New Technologies Help Reduce Storm Restoration Times

Implementing change can be challenging, especially when it involves technology and mission-critical processes like storm damage assessment. You have a process that works; the power always gets restored. But the process could work better and be more efficient; the power could be restored faster. Damage assessment is a critical part of the restoration process and managing it efficiently and effectively benefits you, your crews, and most importantly: your customers.

Watch this quick video about the state of damage assessment today and how new technologies are driving its evolution. In this video, Jay Cadman discusses

• Why now is the time for change
• How to start the conversation internally to initiate change
• The technologies available today that can help improve damage assessment
• The benefits you can expect to see from improving your damage assessment process

Ubisense In Action

Ubisense Canada (+ friends) enjoy the wilderness with a mountain bike adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting of the Minds: myWorld Development Team

Our IT Team is brilliant at fixing all of our problems. Pictured: Cio Esparza, US Team

We Are Now a Google Enterprise Maps Authorized Partner

Ubisense has become an Authorized Partner of solutions based on Google’s Enterprise Maps for Business technologies. This new designation from Google enables customers to more easily assess Ubisense’s expertise advising on and deploying Google products. In conjunction with this strategic partnership, Ubisense today formally announced Ubisense myWorld 2.0, an intuitive location intelligence platform that integrates Google Maps for Business technologies and provides unmatched visibility into an enterprise’s operations, significantly enhancing operational awareness and enabling businesses to operate more effectively.

Ubisense provides location intelligence solutions that address unique enterprise visibility challenges, and as an Authorized Partner, Ubisense can now provide Google Maps for Business integration and OEM licenses to its customers in a simple and cost-efficient manner. Ubisense myWorld brings critical enterprise information together into a single application that can be accessed via any standard web browser on any smart device. Ubisense myWorld incorporates network asset data, work orders, customer information, and other critical operational data from a variety of spatial and enterprise systems vendors. Additionally, Ubisense myWorld can be integrated with Google Maps for Business solutions, including Google Maps, Google Search, Google Earth, Google Elevation and Google Street View with Ubisense myWorld.

“Google Maps give our customers a smart, simple, and fast way to view complex business operations so they can quickly understand the state of operations and make better and more informed business decisions,” said Jay Cadman, vice president of business development, Ubisense. “In, say, an outage caused by a natural disaster, having this detailed view of an organization’s operations in real time enables our customers to respond to safety issues, such as downed power lines, with the right equipment and safety precautions the first time. They can keep their employees and customers safer and restore services faster. Every telecommunications and utility company in the world strives for that and now we’re able to deliver a solution that enables them to achieve both goals.”

Google Streeview being shown in myWorld

Using Ubisense myWorld with Google Maps technologies, Ubisense customers can realize a number of benefits that can significantly impact an organization’s bottom line and improve customer service. Ubisense myWorld customers gain the ability to react to issues and potentially harmful situations sooner and are better prepared to solve issues faster, work more efficiently, and enhance their customer service and support. Rapidly gaining traction among telecommunications and utility companies, Ubisense myWorld is already used by 26 customers spanning five continents. Ubisense customers are using Ubisense myWorld for many critical business processes, including storm damage assessment, network operations, gas leak surveying, field mobility and customer service.

Google Maps for Business brings the power of Google Maps to an organization, providing simple, familiar mapping technology to the workplace. Users can layer their data on top of Google’s base map and create their own maps and geospatial applications that can be used by anyone — anytime, anywhere. By using any of Google Maps business solutions, including Google Maps Engine, Google Maps Engine Pro, Google Maps Coordinate or the Google Maps APIs, organizations and their employees can rely on maps that are comprehensive, easy-to-use and always up to date.

The Google Maps Partner Program includes companies globally that sell, service and customize Google Maps for business solutions for their customers. As a part of the Google Maps Partner Program, Ubisense receives training, support and deployment tools from Google.

Cambridge, Paris, and Denver Offices are Hiring!

We are looking for experienced consultants, project managers, and software engineers. 

Visit our website for more information. 

Ubisense in Action: Global Teams Unite in Cambridge for 2014 Kickoff

Brian Vance (USA), Scott Casey (USA), Kristel Faris (USA), Aubree Topai (USA), Dave Harris (USA), Jim Stippich (USA)

Stefan Schwiers (Germany), Meike Porrmann (Germany), Karsten Schultz (Germany)

Andy Schuerzinger (Germany), Darcie Cousins (UK), Hubert Peyre (France)

Kendall Truitt (USA)

Corey Holland (USA)

Aubree Topai (USA), Kristel Faris (USA)

Janice Kok (Asia), Scott Casey (USA), Bill Riva (USA), Brian Vance (USA)

Adrian Jennings (USA), Jon Heathcote (UK),  Jay Cadman  (USA)

Entire Ubisense Global Sales Team (Germany, France, Asia, Canada, USA, UK) 

Employee Spotlight: Janna Williams

Name: Janna Williams  

Hometown: Denver, Colorado           
Ubisense Location: Denver, Colorado 

Department: Finance
Education:  Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Accounting from the University of Denver, CPA

How long have you been with Ubisense and what is your background?  

I have been with Ubisense for nearly two years now.  I started my career in public accounting at a CPA firm in Denver, where I did audit and tax work for over 10 years.  Since then, I have worked in a variety of industries, including software / technology, financial institutions, and real estate. 

What’s a typical day like for you?  

There is definitely not a typical day!  The variety and volume of work keep it interesting for me.  We obviously have our monthly routines and deadlines for things like results, forecasts, and payroll.  There are annual tasks, such as the AOP, income taxes, and audits.  We also have multiple projects, such as registering for sales taxes and putting in place policies and procedures to properly collect and remit.  The Finance team has undergone a lot of change this year and we are constantly trying to improve the usefulness and timeliness of information we provide.  Hopefully some (or all) of you will see the benefits of these projects in 2014.

What inspired you to choose your career path?  

I took an accounting class in high school and the teacher inspired me to make a career of it.  At the time, we did accounting in pencil on green ledger paper instead of Excel and I liked it when everything balanced!  Although I quickly learned that is not accounting in the real world, there are a wide variety of jobs you can do and it is likely you’ll never be unemployed.

What was your very first job? 

My very first job was in High School at Dairy Queen where I learned how to make the perfect Peanut Buster Parfait and met my husband, Jamie!

What do you enjoy doing in your time off? 

In my free time, I enjoy cooking (and eating!), reading, and hiking.  I also love SCUBA diving and try to dive at least once a year. 

Do you own any animals?  

I have a 12 year old Shiba Inu named Sake (photo below) and a betta fish named Pacquiao.

What one food (or meal) could you eat forever?  

Sushi

Where do you plan on going for your next holiday?  

Speaking of diving, I hope to go somewhere tropical on my next vacation.  I went to Belize many years ago and have always wanted to go back.  The wrecks and underwater statue garden in Grenada could be fun.  Cozumel is always nice . . . .

Ubisense Volunteers for Habitat for Humanity to help the Carter Work Project

On August 8th, 2013, ten Ubisense employees volunteered their time and muscles to help build three townhouses for the Habitat for Humanity program in the Globeville neighborhood outside of Denver, CO. At the construction site they were assigned the task to measure, cut, and nail outside panels for the three homes. 

Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver has been selected to be the host city for the 2013 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.  The Carter Work Project includes large-scale building efforts in three locations: Oakland/San Jose, CA, Denver, CO, and New York City. During the 2013 Carter Work Project, Habitat Metro Denver will build 11 new and repair 15 existing homes in Denver's Globeville neighborhood. To learn more about the Carter Work Project and the Globeville neighborhood click here.

Our RTLS Global Teams

Part of the UK RTLS Team: Dominik Hughes, Andy Ward, Barry Murdoch , Jon Heathcote

Part of our German RTLS Team: Terry Phebey,  Bruno Becker, Andy Schuerzinger, Roland Mink, Meike Porrmann, Hubert Peyre

Part of our Asia RTLS Team: HB Choi, Janice Kok

Part of our US RTLS Sales Team: Ken Crilley, Corey Holland, and Jay Cadman

Part of our France RTLS Sales Team: Joseph-Etienne Bernard,  Arnaud Martin,  Hubert Peyre

Employee Spotlight: Lance McGee

Name: Lance McGee

Job Title: Consultant and Support Lead

Hometown: Denver, CO

Education:  BS in Systems Engineering, Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

Department: Operations and Support

How long have you been with Ubisense and what is your role within the company?

I was a contractor working at Ubisense, when Dave Harris and Pete Batty called up and begged and begged for me to join Ubisense.  Ok, the only person doing any begging might have been me, but that story is boring. I started in 2011 as a Product Manager for myWorld.  With the acquisition of InMaps, I also picked up VeroTrack.  At the beginning of 2013, I began as the Support Lead for the Americas across all products, including RTLS. 

What’s a typical day like for you?

I get in early and the first 20 minutes usually consists of me cursing at the coffee machine as it pours slightly tinted hot water into my mug.  A good shake of the bean container usually fixes it (and a swift kick) and then I have my morning pick me up.  Check my calendar for the morning and sift through emails from the countries ahead of MST.  Grab a second cup of coffee (shake container and kick), then start tackling my to-do list.  To-do list usually is about split between RTLS and Geospatial.  There are immediate support issues, more long term support issues… then there are proposals and white board sessions on products.

What is the most significant trend you’ve seen in your field?

The younger generation of workers at our customers.  They demand information at their fingertips.

How did you become interested in GIS and/or RTLS?

I have been doing GIS stuff for a long time.  The interest was rooted in the complexity of coding for a GIS like Smallworld, where the challenges never end.  For RTLS, it is more at the business case level in understanding the complexities of the problems our customers have.  I guess I just like learning complex things.

What changes have you seen to Ubisense Support Services? How will those changes support customers?

M&S is the lifeblood of products and we have the skills to support other company’s products as well.  Support helps the existing installations as well as the continued innovation of the technology.  Ubisense Support has really formalized and standardized the way that we support our products and services.  This has given our customers a great appreciation of the technology and the peace of mind that it will support their business process for a long time to come.

What was your very first job?

Teaching soccer at a kids camp

What do you enjoy doing in your time off?

Lately, it has been all kids.  I adore my children (Erin – 4 yrs, Morgan – 11 months).  When I get out, it will be to the slopes for skiing, to the soccer field for a run, the greens for golf, or to the water for some sailing.

What is one thing that you could not live without?

The taste of a mildly hoppy IPA at 7pm on the porch after a scorching hot day. 

Do you own any animals?

Two dogs:  Border Collie and a Border/Lab mix

What do you always have in your car?

Golf clubs (even though I suck) and a Cake CD

What one food (or meal) could you eat forever?

Breyer’s Vanilla Fudge Twirl ice cream

My wife Steph told me not to put any cake on her...this was the calm before the storm

At the World Cup of Soccer in Berlin

New Downtown Denver office!

Have you seen our new office yet? If not, it's worth stopping by for a cup of coffee.

Our new 10,000 sq ft office is located in the heart of downtown Denver. The office environment is casual, colorful, and energizing- perfect for our growing company! 

We now have 3 conference rooms with 84-inch Plasma TVs and whiteboard walls. This is our largest conference room, which seats over 20 people. 

A view of the Rockies Stadium is just one of the many benefits of this fully stocked and functioning kitchen.

Our new waiting area

Our front door proudly displays our logo.

Fun metallic bubbles create a barrier between our telework station and our dining area

Our 20 ft orange plane

Our walls are covered with fun, colorful graphics.