American Time Blog

Have you ever taken on a major project in your home and wished you could just start from scratch and rebuild the house from the ground up?

Remember in “Back to the Future” when they're in the mall parking lot and Doc is testing his DeLorean? As the contraption speeds up to 88 miles per hour before disappearing into the void, Doc isn't just ripping a hole in space and time, but demonstrating the value of an accurate digital display.

As Doc operates the vehicle with his remote control — with Marty watching wide-eyed and poor Einstein the dog sitting in driver's seat — the rising tension centers on the controller's LED readout as the DeLorean's speed creeps up toward that transcendent threshold.

There's a reason Doc didn't rely on an analog display as the exotic sports car hurdles toward him and young Marty. In the process of making the most important scientific breakthrough in the history of human civilization, Doc knows the value of precision.

When an emergency strikes a bustling hospital, there's no time to think. In medical facilities, such as hospitals, that are constantly welcoming new faces, it can be even more chaotic. By their very nature, hospitals don't have the luxury of conducting comprehensive emergency drills, but you can still have a plan. That's where an emergency communication platform, like American Time's EverAlert®, serves a critical role.

Did you ever realize how many choices you actually make while deciding what to have for dinner?

It shouldn't be that hard of a question, but the number of options available mean life is never that simple. If you want spaghetti, for instance, you have to decide what sauce, seasoning, ingredients, sides, and beverages you want. Then, you decide whether you want to cook it, get take-out, or dine out.

The stakes aren't high for a decision like this. Maybe a little indigestion, but it won't cause long-term headaches or lost opportunity. Deciding which synchronized clock system to buy for your facility, however, could have longer-lasting ramifications.

Any amateur cook knows the importance of timing. Just a minute can mean the difference between al dente or soggy, raw or rare, caramelized or burnt.

At home, your oven timer works just fine, but if you're churning out food by the truckload, things get more complicated. You're heating, cooling, sterilizing and packaging — all part of a process that leaves little room for error, and that includes food safety.

How many times have you had to return a new shirt or a pair of jeans?

Sometimes the clothes just don't look right when you get home from the store. Maybe that's due to different lighting or the store's trick mirrors. Or, maybe your clothes just don't fit the same as you thought they would. After all, sizes are usually a bit different from brand to brand, so it's risky to buy clothes without trying them on.

When you buy a clock to put on your wall at home, it’s safe to assume that if that clock is running a few seconds or even minutes fast or slow, it’s not going to make a big impact on your day. But, if you are part of an organization that relies on accurate scheduling, like in a school, hospital, or manufacturing facility, inaccurate clocks can create some major headaches.

“Our number one mission is to really understand what the customer’s expectations are, and then exceed them,” says Kathy Wulf, director of client services at American Time, when asked about customer service.

“We focus on building strong relationships with our clients by finding ways to really listen to each customer, determine their pain points, and walk them through different options and solutions.”

How long will you let the clock in your car show the wrong digits after Daylight Saving Time kicks-in on March 11? A day? A month? Do you just ride it out and wait for the time to switch back?

You might be able to get away with such a carefree approach in your personal vehicle, but it's different if it's your job to keep a facility running smoothly – be it a school, hospital or factory. So, if you need to make sure your clocks are on time all the time, here are a few ways you can prepare to spring forward.

You've seen it in the movies: The band of action heroes is about to save the world by executing their carefully planned mission. But first, their leader issues the command, “Synchronize watches.” It's a cinematic trope, and for good reason. It makes sense that a tight-knit team would need to be working off the same time as they put their complex plans in motion.

Maybe you aren't saving the world, but your manufacturing facility relies on calculated efficiency nonetheless, and that starts with the clocks. You might have hundreds of them, and making sure they all tell the same time can pay huge dividends — as in, real money.

Here are some ways synchronized clock systems can help manufacturers increase productivity.