IQ Systems ties together IT infrastructures

Even their own customers don't realize everything IQ Systems can do for them: "Everything when it comes to business IT infrastructure development and consulting and services," says Steve Cerocke, owner and president.

But "everything" isn't always easy to explain, as Cerocke and Jack Dawson, vice president, discovered while trying to explain IQ Systems to the advertising agency they'd hired to explain it to existing and potential clients.

"We went to an advertising agency and said 'How do we get the word out about what we do?' and she said, 'I don't even know what you do.' If she doesn't know, how can she help us?"

In a nutshell, 10-year-old IQ Systems is a one-stop shop for a company's technology requirements from hardware to software, custom programming and development, phone systems, accounting systems, database and Web development service and support.

Rather than using different companies for each component, businesses can look to IQ Systems to bring it all together.

With 35 employees, the Reno corporation can handle all these technology needs.

The last 15 to 20 years has seen convergence within technology as all the pieces come together; IQ Systems specializes in building solutions around converged technology so businesses can utilize their equipment and be productive.

"What we specialize in is taking converged technology and building solutions around it primarily for businesses to be competitive and get information out to their customers.

The problem we have is in explaining to our customers how to utilize our services by making them understand what we do," says Cerocke.

"Even some of our long term customers we've been taking care of for 10 years, they'll call up and ask 'Where do we go to get custom database development?' Hello, we're right here."

In fact, one of IQ Systems' existing customers went looking for Citrix, a specialized software package that allows customers remote connections into their network.

Citrix recommended IQ Systems, their premier dealer in Reno.

"Until they had that conversation with Citrix they had no idea how many diverse ways we could help them," says Cerocke.

Four years ago Citrix sponsored a seminar in Reno at which Michael Wise of Ebara International encountered IQ Systems.

"IQ Systems is basically our primary out-source vendor for professional computer network services," says Wise, director, information systems.

"When we need assistance beyond the scope of our speciality, or we're short on manpower for a project, we'll ask IQ to do it."

Ebarra, the world's second largest manufacturer of pumps and industrial systems, runs a computer network out of Sparks that operates facilities in North America and Europe.

The company works with a small staff and has chosen not to hire additional staff internally but to use IQ as an out-source partner.

From the beginning Wise was impressed by IQ Systems' level of service and knowledge of network systems.

That's the driving force behind IQ Systems.

"It's all customer service," says Cerocke.

"That's really what we provide and the only differentiation we have.

The hardware and software can be bought virtually anywhere so it's all customer service and understanding these tools really are tools, and they're important to running the business."

That level of customer care has enabled IQ Systems to open a branch office in the Bay Area.

By doing business in business- friendly Nevada they're able to keep costs low and offer a lowcost alternative to California businesses.

"We have several large customers down there that we deliver product to daily,"ays Cerocke.

"The branch office is doing well.

The California economy is doing poorly but some companies we're doing business with are doing very well.

They're international companies with their corporate offices in California and they do business around the world."

"A lot of our customers are actually doing very well in their businesses," says Cerocke.

"(Partly because) they've chosen to invest in technology and are able to be more productive.

I like to think that we've been a part of that, of their being able to be more competitive by using our technology and our services, that we've given them an edge over competitors in this market."