2005 Team RB Conference report

20th anniversary of RB

In 2005, OMTI celebrated RB’s 20th anniversary

Infinite possibilities of ‘8’

Our largest turn-out ever, almost 150 RB users and fans, attended the third annual Team RB conference, October 14-15, 2005 in Houston, Texas. We want to thank the many veteran Team RB members who returned from previous years, as well as all of the new Team RB members who were attending their first ReporterBase best practices and new technologies seminars, for making this conference such a hit.

RonnieThe conference started with an early-bird reception, Oct. 14, where RB users from across the country and Canada got together to catch up with old friends, meet new colleagues, and network. The entire OMTI staff was also on hand, mingling with the Team RB members who had all come to see what the next big thing in office management was going to be.

After breakfast the next morning, Ronnie Sampson, OMTI’s creative director, kicked off the day with his usual exciting animated show theme, followed by a funny, self-deprecating welcome and introduction of RB staffers with the help of some visual aids. This year’s theme was “Infinite Possibilities,” and the animation included an infinity symbol spinning into the number “8” for the latest versions of ReporterBase Legal Support Firm Software and RB Web 8 online offices.

Magic 8 ball

Ronnie also explained how RB Web 3.6 is being followed immediately by RB Web 8. He showed the company calculator on which all the numbers between 3 and 8 were missing.

RB7 users do not have to upgrade until 2010

With the audience sufficiently distracted, Ronnie introduced Yong Lee, our President and CEO, who would lead the day’s sessions. Yong started out by reassuring current RB7 users that they do not have to upgrade their systems for several years at least, if they don’t want to.

Yong

OMTI will continue to support RB7 clients until RB9 comes out. There won’t be any more updates, the latest version (7.9) is the last, but we will support all current RB7 systems until the next major upgrade appears. And with our current rate of development, that won’t be until 2010 at the earliest.

But they will probably want to upgrade after seeing RB8

With everyone relaxing back into their seats, he then proceeded to spend the rest of the day bowling them over with all of the new technologies and best practices their businesses can benefit from, which are part of RB8 and RB Web 8.

2005 Sessions

Session 1

team RB conferenceTechnologies & user interface

In this seminar, Yong Lee, President of OMTI, developers of ReporterBase, discussed new technologies and trends in software design that create new efficiencies in standard business practices in court reporting firms. He showed real-world examples of “old way versus new way” work processes that are making court reporting management easier with new, more flexible and scalable software and technological services.

CEUs awarded: .10

Session 2

Calendar

In this seminar, Yong focused on new technologies and best practices in depo scheduling and calendar management. He showed how firms can reduce costs on internal training and ongoing support staff overhead while reducing errors with auto-directed work processes.

CEUs awarded: .10

Session 3

Production & Billing

Team RB conferenceIn this seminar, Yong showed how these two processes can be streamlined for significant savings in man hours and overhead costs. He demonstrated how technology can now be used to offer court reporting firm clients more tailored services, such as detailed customized bills, without additional cost. He also offered tips on marketing to existing clients using opportunities created  in the production and billing processes.

CEUs awarded: .10

Session 4

Team RB conferenceAccounting

In this seminar, Yong explained and demonstrated new fraud solutions and other important protections for court reporting firms to implement to protect against employee embezzlement. He discussed auditing procedures and ways to make your business’s financial health safer.

CEUs awarded: .10

“Thanks for another outstanding conference. RB8 looks like it will be awesome. We are so lucky to have you guys taking the technology that is available and applying it to our industry.”

– conference attendee

One of the highlights of the day was an audience-participation demonstration of RB8’s new instant text-messaging capability. Now you can notify reporters of a new job by sending a text message to their cell phone.

Team RB conferenceYong asked for three volunteers from the audience who used different mobile phone services to call out their cell phone numbers. He then sent each one a sample job notification, which they read out after their phones rang. The phone that rang with a yelled “Incoming!” was most appreciated.

Each session ended with a brief Q&A session where attendees were able to get clarification on some of the numerous new features which had been crammed into the four short sessions. And the one user who asked about a feature that wasn’t mentioned got a quick answer from Yong: “RB9.”

Between sessions, Team RB members got energized with food and drink and conversation with each other and RB staffers. It was a great chance for us to get immediate feedback from our users, and for our users to network and swap tips and tricks for how to use RB products.

An RB user talks about surviving Katrina

MikeOur guest speaker, Mike Bossier, President of Associated Reporters, Inc., took the stage after the sessions to describe what happened to his business in downtown New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit, and how RB Online Backup and Relay made it possible for him to “keep his doors open,” when his office doors were inaccessible.

He initially questioned the value of the service, but when the floodwalls collapsed, his server was stranded on the 38th floor of a downtown office building with no power for an unknown period of time. He couldn’t retrieve his server nor access it remotely.

He evacuated to Houston and quickly saw how useful it was to have a current version of his RB database on our servers, which he could hook into with his laptop and contact all of his clients and pay his reporters.

As Mike said, “We never know what’s going to happen to us. And the number one reason we’re open for business is because of ReporterBase.”

 

The day concluded with an hour of Q&A followed by a cocktail reception, where attendees had one last chance to mingle, network and talk to RB staff.

conf16 conf15 conf14 conf13 conf12 conf11

2005 conference attendee comments

Team RB conference

“You make a great presentation. It’s not only informative, but you keep it interesting & comical! I had a great time & look forward to RB8.”

“Just wanted to drop you a note and say how much I enjoyed the Team RB meeting. Looks like you have done a great job with RB8 and I think everyone is looking forward to getting it. I didn’t hear a single negative comment at the meeting.”

Yong Lee“Wonderful presentation; great information. Yong Lee’s humor is great and much appreciated during an all-day technical seminar.”

“This is my first experience with an RB conference. I found the presentation informative and entertaining, easy to understand & I liked the relaxed, non-stuffy atmosphere. Also, Yong Lee & staff have an impressive knowledge of the court reporting field.”

“You and your team have outdone yourselves!! RB8 looks like it will really help us all go to another level in customer service.”

“Wow! RB8 is going to change the way we do business. Thank you.”

“RB is an excellent product from an honorable company. Truly a credit to our industry.”

“You guys are awesome. And this conference is always packed. Hospitality is always first rate as well. Thank you.”

“Very pleased with the conference. Outstanding”

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