A COMPANY OVERVIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OUR
VISION
Mission Statement
Our job is to see the big picture
for our clients. We look beyond the graphics, beyond the technical databases and programs that power today’s business web sites. We
look into the core business objectives of our clients. Focusing on results and
true return on investment; we start with the end in mind – every time!
Values
Founded in 1995 Commercial Zen, Inc.
– Internet System Developers are a team of individuals that are devoted to
creating practical business applications using leading edge Information
Technology and Multimedia Communication Systems. We have always put the client
first and have built our reputation and success on a track record of happy
customers who are truly satisfied with the products, services, and experience of
doing business with us.
"
Our name and
logo (the yin-yang dollar sign) can be thought of in many ways. In the
context of our corporate business objectives we see it representing
an ideal synergy between creative and the technical disciplines. "
- Nate S. Hartman President and
CEO
(c) COPYRIGHT 1984 - 2009 Commercial Zen, Inc.
FOUNDERS
NATE S. HARTMAN
Nate S. Hartman is the President & CEO of Commercial Zen, Inc. a California Corporation that provides Internet Systems Development, Software Development, and Information Technology Consulting for business clients. Nate has more than 15 years of experience working with computers and has been involved with the Internet since long before anyone had ever heard of the World Wide Web. In 1995 Nate recognized the growing web development industry as an exciting and logical progression from his business in PC hardware sales and Local Area Network consulting. In the fall of 1995 Nate Hartman, along with Kurt Williams, formed a partnership, which incorporated in
‘96 to become Commercial Zen, Inc. Since its inception the company has enjoyed a steady growth. Always focusing on the leading edge of technology and being wholly committed to producing in the top one percent of the industry with respect to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Nate lives and breaths the Internet and is often praised by his clients and colleges for being an exceptional consultant and innovator. Nate has worked directly with managers and directors of companies like Visa, Pacific Bell, SBC, Tandy, CooperVision, Rexall, Intuit, and other fortune five hundred and one thousand companies.
C. DENNIS CROSBY
SENIOR
STAFF
JOE HARTMAN
Joe Hartman is the head
of programming at Commercial Zen. Joe is well versed in C, C++, Perl, ASP,
SQL, Java Script and advanced HTML code. Joe's outstanding work ethic and
ability to focus for hours on end, along with a very deep understanding of the
medium makes him the corner stone of our development team.
NATHALIE
HARTMAN
Nathalie M.E.
Martineau-Hartman is co CEO, as well as, a senior designer and web
developer. Nathalie has over ten years of design experience. In
addition to her degree in physics Nathalie has a strong background in architecture.
RICK
ELLIS
Rick Ellis (Ric.
E.) is ultra prolific and talented in the field of multimedia. He has been
producing audio, video, and computer graphics as long as the technology has been
around. Ric is a master web integrator, his skills include: Digital Audio
Production, Digital Video production and post production, Interactive Web
Interface design, production and integration, 2D and 3D graphics and animation.
RICHARD
BERGER
Rich Berger is the
arbiter of taste when it comes to branding and developing "the corporate
design aesthetic" for our clients. Rich Berger has a talent for producing
"surgically precise" graphics that are pixel perfect. His sense of
color and balance is second to none. If Adobe PhotoShop had a poster boy Rich
would be it!
* * *
Through
doing business, Commercial Zen, Inc. Has qualified and contracted with many
talented developers in the area. Having an available pool of talented sub
contractors gives us great scalability, as well as, significant breadth of work
force when called upon for large, short time-line projects. Additionally, we are
partnered with and have working relationships with the best "large
firms" the Bay Area has to offer: Including: PacificBell, Intershop
Communications, MasterLink and Xuma Technologies. "There is no size project
we can’t handle."
HOW
WE WORK
OUR
METHODOLOGY
Discovery
The discovery phase
is typically accomplished through the interview process at the department level.
Some of the factors considered are (among others): a comprehensive IT landscape
analysis, corporate needs hierarchy, a dependencies matrix of existing data sets
(the current database structure), staff roles and responsibilities, security
sensitivity, workflow efficiency, departmental wish-list (wants versus needs),
departmental budget considerations.
Functional
Specifications with Technical Alternatives.
The planning phase
is the most important aspect of the project. It is based on the data
collected in the discovery phase, available technology and resource commitment.
The first step is to compile a comprehensive functional specification with one
or more technical alternatives. Methodic recommendations are given in this
document and are supported by objective opinion letters from engineers.
Comprehensive
Technical Documentation
Step two requires
the company to make decisions based on the information in the functional spec to
produce a complete and accurate technical specification (blueprint). The
technical specification document will recycle most of the information in the
functional spec. and will also include: a detailed project instruction set,
definition of roles and responsibilities, a hardware/software requirements
checklist, a programming schema, a database schema, a Gantt chart, an IT Map
(final) and a "screen deck" (page for page) what the Graphic User
Interface (GUI) will look like.
Build
The Building phase
is the "good news" provided the discovery research and planning has
been done properly. The chart below further illustrates this point by showing
the relative difficulty (and therefore cost of fixing a problem in various
stages of a project.
PROJECT
PROFILES
-
HOBIE SNOWBOARDS
- Winter '98 - Client objective: To sell snowboards. Hobie needed a site
that appealed to its target market. The site needed to have hi-impact,
generation X graphics on the front end and complete e-commerce functionality
on the back end. CZI delivered a credit card authorizing system protected
with 128bit RSA transaction security. Additionally, the site features
software for matching riders based on their individual profile with the
correct snowboard for them to purchase.
-
Q&E PRODUCTS
- Fall '98 - Client objective: To add new products such as multimedia
hardware and services such as remote data backup, to their existing printer
consumables business. These new products and services will be promoted and
sold through their well-established channel. The web site was designed to be
the functioning core of the new line, as well as augment and extend the
printer consumables business unit. To do this CZI had to first design a
system that was robust enough to handle the complex data structure the
project required. Next we duplicated their current business methodology on
line. With the addition of the new products and services through an
electronic commerce only system, the web site has now helped reshape the
companies core business and represents a model for it's overall methodology.
-
EDUCATIONCONNECT
– Spring ’99 – Client objective: To design, develop, and administer
the world’s most comprehensive on-line student to university and
university to student database and matchmaking tool. EducationConnect
harnesses the Internet’s power to bring together geographically dispersed
students with the world’s leading institutions of learning. By combining
advanced search and match technologies with a deep knowledge of the
education field, they provide educational institutions with a continuous
stream of pre-qualified, well prepared students. Commercial Zen, Inc.
designed and developed the software architecture as well as designed and
created the web interface. "ComZen has succeeded at making our dream a
reality." - Perry Tkachuk, President and CEO Education Connect, LLC.
-
PACIFIC BELL INTERNET SERVICES –
Ongoing
– We began our relationship with PBI (Pacific Bell Internet) working in
the capacity of a web development partner in the Bay Area. Our involvement
has grown into that of technology consultants to their sales teams for mid
market and corporate accounts. We work directly with PBI and assist with the
sales process by finding comprehensive technology solutions for their
clients. Additionally we provide training and host technology seminars for
their account teams at Pacific Bell facilities around the state. We have a
symbiotic relationship with PBI by filling the gap and providing peripheral
IT services not offered by them. Together, Commercial Zen and Pacific Bell
can offer turn-key solutions to our customers. Pacific Bell is our premier
sales channel partner.
-
VISA
–
Winter ’98 - Ongoing – Client Objective: To make highly sensitive data
available online through a secure (VPN) Virtual Private Network. Visa corp.
has very strict regulations and security requirements for their database
project. They needed a team of experts that could work with their IT
department to architect a system that would be robust enough to handle their
functional needs, as well as comply with their tight security requirements.
Commercial Zen, Inc. provided the technical specifications "blue
print" for the technology.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
"You guys border on being
incredible!!! Thanks."
Perry Tkachuk –
President, EducationConnect, LLC
"You delivered on time and hit your quote right on the button.It’s no
wonder I continue to recommend your firm to others (except my competitors!), and
continue to use Commercial Zen for other projects. Thank You for a job well
done."
Steve G.
Burgess – President Committed To Memory, LLC
"Thank You for the wonderful
job you did on our web site. We wanted you to capture the feel of our company
and we feel that you have done it!"
Diana Booker-Spry
– Sonoma Foie Gras
"My greatest recommendation about Commercial Zen is that they are willing
to work through inevitable technical problems that arise and continue to work
with you, the customer until everybody is satisfied. This is why I heartily
recommend Commercial Zen."
Rev. Tony Ponticello
"Commercial Zen are my go to guys for
everything Internet, ...period."
Frank Ehret –
President Q&E Products.
(415) 595-9459
