Benefit of the Hybrid Workplace

While it doesn’t seem like there are a lot of benefits on the surface to doing business this way, you need to understand just how expensive it is to replace workers. As mentioned above, workers will look for the situations that will benefit them, and for a business that has been operating for over a year with a completely remote workforce, allowing your employees to work from home a couple of times a week is a compromise that you have to make. Your employees want flexibility, and making this move will help your retention rates and your staff’s overall happiness. Ultimately, you save from having to replace the workers that will most likely leave if you were to make them come back to the office full-time.

The post-pandemic workplace will look different, but through the use of technology, you can successfully move on from the pandemic with your staff intact. If you want to talk to one of our IT consultants about the technology that can help you successfully implement the hybrid workforce strategy in your business, give us a call today at (800) 346-0122.