10 Ideas You Can Steal From ACDI

in
10 Ideas You Can Steal From ACDI
adult-asking-beverage-590516

#BestJobEver isn’t just some marketing ploy to find amazing talent. At ACDI, it’s the real deal. It’s one of a few sayings that guide our team every day. #BetterThanYesterday and #ForgeAhead are pretty popular around here, too.

These words embody the spirit of ACDI, but they shouldn’t be limited to us. Feel free to use them in your everyday life or take any one of our other ideas about culture or community. Here’s 10 that we thought we’d share.

Pursue thought leadership

action-plan-brainstorming-complex-212286

You don’t have to know everything, but it helps to know the newest thing. In our industry, technology is constantly changing. Customers have new problems to solve, and dealers have to keep up with their problems while offering new solutions. Whether you work in imaging or in a completely different field, you have to keep pace with the times. One way to make sure you’re always “in the know” is to try to be a thought leader. Research and write blogs that your network can use. Build strong alliances with partners that keep moving forward. Find new ideas and go for them.

The interns said it best, ‘We’ve discovered that here at ACDI, we get enough space to figure it out. Freedom to fail and that’s okay, and enormous encouragement to be successful.’ – Jeff, Director of Sales

Find great partners

find great partners - acdi

You’re only as good as the company you keep. Cliché but very true. In 2019, reputation is almost as important as relationships. Bad press is bad for business and, unfortunately, customers could be turned off by the companies you choose to partner with. Countless athletes have lost endorsement deals with sponsors because they fear the public backlash. When considering new partnerships, try to find companies that have strong reputations and ethical practices.

Empower your remote employees

apartment-comfortable-contemporary-269129

Don’t just let your employees work from home. Give them the confidence and tools to do amazing things even when they’re not in the office. Skilled workers want to spend more time with their families while keeping a career. Having a solid remote policy allows you to expand your talent pool beyond your city or state.

Working remotely while supporting a national audience makes ACDI unique. Not being in a physical office allows more focused productivity but can be limiting if you need to have a quick chat with a counterpart or management… not here. – Ryan, Solutions Architect

Have something that came up at home or not feeling 100%? Working from home can be a lifesaver! – Kevin H., Business Analyst Intern

Brainstorm & collaborate

Building relationships with strong partners opens up an opportunity to share in innovation. Most practices aren’t one size fits all, and what works for one company may not work for another. The strength in finding great partners, though, is that you work to help each other. It’s this collaborative spirit that allows you to take an idea and adapt it for your business. Hopefully, your partners are able to do the same. That’s why we always make sure to align with the best dealers, OEMs, and developers that are out there.

Get involved in the community

get involved in the community

You can find some great people and awesome places if you get to know those around you! Whether it’s bringing lunch in from a local restaurant, hosting a block party, or offering your office as a meeting space. Best of all? It doesn’t have to cost you a dime. Not only does it feel good to support local businesses, often they will return the favor. Putting your business out there can lead right back to finding great partners.

Our love for local! We participate in community events, give to local charities and support local businesses! – Amber, Executive Assistant

Make your office feel like home

make your office feel like home

The average person spends over 90,000 hours at work over the course of a lifetime. Would you want to spend every one of them in the same chair, at the same desk, in the same office, and with the same people? No! Never underestimate the power of a nice couch or a picnic table. You can even try painting a whiteboard wall for some extra creativity. There are tons of small but effective steps you can take to create an inviting atmosphere for your team.

I like to grab my laptop and go sit on the big couch upstairs for a change of scenery. – Kim S., Quality Assurance Analyst

Workout hard, play hard

beach-beautiful-diversity-1671217

According to the Wall Street Journal, healthy employees are more productive employees. It’s easy to see how working out and eating right benefits an employee. The hard part is finding the time and motivation to do it. Start a challenge with your team to shed pounds and get active. It spurs competition and works well to bring employees together. Offer a daily or weekly workout in your office or schedule “walking meetings.” You can even subsidize gym memberships for employees and their families.

We have a competitive team that works out, encourages one another, and genuinely cares about everyone’s health. – Jacob, Professional Services Engineer

I love ACDI Gets Fit because working out with someone is easier and keeps us motivated. – Josefina, Graphic Designer

Get an espresso machine

get an espresso machine

Regular coffee is nice. Coffee pods are expensive. Coffee shops always have a line, but what if your employees could be their own baristas? An espresso machine may seem like a luxury, but when you consider how much it means to your team to have a handy pick me up, it’s worth the investment.

Not every company cares enough to provide espresso, milk, and flavors for employees to make their own lattes. It’s pretty incredible. – Beth, Regional Account Representative

The espresso machine is a lifesaver when the 2:00 tiredness hits. – Tonja, Senior Processing Specialist

I get to feel like a Starbucks barista with the super cool espresso machine and not feel pressured because of a line-up at the register. – Yury, Business Operations Specialist

Culture

company culture

Company culture is a hot button topic, but it doesn’t mean just one thing. Your culture is a blend of smaller and larger initiatives that makes you, you. To find your voice, simply ask your employees what they like most about your company. You’ll find a common theme among their answers, and that’s a huge step towards finding your personality. We asked our employees what they think is unique about ACDI’s culture.

Sense of Family

You say, ‘Help,’ and at least 10 people say, ‘How can I?’ From the owner on down. – Robin, Professional Services Engineer

Blame it on my Italian upbringing but my parents have always treated others come una famiglia aka ‘like family!’ I have been taught the same and tend to gravitate towards places that do likewise. ACDI is such a place! – Anthony, Regional Sales Manager

Friendship

I love it when I get to go on trips with my coworkers to different places for business. On these trips, I really feel like we move from coworkers to friends. – Rafael, Lead Engineer – Latin America

It’s refreshing to see employees and employers that have a genuine interest in the lives of their employees and coworkers. – Keli, Senior Account Manager

Creative Freedom

The overall atmosphere and creative freedom given to our team are some of the best features of our culture and ACDI. We are always changing and evolving, which is exciting. – Roxie, Marketing Coordinator

Wearing a T-Rex suit at the office is normal. How many people can do that and it be okay? – Trent, Cybersecurity Intern

Positive reinforcement

The favorite thing that I like about working at ACDI is the positive reinforcement that everyone provides. It really makes you feel like you are part of a team. Knowing that your input is valuable and respected makes the work days go by so much easier. – Chris, Solutions Architect

Fun

What’s unique about ACDI is the dart wars that transpire between the two sides of the PSD. Dodging darts is intense, exciting, and most importantly, beneficial to fast-twitch muscle development. – Nathan, Technical Support Consultant Intern

The ‘Work Hard / Play Hard’ mentality. Most companies will push the ‘work hard,’ but never are successful or even care about the play side. We balance these necessary mentalities and it has created a great work environment. – Robert, Product Manager

Diversity

We seek out diverse talent from many cultural backgrounds, while carefully selecting those who share in the values and dedication to the success of ACDI. As a result, it is our people, above all, that makes this company unique. – Noelle, Professional Services Engineer

Think outside of the box

think outside of the box

Here’s your chance to come up with your own idea! What works for us may not work for you. Every business has something unique that they can offer to impress their partners, treat their employees, or build their community. Think about what makes your company unique and share it! You never know what companies want to steal from you to make work better for their team.

Sign up to be notified when another awesome ACDI blog gets posted to our site.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.