By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
Global Business Solutions (GBS) in Newport has been recognized as a technology partner focused on helping solve business problems in the region for more than two decades.
For years, its tagline “Advancing Systems, Advancing Businesses,” was an accurate description of the services it provided. As technology, and the needs of its clients and potential clients has evolved, however, the slogan seemed incomplete.
Alex Perkins, director, marketing and communications for GBS, said the company felt the need to get a new message out to the community and explain how they differ from other managed service providers in the region.
“We went back to our tagline and we saw an opportunity, because advancing systems is not necessarily definitive that we are in the technology business,” Perkins said. “So, we’ve changed it to ‘GBS, High Performance Technologies, Accelerating Businesses.’ We’ve never forgotten that business is where we’re focused.”
Batshoun
Gaby Batshoun, president of GBS, said it picks the right technology for each business to make sure that it is a productive system for them.
“We don’t just come in and say ‘oh, you need, this,’ the latest and the greatest and stuff like that, we take a different approach,” Batshoun said. “We talk about how they conduct their business and we spend a lot of time with them. We are not just an IT company, we look at technology overall, from the moment you walk in the door, until you leave to go home.”
Batshoun comes from an engineering background and worked for some of the country most respected engineering and information technology companies, before deciding in the early 90s that he was ready to strike out on his own.
At about the same time, Bernie Sandfoss, then-superintendent of Southgate Independent Schools, was looking to wire all of the schools for computers on a very limited budget.
“I took the job and I didn’t care if we lost money. I told him we would do it after school for what he had budgeted,” Batshoun said. “We didn’t just wire the schools, we went around to all of the computers and we connected them to the network.”
What Batshoun did not know was that Sandfoss was the head of the co-op committee for all of the independent schools in Northern Kentucky.
“We did such a good job, we walked away with a contract from every single independent school in Northern Kentucky to maintain the network,” Batshoun said. “Right away we were swamped and that lasted from 1995 to 2002, when they took the network to the State.”
The challenge GBS faced with the ARK Encounter project, the company’s solution and the value for its client (click to enlarge)
By that time, Global Business Solutions had cemented its reputation in the region and has continued to expand its offerings.
Perkins said many companies in the field focus strictly on information technology and that’s all they do.
“We have IT, and we can do any kind of telephony, whether that’s in the cloud or on the premise, or a hybrid,” Perkins said. “We have an entire audio/video division, so any kind of conference room, anything of that nature, we can accommodate, and we understand how that technology integrates because everything is IP (internet protocol)-based.”
Batshoun said from the first time a customer breaks ground, GBS wants to be there as its technology partner.
“We’re going to take business people through a tour of what we do and the benefits of all the technology we have to offer, up to and including the physical security of the building,” Batshoun said. “We have all of the technology across all the platforms. We have a cabling division that actually runs the wires, which is your basic infrastructure, whether it’s a multi-unit dwelling, new construction, or retrofitting an existing office.”
GBS works on a wide range of projects, from the new stadium and press box at Covington Catholic High School to the Answers in Genesis Ark Encounter attraction in Williamstown.
“We ran every single cable in the place, to the parking lot, to the parking systems, even though it is thousands of feet away from the Ark,” Batshoun said. “We ran about 40 miles of cables and we’ve done the Creation Museum as well.”
Whether it is a massive project, such as the Ark Encounter, or a small two-person dentist office, Batshoun said the goal is to give all customers the same level of service.
GBS has produced a video outlining the services it provides to clients:
Perkins said the strength of GBS is really working with small and mid-sized companies and it does a lot with multi-locations as well.
“We have this technology from an access control when you have your key fob, to get into the building that can integrate with your payroll and HR systems,” Perkins said. “The integration of technology is something that we do more than anything. We know how to integrate all of these technologies together to make a competitive advantage for the business owner, no matter what the size.”
There is an increased emphasis on cybersecurity in the business world, as evidenced by the number of seminars and forums dedicated to protecting networks, and GBS has taken the lead in providing information.
It recently delivered a presentation to the Newport City Commission on cybersecurity and how individuals and businesses can guard against hackers and malware.
“We like to educate business owners and employees on how technology works, what are the risks and also the good things that you can benefit from,” Batshoun said. “No matter how much you can secure your company, if your employees are not educated that can cause a major problem.”
Batshoun has also made sure that GBS and its employees are strong community partners. His background in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering and his this real depth of knowledge allows him to give back.
He’s on the board of directors of Covington Catholic and runs the school’s robotics program. He is also on the STEM program committee for Kentucky’s Project Lead the Way.
“We’re building a whole new STEM addition to Covington Catholic right now,” Batshoun said.
Global Business Solutions is located at 916 Monmouth Street, in Newport. For more information about the company, its services or its clients, click here.
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com
