Guidance Solutions
Encyclopedia
Guidance Solutions, Inc., abbreviated Guidance, is an eCommerce development company that builds and maintains online stores. Headquartered in Marina del Rey, Calif.
, Guidance specializes in user interface, order management and order fulfillment
, and provides customized eCommerce software.
Guidance clients include Relax The Back
, Hyundai
, Bentley Prince Street, Z Gallerie and A.C. Moore.
in 1993 by Joe Tang, Pillan Thirumalaisamy and Vijay Kotrappa. The company was initially launched as a systems integrator rooted in enterprise technology, developing custom business software using client-server technology. Within three years, the company established itself as an eBusiness developer for Fortune 1000
and mid-market clients.
From 1995 to 1998, the company focused strictly on Internet technology, and achieved market recognition for its web application development. During this time, the company launched some of the first eCommerce sites - including that of international sports apparel retailer, Foot Locker - and began offering managed services for application support.
In 1999, the company raised more than $46 million led by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and began taking equity in joint ventures with clients. Later that year, the company built its Marina del Rey Campus - a converted warehouse retrofitted with modern architecture and open pod seating, created by the same firm that designed MTV
’s L.A. offices, Felderman Keatinge + Associates.
By 2003, Guidance earned the Microsoft
’s Managed Partner distinction and in 2006 it achieved the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status. During this time, the company became nationally recognized as a leader of Lotus Notes
migrations to Microsoft platform, and focused on eCommerce, content management solutions, hosting and managed services, and business intelligence
.
Guidance now concentrates on eCommerce solutions and currently promotes social commerce
, a subset of eCommerce in which the active participation of customers and their personal relationships are at the forefront. The company has partnered with a number of eCommerce and social networking platform developers, including AspDotNetStorefront, Mediachase, and Telligent, among others.
In 2008, Guidance was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of Los Angeles' Best Places to Work.
The formation of Guidance Green was inspired by one of its clients, Bentley Prince Street, a U.S. manufacturer of broadloom and carpet tile products for commercial interiors. Bentley Prince Street supports environmental practices through its Mission Zero goal of eliminating any negative impact it has on the environment by the year 2020.
Guidance Green aims to help Guidance operate as an environmentally conscious company and now seeks to spread the word among clients, partners and the community in general in support of eco-friendly practices. In February 2008, the company published an online environmental toolkit titled How To Operate as an Environmentally Aware Organization and Reduce or Eliminate Your Carbon Footprint.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Guidance specializes in user interface, order management and order fulfillment
Order fulfillment
Order fulfillment is in the most general sense the complete process from point of sales inquiry to delivery of a product to the customer...
, and provides customized eCommerce software.
Guidance clients include Relax The Back
Relax The Back
Relax The Back is a chain of specialty retail stores with over 120 locations in the United States and Canada.Relax The Back is a resource for therapeutic products to relieve and prevent back and neck pain. Many products are exclusive to Relax The Back, and have been designed to meet the specific...
, Hyundai
Hyundai
Hyundai ) is a global conglomerate company, part of the Korean chaebol, that was founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung...
, Bentley Prince Street, Z Gallerie and A.C. Moore.
Beginnings
Guidance was founded in Hawthorne, CaliforniaHawthorne, California
Hawthorne is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The city at the 2010 census had a population of 84,293, up from 84,112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in 1993 by Joe Tang, Pillan Thirumalaisamy and Vijay Kotrappa. The company was initially launched as a systems integrator rooted in enterprise technology, developing custom business software using client-server technology. Within three years, the company established itself as an eBusiness developer for Fortune 1000
Fortune 1000
Fortune 1000 is a reference to a list maintained by the American business magazine Fortune. The list is of the 1000 largest American companies, ranked on revenues alone...
and mid-market clients.
From 1995 to 1998, the company focused strictly on Internet technology, and achieved market recognition for its web application development. During this time, the company launched some of the first eCommerce sites - including that of international sports apparel retailer, Foot Locker - and began offering managed services for application support.
In 1999, the company raised more than $46 million led by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and began taking equity in joint ventures with clients. Later that year, the company built its Marina del Rey Campus - a converted warehouse retrofitted with modern architecture and open pod seating, created by the same firm that designed MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
’s L.A. offices, Felderman Keatinge + Associates.
By 2003, Guidance earned the Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
’s Managed Partner distinction and in 2006 it achieved the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status. During this time, the company became nationally recognized as a leader of Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes is the client of a collaborative platform originally created by Lotus Development Corp. in 1989. In 1995 Lotus was acquired by IBM and became known as the Lotus Development division of IBM and is now part of the IBM Software Group...
migrations to Microsoft platform, and focused on eCommerce, content management solutions, hosting and managed services, and business intelligence
Business intelligence
Business intelligence mainly refers to computer-based techniques used in identifying, extracting, and analyzing business data, such as sales revenue by products and/or departments, or by associated costs and incomes....
.
Present Day
In February 2008, Guidance employees purchased the company from its founders. The company is currently owned by Jason Meugniot, Guidance’s CEO, and Jon Provisor, the company’s CTO.Guidance now concentrates on eCommerce solutions and currently promotes social commerce
Social commerce
Social commerce is a subset of electronic commerce that involves using social media, online media that supports social interaction and user contributions, to assist in the online buying and selling of products and services....
, a subset of eCommerce in which the active participation of customers and their personal relationships are at the forefront. The company has partnered with a number of eCommerce and social networking platform developers, including AspDotNetStorefront, Mediachase, and Telligent, among others.
In 2008, Guidance was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of Los Angeles' Best Places to Work.
eCommerce
Since 1997, Guidance has specialized in eCommerce development, offering services to design and develop online retail sites, including:- Site Definition – user interfaceUser interfaceThe user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
, software architecture, databaseDatabaseA database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
architecture, external system integration, system and network architecture, implementation planning, hostingHostingHosting can mean:* To act as the organizer or master of ceremonies for an event.* Self-hosting - software distribution which provides all necessary source code to enable itself to be re-compiled from scratch* Internet hosting service, including:...
and managed services recommendations - Site Development - user experienceUser experienceUser experience is the way a person feels about using a product, system or service. User experience highlights the experiential, affective, meaningful and valuable aspects of human-computer interaction and product ownership, but it also includes a person’s perceptions of the practical aspects such...
development, infrastructure set-up, code implementation, testing and certification - Application and System Support - production monitoring, application and database management, ongoing enhancements, issue resolution, stress testing
- Reporting - website traffic reports, order conversion, cart abandonment, repeat customer analysis
- Hosting & Managed Services - care and feeding of websites
- eMarketing - earch engintwdwdw
Social Commerce
Guidance worked with clients like Skwibble and DrumChannel to acquire experience in social technology development. In early 2008, the company began testing the integration of social applications and eCommerce to develop social commerce solutions, which allow online retail sites to provide shoppers with the ability to interact and share information with other shoppers.Other Services
The company also specializes in Business Intelligence, and .NET integration and customization.Current Executives
Current members of Guidance’s executive team are:- Jason Meugniot, CEO & Owner
- Jon Provisor, CTO & Owner
- Mike Hill, Executive Vice President
- Anna Kennedy, Vice President of Client Management
- Lisa Brewer, Vice President of Finance
- Jon Larsen, Vice President of IT
- Kevin Griffin, Managing Director, Client Services
Guidance Green
In March 2007, Guidance created Guidance Green, a committee formed by Guidance employees who value the importance of living and working in a healthy planet. The committee was established to help the company operate as an environmentally aware, 100% carbon-neutral company by 2009. In January 2008, Guidance Green announced that the company achieved carbon-neutrality in 2007, 18 months ahead of its goal.The formation of Guidance Green was inspired by one of its clients, Bentley Prince Street, a U.S. manufacturer of broadloom and carpet tile products for commercial interiors. Bentley Prince Street supports environmental practices through its Mission Zero goal of eliminating any negative impact it has on the environment by the year 2020.
Guidance Green aims to help Guidance operate as an environmentally conscious company and now seeks to spread the word among clients, partners and the community in general in support of eco-friendly practices. In February 2008, the company published an online environmental toolkit titled How To Operate as an Environmentally Aware Organization and Reduce or Eliminate Your Carbon Footprint.
See also
- eCommerce
- Social commerceSocial commerceSocial commerce is a subset of electronic commerce that involves using social media, online media that supports social interaction and user contributions, to assist in the online buying and selling of products and services....
- Web development
- Web hosting serviceWeb hosting serviceA web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own or lease for use by their clients as well as providing Internet...
- eMarketing