FAQs

What is TowerMetriX?

TowerMetriX is an innovative, state-of-the-art talent management system designed to instantly aid organizations with their management, communication and decision-making processes.

Talent management is a process that emerged in the 1990’s and continues to be adopted today as more organizations realize that tracking and fostering their employees’ talents and skills drive their business success. Organizations use talent management to solve the problem of employee retention, development and performance. The issue is that many organizations put tremendous effort into attracting employees to their company, but then spend little time retaining and developing talent.

TowerMetriX automates the talent management process and implements the latest technology to conveniently access and inform individuals, managers, executives of performance and progress.  2009 studies show that less than 17% of US Companies have a software solution in place to automate their talent management efforts.
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What are the key functional areas within the TowerMetriX system?

Based upon academic research and managerial best practices, there are five fundamental components of talent management Profile, Goals, Education/Training, Competencies/Skills and Performance Reviews.  TowerMetriX incorporates each one in an integrated, easy to use application:

  • Profile – The Employee Profile includes basic employee and job information, a performance-based job description for single and multiple positions and licensing/certification data complete with notification of expiring or past-due dates.
  • Goals – Cascading Goals integrate goal setting activities at all organizational levels. The process includes developing strategic organizational or executive goals and assigning them throughout the organization, as necessary, with each employee developing action items to do their part in achieving the goal. In this way, all employees are aware how their contributions are instrumental to achieving the strategic plan.
  • Education/Training – Keeping track of the education and training requirements for each employee, and each position, within an organization is essential. Managers and HR professionals need to be able to assign a course, make it mandatory and establish a due date to ensure that all employees are prepared to do their jobs.
  • Competencies/Skills – Depending on your industry, your accrediting or governing body may require you to track the abilities of your staff and validate that an individual does indeed have a specific skill or competency. To be compliant, the criteria for measuring each competency or skill should be established, the method used for validation determined, qualified validators identified, and the met or not met status for the individual documented. Based on the outcome of the competencies and skills validations, learning need assessments, educational growth and development plans should be created for both top-performers and employees in need of extra assistance.
  • Performance Reviews –  The best performance reviews enable managers and employees to openly communicate – share ideas, opinions, and information. Unfortunately, most traditional reviews are not timely or objective and often rely on questionable memories, personal views and a lack of propriety.  According to industry experts, managers and employees should spend only 10% of a performance evaluation reviewing the unchangeable past and 90% of the time planning for future growth, development and achievements.  This is possible when managers and employees measure progress everyday and already know where and how they stand.  The TowerMetriX innovative approach, based on industry research and best practices, has eliminated the need for an organization’s management and employees to be tied down to the counterproductive, past performance review process and transformed it into a proactive forward looking strategy session.

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How is the product priced?

TowerMetriX is delivered in a SaaS (Software as a Service) model.  This means that there is a monthly utilization fee that is based on a Per Employee Per Month (PEPM) rate with no monthly minimums.
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What technologies drive the TowerMetriX software?

TowerMetriX was developed using industry standards including   .Net, SQL Server, XML, CSS and HTML 4.  SQL Server 2008 has been chosen as the database management system.
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How is the TowerMetriX client data secured?

Each TowerMetriX client has completely separate and private databases (not just separate tables).  This eliminates any risk that one client’s data could be accessed by another.  All web transmissions, including those accessed through mobile devices are run in the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) using 128 bit encryption.

In addition, the TowerMetriX software is hosted in a state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar, fully secured data center which is staffed 365 x 24 x 7, has protected servers and full generator backups.
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What are the benefits of buying “Software as a Service” (SaaS)?

By delivering TowerMetriX through the SaaS model, the time and costs associated with software installation and maintenance are eliminated.  In addition, because TowerMetriX is delivered via the internet, users can access it anytime, from anywhere.

Clients also have automatic access to updates and new features as well as any performance improvements. TowerMetriX will notify all clients prior to a major software release.   By delivering TowerMetriX in the SaaS model, we can keep our clients current by providing best-of-breed talent management.
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What software browsers are supported?

TowerMetriX will run in any browser that supports the current industry standards. At TowerMetriX we run/test our application in all supported environments in our testing lab including IE, Firefox, Safari and Chrome.
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What handheld devices are supported?

TowerMetriX provides mobile support for all browser based mobile systems (smart phones) that conform to industry standards. The iPhone is an example of such a device.

In future releases, we expect to provide a version of TowerMetriX specifically tailored for use on mobile devices.
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How long will it take to get an organization up and running?

The timeframe depends on the size of your organization and the areas of TowerMetriX that will be used.  For example, clients who want to start using TowerMetriX to track/cascade goals – the system can be up and running in a few minutes once the organization has been defined and employees loaded.
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Is training available?

Yes, training courses are available from TowerMetriX.  In addition, clients can take advantage of online tutorials, demos, user guides as well as integrated context sensitive help.  Announcements for webinars hosted by industry experts will be posted on the TowerMetriX web site.
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Is there a TowerMetriX support line, and what are the hours of service?

Yes. TowerMetriX offers an 888 toll free support line staffed with experts during standard business hours. You can also send email at info@towermetrix.com.
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Are there limits to the number of employees, goals, actions steps, certifications, etc., I can track with TowerMetriX?

No. TowerMetriX is completely scalable for any size organization.
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