Systems Implementation (SI) provides business management software, services, and ongoing support to the two-way and wireless communications industry. SI’s offerings are designed to greatly enhance efficiency in daily operations, streamline business processes, and drive growth.
SI’s software, FUSION for Wireless, seamlessly integrates all areas of customers’ businesses—such as Sales, Service, and Accounting—and ensures optimal data flow to enhance decision making while reducing operational bottlenecks. The company also provides strategic consultation to help businesses align their IT strategies with overall objectives. SI’s customers specialize in providing communication solutions for public safety and first responders, such as police and fire departments, as well as schools, hospitals, and construction companies.
“We proudly support the businesses that stand behind the frontline heroes, providing essential services in our communities,” SI President Taber Alderman says.
FUSION for Wireless runs on the IBM Power platform in a cloud/hosted environment, or as an on-premise solution, and grants companies 24-hour real-time access to data. FUSION is also compatible with mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, to better meet the needs of an increasingly mobile, wireless world.
Founded in 1980 by former IBM system engineers Chick (Paul) Matties, an RPI alumnus, Nancy Vogelsang, and Tom Czaplicki (also an RPI alumnus), SI has been a software development company at the forefront of innovation since its inception. When IBM launched its Business Partner Program in 1983, SI was among those in the pilot program and remains a business partner to this day. SI’s long-standing relationship with IBM provides access to advanced technologies and a host of other benefits to its customers.
SI started the company as programmers for hire with no specific industry in mind. But its path changed in 1996 when an employee connection paved the way to a relationship with Wells Communication, a local Motorola distributor. Wells wanted an all-in-one software solution that would integrate all areas of its business, beginning with Sales and Service. The key component was that it had to provide serial number tracking so all equipment could be instantly recognized.
“We couldn’t find Sales and Service software with integrated serial number tracking, so we created it,” Alderman says. “From the beginning, we recognized that if one two-way and wireless distributor needed this, then probably the rest of them did too. In May 1997, Wells went ‘Live’ with the initial package (MSS21), and that completely changed the purpose and direction of our company.”
Hired as a programmer in 1986, Alderman joined the SI sales and marketing team in 1988 and later became part of the leadership team. She bought the company in 2007, when Nancy Vogelsang retired. A few years later, it became obvious that a major overhaul of the product was needed.
“People loved the functionality of the software, but thought the screens looked dated. They were basically calling our baby ugly,” Alderman says, but she knew they were right. With a great team behind her, SI got to work transforming the look and usability of the software, which was rebranded FUSION for Wireless.
With a robust product offering, SI is working to expand company-wide integration even further through application programming interfaces (APIs) and exploring the benefits of AI.
SI has been in the Rensselaer Technology Park Campus since the early 1990s. “Everything we’ve created has been done while we’ve been at the Tech Park. It’s hard to imagine us being anywhere else,” Alderman says.