A Message from Susan Labandibar, President

Changing our name has given me an opportunity to reflect on both our past and our future as a company.  While a small part of our business remains unchanged – we will always be a friendly neighborhood computer store – over 80% of our business is now handled by our professional services division, located a few buildings away from the store at 514B Dorchester Avenue.  As we evolve, we hold fast to the principles that have sustained us over the last twelve years and that will shape our future decisions.

building business values
I chose to become an entrepreneur because I wanted to build an institution that reflected those things that are important to me:  Honesty, industry, compassion, and concern for the environment. Thus, Tech Networks of Boston (then called Computer Warehouse) was born from an idea and a few thousand dollars in savings in August 1994. 

The business sold used computers to college students who couldn't afford new ones.  The price included delivery and setup, and a short introduction to word processing.  Our clients were usually older students--some with children--who were putting themselves through school.  Many of them thought they would never be able to afford a computer.  They often didn't have a desk.  I set up computers on kitchen tables, bureaus, coffee tables, and even on cardboard boxes.

caring for the customer
No matter who our clients were, we always did our very best to help them meet their technology goals.  Today, excellent customer service is still the foundation of our business.  We are equipped to service our client’s networks with industry leading tools, including our virtual technician providing 24/7 monitoring; personal account managers with nearly instantaneous access to any computer they manage; and online customer access to service history, support information, and billing.

Our service contracts are designed to meet the needs of our clients – not those of our CFO.  Clients can cancel contracts at the end of any month with no penalty.  Even our onsite equipment warranties are customer-driven.  Warranty service is available as long as it is needed, whether that is five months or five years.

caring for the community
As we grow, it has been most gratifying to see that our company can make a difference.    Having the opportunity to help others is an essential part of any workplace.  However, Tech Networks, as a privately-held technology firm, has the opportunity to be a leader in finding solutions to one of the greatest challenges we face today:  Climate change.  Our new Earth PC and Earth Server are just the beginning of our research into how we can help our clients lower their energy consumption.

Collaboration is essential if we are to have an impact.  In January 2006, we co-founded the Business Summit for a Sustainable Boston, (www.sustainableboston.com) which creates partnerships between business owners and city officials to make Boston a greener city.

I would like to thank our customers for their support and our employees for making this business a special part of our community.    

Sincerely,

Susan Labandibar,

President