Our Unique Cloud Structure
Perhaps the most significant event in Calysto’s history occurred in 2006, when Laura Borgstede decided to move the agency into the cloud. Back then, no one was talking about cloud computing. But Laura understood that adopting a distributed service model would be transformative – for the agency and its clients. Within months, everything about Calysto was in the cloud – servers, applications, information, and even its people.
The Client Benefits
Laura’s vision was bold, and not without risk. The results, however, speak for themselves. For clients, Calysto’s unique cloud-based business model guarantees:
– Your money is spent exclusively on achieving results for your company.
– You benefit from our operational savings due to our reduced overhead costs.
– Your Calysto team is more qualified because Calysto hires based on experience, not location.
– Your Calysto team is more responsive because they work from anywhere.
– Your Calysto team is more productive because we use the latest software – and don’t waste time on water cooler conversations or commuting.
– You work with a greener company, with a reduced carbon footprint thanks to zero employee commute time.
Our Cloud-based Team
Calysto today has team members located in more than 80 countries across the globe and in more than 40 cities in the United States, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Calysto’s U.S.-based team consists of more than 50 senior-level-only professionals and another 25 adjunct subject matter experts who bring their special skills to accounts as needed. All Calysto team members bring anywhere from 10 to 25+ years of experience in public relations, marketing, media relations and social media marketing to Calysto clients and at least that many years of experience in communications technologies.
Calysto’s experienced international team spans across North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia, allowing Calysto clients to deliver an effective, targeted message to influencers located in most major global markets.
Cloud-based Versus Virtual
Calysto’s cloud-based agency should not be confused with a “virtual” agency, where freelancers have loosely teamed together to share work. “Virtual” agencies:
• have no centralized operational or technology architecture;
• have no standard business practices; and
• offer clients little to no consistency in processes and branding.
Instead, a cloud-based agency consists of a team of employees, both contract and full-time. These employees:
• share documents, files, media databases, telecommunications systems, calendars, and all traditional operational systems;
• are trained on a pre-defined way of doing business;
• Knowledge-share and learn from each other; and
• operate according to agency guidelines that are specified in writing and signed by each employee.
In Calysto’s case, relying on the cloud model allows the agency to still operate as a boutique, niche PR agency – but also allows Calysto to cost-effectively offer specialized services (typically only offered by a large agency) on a global basis. Each cloud team member is trained to support Calysto’s customized way of doing business to provide the best service possible to clients and to allow cohesiveness within the teams.
© 2011 Calysto Communications