Author: Andy Huynh, Chief Technology Officer
Global teams aren’t unique in the tech space, but their structure and culture differ from one organization to the next. Prospective clients often ask about our team make-up here at BTM – and new clients often note it as a differentiator.
Our U.S. headquarters in Minneapolis and our Vietnam headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City function as one around-the-clock team that serves our clients anytime and anywhere. Our founder and CTO, Andy Huynh, launched BTM Global in Minneapolis but knew the ample, expert talent in his home country of Vietnam would complement the talents of the U.S. team.
So what makes a global team effective for our clients? We believe it’s more than just the make-up of the team’s location or resumes – it’s about their passion to learn and desire to make a difference.
Employees, not contractors
The key difference in our global teams is the fact that they are overwhelmingly BTM employees – not contractors. This is a distinct difference compared to other service providers in our space.
By fully employing an individual, we provide a reliable, engaged and consistent resource for clients through the entirety of the project: Our clients know their teams won’t be switched half-way through a project; and they know the team that shows up at the demo won’t be replaced by junior contractors down the road.
A team with a history – one that has worked together over the years – also becomes more efficient and effective because they have learned one another’s working styles and communication styles. The velocity at which the team can move from one project or client to another only increases over time.
For our clients, there’s the assurance that long-term employees mean a long-term commitment to the work. We don’t rush projects just to check them off a list; we ensure they are sustainable solutions that will benefit the company today and in the long term.
Face-to-face time and knowledge sharing
Virtual or remote working environments have transformed what we can deliver for clients, but we also know that face-to-face interaction is still a big part of the service equation. To that end, we regularly send Vietnam and USA team members to visit the other’s offices so that everyone can better understand the internal workings of the other: Best practices, processes, even cultural idiosyncrasies. In-person time builds cohesiveness and trust, and ultimately gives our clients a stronger team of problem-solvers.
Our two continents of teams not only provide the complementary and critical skillsets that our clients require, but our cohesive and nurturing company culture ensures they deliver the unique approaches and creative solutions that keep our clients coming back time and again.