5 Who Thrive: Four key changes enabled SuperGeeks to prosper - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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Hawaii-based opened three new computer service and repait centerslast month, one each on Maui, Oahu and the Big bringing the total to sevenj locations statewide. He expects revenues to exceedr $1.8 million this year, up almost 40 percenf from twoyears ago. Kerr, who founded the busines s in 1998, credits most of the succesd to four changes he made in runninh the company asits CEO: Hiring a chief operating • Hiring business consultants. • Improving hiring standards. • Tapping into customer feedback.
Last Kerr hired Elena Ledoux tohandlew day-to-day operations as chief operating “I see good companies as having three legs the evangelizer, or workers to do the work; and management to handle dail y operations,” Kerr said. “We were sort of limpinfg alongon two.” Ledoux, a lawyer who is based at the main service center at 2304 S. King St., overseess SuperGeeks’ staff of 25 and is implementing ways to measuredailhy performance. That enables her to reward employees when goalsd are met and address issues when theyare not. “We’ve learned how to keep score,” Kerr said.
“Wed measure everything from performanceper technician, warranty ratess per technician, turnaround time, customer service. We measure it, post it and make the team awardof it.” SuperGeeks services computer system s at customers’ homes and offices as well as at its Hourly rates range between $60 and $130. Half its businessz comes from direct consumers and half is from corporatew customers who outsource their information technology support to Around the same time that hehire Ledoux, Kerr said he sought outside business help from two loca consultants.
“I’m not a big fan of but sometimes your vision is restrictedrwhen you’ve been in the businesws for so long,” he said. SuperGeeks has been workinv with Ron Martinof , who refers to himselfd as a sales “resultant” insteard of consultant, and Mike Hulser, who runs , a Honolulhu management and financial consulting firm. “Ron’s a top-of-the-line guy and Mike’z a bottom-line guru,” Kerr said. “I brought them on because I want to spongewhat they’vwe learned and help our company develoo a sense for learning. Their impact has been immediate.” For he said Martin has helpec set daily goals andactio plans.
He also helped to create an incentive prograkm for employees to reward performanc and create a sense of accountability for Kerr said Hulser has brought aCFO mind-sert to the company. “We want to conquer the world, but we have to do it with a very stablsefinancial footing,” Kerr said. “Haviny the dream and ambition is just one part of He said one of his biggest challengew has been to deliver consistent quality to customers and the key ishirinh high-quality workers.