Patriot Computer Group possesses a fundamental set of values and beliefs which drive our planning and decision making. It is upon these values that our goals are set. We strongly believe if we are making goals or other plans that do not reflect our values, then we are surely travelling the wrong path. The Rotary Club, International has a "4-Way test of the things we think, say or do," which we strive to apply at Patriot Computer Group:

1. Is it the truth?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

There are many others, too. Do we treat our families and friendships with the proper level of respect and caring? Do we provide professional development opportunities for our team members? By trying to apply these and other yardsticks of our values, we are able to continue to protect that which we hold most precious: our integrity. We believe our desire to be honest, fair, and dependable truly sets us apart from many with whom we compete.

We are a quality-centric, customer-driven team as well. When policies are made and decisions taken, the first question we usually ask is, "How will this affect our customers?" To us, our customers are the driving force we endeavor to please. This distinction applies more deeply than one might think, because those whom we consider our customers are many. Not only are there the obvious ones--those who have purchased or retained some good or service we offer--but our customers are also internal. We are some of our own most important customers. If a member of our team accepts a client's application for a dial-up Internet access account, that team member will rely on the service of another team member to create that account. If we treat ourselves poorly and are unresponsive to the needs of our internal customers, the effect will surely trickle down to those customers who pay.

One of the biggest battles in any company can be the tendency to be reactive instead of proactive. Although there are certainly many instances where we must react and re-prioritize on-the-fly, we try to plan our work and then work our plan. Even in its nascent moments, Patriot Computer Group went about setting goals and making plans. One important method we use is to hold a corporate retreat at least once a year, preferably twice. In this retreat, we make long-range plans and create well-crafted goal statements. Each of these goals specifically meets some aspect of our core value system. Further, they must be attainable yet challenging. With these long-range goals, we create a series of intermediate goals. Finally, these intermediate goals are broken into a series of individual tasks. When all the tasks are done, an intermediate goal is completed. When those intermediate goals are finished, we have finally achieved a long-term goal. Whether it's hiring staff or installing additional phone lines and modems, at Patriot Computer Group we always try to lend this level of foresight and planning to everything we do.

A very wise man once said, "do the most important things the smartest way." We, the team members of Patriot Computer Group, try to meet that standard every day.