Atlantic Business Technologies, Inc.

Category: ABT Culture

When You’re Fortunate Enough to Work with Your Closest Friends

Fifteen years ago, I started my journey at Atlantic BT as a Senior Systems Engineer. Over time, I took on the role of IT Manager—but titles have never been what kept me here. What’s kept me grounded, motivated, and thankful every single day is something much rarer than job satisfaction: friendship.

Many people draw a clear line between their work relationships and their personal lives. For some, that boundary is essential. But for me, Atlantic BT became something different. Here, I found not just coworkers, but some of the closest friends I’ve ever had. I don’t know if it’s because making friends has always been a little hard for me, or if it’s because of the shared passions and projects that bring us together. Maybe it’s the joy of connecting with people outside my typical age group or social circle. Whatever the reason, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have built genuine friendships within these walls.

But with that blessing comes a bittersweet truth—when friends move on, change careers, or when we lose someone dear, it hits differently.

This week, we suffered a profound loss. My friend Jennifer passed away unexpectedly. And while my heart aches, I also want to celebrate who she was and what she meant to me—and to so many others.

Jennifer started as our Administrative Assistant and Office Manager. She was usually the first person I saw each morning, always ready with a smile and a warm greeting that somehow made the day feel brighter, no matter what was ahead. We’d often grab lunch together, share stories about life, talk about our challenges, and even open up about our faith. There was a depth to those conversations that left a mark on me.

I’ll never forget her dedication to causes she believed in. One year, she joined a flag football fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research called Blondes Vs. Brunettes. She threw her whole heart into it. I proudly sponsored her that year, not just because I cared about the cause, but because I was inspired by her passion. She gave me a t-shirt from that fundraiser, and I still hold onto it like a little reminder of her light.

Jennifer also had a drive to grow beyond her role. She began learning front-end development and worked hard to gain the skills she needed. And she did it—she grew into the role she aspired to, with determination and humility.

One memory that sticks with me, and still makes me smile, is when I was planning to propose to my (now) wife. Jennifer, always thoughtful, found out where and when it was happening, and she and another friend secretly showed up—just to snap pictures of the moment for us. That’s the kind of person she was. She cared, deeply, and she showed up for the people in her life in big and small ways.

Losing Jennifer has left a hole—not just in our company, but in our hearts. She was a blessing to know, and I’m forever thankful to have called her my friend.

If there’s anything this week has reminded me of, it’s how lucky I’ve been to work somewhere where friendship runs this deep. Jennifer’s legacy is a reminder to cherish those bonds, to be kind, and to celebrate the people who make our days brighter just by being in them.

Rest well, Jennifer. You were one of the great ones, and you are so very missed.

March 25, 2025
Celebrating Atlantic BT’s Culture

2024 Company Weekend Celebration

At Atlantic BT, there has always been a well-loved tradition of shared experiences. From competing against each other to create the best Spaghetti Bridge, to chunking pumpkins with a giant trebuchet, we have always loved spending time together and getting to know our coworkers on a deeper level “outside the office”. It often sounds cliché or like a cheap marketing term when a company says that they are “one big family”, but with ABT it truly does feel that way.

During the 2020 global pandemic, ABT made the shift to go fully remote, a shift that has been for the betterment of the company. The only tricky part was, how do we sustain the rich culture that has been a cornerstone of our company for so many years? The answer is, in true ABT fashion, we adapt. From in person events, we go to virtual, hosting trivia, online escape rooms, and jackbox game competitions. When it was once safe again, we reintroduced company lunches and in-person events. One of the biggest things we introduced was our yearly “Company Get-Together”.

For this year’s Company Get-Together, we decided on three separate events to appeal to three different parts of our culture. Friday night was a casual hangout where we spent time with both new and old ABT’ers. This event turned out to be for many people the most special one of the weekend, talking with people who have been a part of ABT’s crew from the start, getting to swap old stories, and introduce newer employees to people they’ve only known from code logs. Saturday, we tapped into the competitive spirit of ABT with a downtown Raleigh scavenger hunt, hosted by Search in the City. After some questionable shenanigans, Team Videogames managed to grab first, securing their second scavenger hunt win! The weekend concluded with a dinner at Sitti, where we met as a company to celebrate the year and all of our accomplishments. It was truly the perfect weekend!

At Atlantic BT, strong company culture is one of the reasons we thrive as a company. When you build strong relationships with those you work with, communication is seamless, employees want to show up to work and do their best, and client work becomes a breeze when you have teammates you can trust and rely on. While things like trash talking a coworker over their Mario Kart game can seem silly, really you’re creating positive memories that will form lifelong friendships.

Want to join ABT’s team? Check out our openings here: ABT Careers

November 1, 2024
Atlantic BT Achieves SOC 2 Type 2 Certification

A Milestone in Our Commitment to Security and Trust

We are thrilled to announce that Atlantic BT has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 certification, a significant milestone that underscores our unwavering commitment to the security, availability, and privacy of the solutions we provide to our clients.

What is SOC 2 Type 2?

SOC 2 Type 2 is a rigorous, industry-wide standard developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). It is designed to ensure that service providers like us manage your data with the highest standard of security and compliance. Unlike SOC 2 Type 1, which evaluates the suitability of design controls at a specific point in time, SOC 2 Type 2 involves a more detailed examination of operational effectiveness over a defined period.

Why It Matters

For Atlantic BT, achieving SOC 2 Type 2 certification is not just about security theater. It is about building trust with our clients and partners. At a time when data breaches are all too common, this certification is a testament to the robustness of our systems and processes and people that protect and secure your data.

Our Journey to Certification

Achieving this certification was a rigorous process that involved detailed audits of our data management practices and the controls we put around those practices. Our team worked diligently to meet and exceed the strict criteria set forth by the AICPA. This included enhancing our security measures, refining our data processing procedures, and strengthening our system controls. It was also amazing to partner with Vanta for automation in reporting and control objectives related to the SOC 2 Type 2 framework.

What This Means for Our Clients

With this certification, our clients can feel even more confident in partnering with Atlantic BT. Whether you’re looking to design a new website, enhance your e-commerce platform, or secure your digital assets, you can trust that your projects and data are in safe hands. Our SOC 2 Type 2 certification assures you that we adhere to the highest standards for security and compliance, today and into the future.

Thank You

We want to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated team and our clients who have trusted us over the years. Achieving SOC 2 Type 2 certification is a collective achievement that reflects our shared commitment to excellence and security.

For more information on how our SOC 2 Type 2 certification can benefit your projects, or to discuss your next digital initiative, please contact us at hello@atlanticbt.com or click the button below.

Get in Touch

Thank you for trusting Atlantic BT with your digital solutions. We look forward to continuing to serve you with even higher standards of security and reliability.

June 13, 2024
Atlantic BT’s Epic Scavenger Hunt at the NC State Fair

At Atlantic BT, we’ve mastered the art of remote work. We’ve assembled a team that spans time zones, making up some of the brightest talent there is. We don’t let distance dampen our company culture either. From virtual escape rooms to trivia showdowns, we’ve still found creative ways to have fun with our teammates!

But we’re not all Google Meet and virtual spreadsheets. This year, we flew out-of-towners to Raleigh, North Carolina and spent the day at the North Carolina State Fair for a scavenger hunt.

For some of us, it was the first time meeting many of our coworkers in person. Faces that had been confined to screens now materialized in three dimensions! Adding to the amusement, our Senior PHP Developer, Gabby, brought her niece with her to partake in the scavenger festivities. Picture the scene: our Senior Front End Developer Dave extended a warm hug to Gabby. Only he had actually embraced Gabby’s niece, mistaking her for Gabby herself!

Pictured from left to right: Gabby’s niece, Gabby, Dave, Smokey Bear, Jenn and Tyler.

Scavenger Hunt Rules

For the Scavenger Hunt, developers, designers, discoverers, and deployers were armed with a strange list of Fair paraphernalia such as fried oreos, prized cows, ferris wheels, a sweet potato weighing 8.781 lbs, and stretchy ice cream. The rules were simple, teams of five find the items on the list and take a picture with at least three of their teammates. This prevented teams from dividing and conquering while also creating opportunities for goofy photo sessions!

Kevin with his name on a t-shirt plus Shoshana, Annie, Rachel and Ria.

Friendly Competitive Spirit

The competitive spirit was lively as teams scattered throughout the North Carolina State Fair. They frantically captured as many items on the list before the time limit. ABTers clocked in steps like they were training for a marathon. Our IT Manager was so caught up in the competition he had a clash with a fire hydrant! The fire hydrant won.

Time was our most precious currency. Every moment spent elsewhere meant a point lost. It was funny to see CEO and founder Jon Jordan’s team members sweat when he was stopped by someone he knew, which delayed their progress. It was a race against time, and in hindsight, the beer break that Jon’s team took was not the wisest choice.

The Great Cow Debate was a point of contention while the points were being tallied. Is a cow defined by its motherly status, or could a steer, a bull, or a heifer sneak into the picture and still be counted?

An actual bonafide cow with ABTers Scott, Connor and our President Matt.

It was a very tight race, but Team 2 ended up winning with 54 points! Everyone had such a blast connecting with our coworkers and we’re all excited for the next company culture event!

Scavenger Hunt Winners: James, David, Yolanda, Doug, and Laura

October 26, 2023
Why Your Website Needs Accessibility
We’ve all heard the saying that “content is king” when it comes to the web. But what if you’re a sight-impaired person trying to access your favorite website? In a perfect world, your screen would read out all of the text on the page and give you the option to click on links. That’s where website accessibility works: to ensure that everyone has access to the same information and tools, regardless of disability or other factors.

Most of us already know that there are rules for physical premises when it comes to accessibility for people with disabilities, either physical or socio-economic. Fewer know that accessibility can apply to online content, as well.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates something called WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance, which is a means of designing websites, tools, and technologies so that people with disabilities can use them as easily as possible. WCAG compliance covers several types of disabilities, including blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, neurological limitations such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s, and cognitive limitations such as learning disabilities.

The goal of ADA compliance is the creation of a website that uses a variety of different design and web development practices to assist people with disabilities in successfully navigating the site.

Who Needs to Have an Accessible Website?

The ADA requires state and local governments to be accessible under Title I and any business that is open to the public under Title III.

State and local government websites, as well as any private business that receives federal funding receive the most scrutiny for accessibility. An inaccessible website can bar users with disabilities from the government entity’s services, events, and activities.

Websites are increasingly becoming accepted as public spaces and public spaces are required to be accessible in order to be ADA compliant. The Department of Justice has historically interpreted that ADA compliance applies to all “goods, services, privileges, or activities offered by public accommodations, including those offered on the web.” Public websites may include those for:
- Retail
- Restaurants
- Hotels, Inns, and Motels
- Hospitals and Medical Offices
- Banks
- Theaters and Sports Arenas
What are the Benefits of Accessibility?

There are numerous benefits to making your website ADA compliant. In terms of customer retention, it’s a good idea to design web content to be as accessible to as many people as possible. Users with disabilities are a highly under-served segment, so ADA compliance can help your organization differentiate itself from competitors. Accessible sites and apps allow more people to engage with your organization, buy your products, or access your services.

Some other ways that Accessibility benefits your organization include:
- Reduced risk of legal complications
- Improved user experience for everyone
- Improved website Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Simply put, managing your accessibility is part of building a modern, robust digital platform.

How Do We Know We’re Compliant?

Companies seeking ADA compliance often undergo a website accessibility audit that includes both automated and manual testing to ensure compliance. The audits help companies identify problems and put them on the path to improving their practices, reaching a broader audience, and avoiding discrimination or legal complications.

What is the Process for ADA-Accessibility Audits?

The process is quite straightforward. Once you identify a company that performs accessibility testing, you provide your contact information with the website you’d like the company to review. In particular, you will want your homepage, service/product pages, contact page, and other key landing pages reviewed. Once the report is completed, the company will follow up with a call to discuss their initial findings and share their detailed accessibility audit report with recommendations.

If problems are suspected, the audit company will set up automated testing to catch code issues that make your site inaccessible. The experts may recommend that you update old, inaccessible document repositories to be compliant with modern standards, and can help you develop your accessibility remediation strategy and work with a trusted partner to ensure your site stays up to date.

Consult a Professional Web Design and Development Company

Atlantic BT is an award-winning technology firm located in Raleigh, NC. We offer enterprise web design, website accessibility testing, IT consulting, software development, cybersecurity, and cloud technology to help clients easily manage, secure, and scale their core technologies. We combine full-service digital marketing with custom software development and technology solutions. Our awards stem from outstanding results in all aspects of digital, from UX design to modernizing applications. For more information, contact us or call us at 919-518-0670.
November 7, 2022
How are you leveraging your data?

As we leverage more tools and create more sophisticated digital engagements/experiences, we have more and more data about our customers available. With customer experience data alone, the average organization has over two dozen potential technology applications and data sources to leverage customer data (1) These include multiple social media streams, CRM platforms, marketing automation, PPC advertising, Point of Sale/eCommerce, survey tools, email marketing tools, and the list goes on.

There is so much we can do with data, but many organizations, managers, and executives feel like data exercises are frustrating and time-consuming. How can all this data be useful if we don’t have ways to connect, view, measure, and act on it?

While technological advances may have gotten us to this issue of data overload, technology is also the solution to making data more meaningful and useful. Imagine the possibilities for efficiency when all of your information is available in one single location and all working together. This may sound like a costly endeavor, but the return on investment will be well worth it. According to a study by the University of Texas in Austin on Fortune 1000 companies, a 10% increase in data usability could increase a company’s revenue by over $2 billion. (2)

Suggestions for using technology to make data more meaningful:

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Integrations

As the hub that ties all other administrative applications of an organization together, an ERP system is usually the most massive piece of software in an organization. The system includes modules for every facet of the business – finance, accounting, customer management, human resources, manufacturing, inventory management. Most organizations cannot afford to operate without the automation, integration, and efficiencies an ERP delivers.

Having a way to get information out of an ERP into other systems for specific reporting or usage is critical in today’s IT environment. Leaving data locked away in an ERP system may be slowing you down.

Having an application in place to automate these ETL functions of your business should only be the beginning. The real magic comes when you have meaningful data pipelines to get the information to the right departments, clients, or executives at the right time and in the format they need it.

Better Integration with your SaaS, Custom, and Third-Party Apps

Successful organizations leverage many different systems to achieve results — ERP, CRM, eCommerce platforms, accounting, analytics, marketing automation, channel/marketplace integrations, warehouse, fulfillment, and more. Most modern applications are built leveraging API’s. These API’s are the gateway to integrating systems and more importantly their underlying data. For software without an API custom software and services may be able to unlock that data and get it into the hands of the right people.

The takeaway – the cost of increasing data effectiveness is relatively minor compared to the resulting substantial returns.

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At Atlantic BT we have over two decades of experience building software and integrating software to work more efficiently together. Not every source of data or software application “plays nice.” That won’t stop us. We can build unique ways to harvest and integrate data, even if it’s not easy. We love a good challenge. What’cha got?

February 24, 2022