South Carolina s First Gigabit Community

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1 March 2014 Volume 7 Issue 1 South Carolina s First Gigabit Community Nexton is currently being developed by MWV Enhance Call Quality with Hosted PBX 3 // Who s Minding Your Business? 3 Brand Advocates are Your Raving Fans 4 // Spotlight on MeadWestvaco 5 Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices 6 // Tips for Building Website Traffic 7

2 mar 14 Wanda Mingo Business Services Sales Robert Reimers Business Services Sales Judy Cronin Director of Sales and Business Development Business Connections is a publication of Home Telecom. 579 Stoney Landing Road, Moncks Corner, SC No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, electronic, photocopying, recording, mechanical, or otherwise without the prior written permission of Home Telecom. All rights are reserved. Editorial and Circulation - Contact: Gina Austin, 579 Stoney Landing Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461, Trademarks - All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Additional Issues - Extra issues are available to business customer employees on a limited basis while supplies last. Contact: Gina Austin, 579 Stoney Landing Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461, Copyright 2014 by Home Telecom and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. POSTMASTER Send changes to: Gina Austin - Business Connections Home Telecom 579 Stoney Landing Road Moncks Corner, SC Faster speeds and expanded access are changing how businesses run. With speeds up to 110 Mbps and, in many cases, fiber-optic cable built right to homes and businesses, it s easy to see why more and more companies are moving to Internet-based phone service, and why some businesses now market exclusively online. In this issue of Business Connections, you ll find several articles that help you make the most of your Internet connection. They start on page 3, with a look at Home Telecom s ComVerge Hosted PBX. This technology offers a sophisticated telephony system without the investment in equipment required by a traditional system; it s also affordable and easy to operate and manage. On page 5, you ll learn about an exciting technology partnership that has taken place between two local companies, Home Telecom and MeadWestvaco (MWV). The innovative partnership is bringing the first gigabit Internet speeds to South Carolina in the planned community of Nexton. You ll also find three valuable articles about marketing your company online. They cover the topics of building traffic to your website, optimizing your website for mobile devices, and cultivating brand advocates. Based on Internet predictions for 2016 on page 7, Internet usage will only continue to grow, and savvy companies will grow with it. Sincerely, William S. Helmly President & COO Home Telecom 2 MARCH 2014

3 // BUSINESS CONNECTIONS // Enhance Call Quality with ComVerge Hosted PBX Upgrade to this affordable, easy-to-manage phone system Home Telecom s ComVerge Hosted PBX service delivers a powerful, fullfeatured, business-class phone system without the cost and hassle of having an on-site PBX. Calling features include Shared Line Appearance, Multiple Appearance Directory Numbers (MADNs), Call Pick-up Groups, Music on Hold, Unified Messaging, and Short Code Dialing. Included with the services is our easyto-use web portal, which allows you to have complete control over how your phone system is set up and used. ComVerge is a more cost-effective solution than purchasing your own phone system and it leaves phone system management in expert hands (ours). This allows you to concentrate on your core business tasks. You ll also benefit from these additional advantages: Hosted services will never be out of date. When new features become available, we do the upgrade from our central office and push the new features to customers; no more costly equipment upgrades. You can easily customize how you handle calls. With Find-Me-Follow-Me and SimRing, you can be reached on any phone you choose so you don t have to give out multiple telephone numbers. Disaster recovery is built in. If there s a power outage, a line is cut, or a building gets flooded, it s easy to reroute calls to mobile phones or to a secondary office. Y ou can perform all moves, adds, and changes in real-time. You can make changes without having to wait on an outside party and there s no charge for changes made.. This service is fully managed over Home Telecom s private network, guaranteeing security and quality that cannot be provided through VoIP providers that use the open Internet. Through our partnership with Polycom, we can also provide HD Voice, which uses a frequency range unavailable with traditional telephone service, improving the clarity of phone calls. To learn more about ComVerge Hosted PBX, visit business.homesc.com or contact one of our Business Services Representatives at Who s Minding Your Business? HOWIE BAUMER Sales Engineer Howie Baumer, Sales Engineer, started working for Home Telecom in November His duties include supporting customers in pre-sales strategy and design, demonstrating technical leadership and understanding product capabilities, and developing strong technical consulting relationships with customers. Baumer s favorite part of the job is, working with customers to determine their business needs, coming up with a plan to meet those needs, and building relationships with those customers. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., Baumer had been visiting family in Charleston for the past 15 years. He notes, When I saw the opportunity for the Sales Engineer position with Home Telecom, I was very interested. The rest is history. Baumer s previous positions included Sales Engineer with EarthLink Business and Telecommunications Analyst with Rich Products. He holds a bachelor s degree in communications from Canisius College. When not working, Baumer spends time with his family including driving his four kids to various activities. MARCH

4 Brand Advocates are Your Raving Fans Your business can win big by encouraging these customers Customers who buy your products are great, and those who tell a few others about you are even better! But the most valuable customers are your raving fans, otherwise known as brand advocates. These customers can have a huge impact on your business because they love it so much they regularly want to sing its praises. Brand advocates will tell glowing stories about your products and services during conversations with friends, family, and co-workers. They will also post enthusiastic recommendations online via social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Since potential customers tend to believe messages that come from other customers more than messages directly from companies themselves, brand advocates are valuable tools for bringing in new business. While some people will naturally be more excited about your offerings than others, you can take steps to help encourage and develop brand advocates. Here are a few ideas to get you started: 1. Hire employees who are passionate about your products and your mission. This enthusiasm will naturally spread to customers with which they interact. 2. Provide great products with desired features. It may seem obvious, but product features are the factor that advocates mention most when asked what makes them want to rave about a company. 3. Find out what your customers are passionate about and create promotions that drive those factors. For example, many consumers are passionate about outstanding customer service; Nordstrom and Zappos are two companies that have taken note and created exceptional customer service and many brand advocates. 4. Make it easy for brand advocates to cheer about you. Provide social links on your website product pages, articles, blogs, and any other content you post online. 5. Consider offering rewards. Acknowledging brand advocates with discounts, freebies, and special services can ensure they continue spreading the word. However, proceed carefully with this since other customers may be turned off if they believe you are paying advocates to share their enthusiasm. 6. Make it easy for advocates who create their own content to share it with the world. You could create a section on your website devoted to customers who want to post photos of themselves using your products. 7. Track and measure advocacy for your brand. Research the best online tools to use to determine what people are saying about you, and use the information to build future promotions. Loyal brand advocates are more than just customers; they are actually an informal extension of your marketing department. Nurture them and watch your business score! 4 MARCH 2014

5 MeadWestvaco Corporation Home Telecom chosen as technology partner to provide GigaFi to developing community With locations around the globe, MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV) is a dynamic business involved in a variety of services and industries. The company started in 1846 and 1888 as two separate companies, Mead and Westvaco, respectively. Today, MWV s Community Development and Land Management Group manages an extensive portfolio of company land holdings. In its development, the Group maintains respect for the land, a commitment to sustainable practices, and a long-range view of responsible stewardship. South Carolina s First Gigabit Community Nexton is a master-planned community currently being developed by MWV. The community encompasses 4,500 acres and is strategically located in the path of growth at the intersection of I-26 and Highway 17A, near Charleston and Summerville, S.C. The project plan consists of over 10,000 residential homes, over 2,000 apartments, and over 6 million square feet of commercial space to be built over the next 20 years. When populated, this live-work-play environment will offer a way of living that makes life healthier, more convenient, and more inspiring, says Kenneth T. Seeger, President of the Community Development and Land Management Group. Offices and residences will become available to move into throughout In addition to being a planned community, Nexton will be a gigabit community meaning gigabit broadband service (GigaFi) is available to everyone. The notion of gigabit communities was spurred by Google Fiber and the FCC s Gigabit City Challenge, which encourages every state in the country to have at least one such community. Gina Shuler, Director of Marketing at Home Telecom, notes, Nexton is South Carolina s first gigabit community and South Carolina will be the 21st state to meet the FCC challenge. An Innovative Technology Partner Seeger explains how this part of the planning came about: As we shaped the vision for Nexton, many people told us that technology is changing their lives in ways that they never dreamed possible. With Nexton, we set a goal to become South Carolina s most technologically advanced community. To reach this goal, MWV partnered with Home Telecom. Shuler says, Home Telecom s innovation and experience with Fiber to the Home (FTTH) the only technology that could deliver on MWV s aim for Nexton to be the most technologically advanced and our easy-to-do- business-with mentality are two of the key features that won them over. Seeger adds, When we decided that Nexton would meet the challenge to become South Carolina s first one-gig community, we met with a number of providers. With Home Telecom, we found true entrepreneurial spirit in an innovative local partner, a company willing to join us in this bold step. Another part of MWV s commitment to this project is its longevity in the Charleston community. Seeger says, We have been a part of the Charleston community for nearly 100 years. We greatly value our relationships with local companies and believe the entire community is strengthened when we work together. The innovative spirit we see in local companies, like Home Telecom, is inspiring and a great fit for Nexton. KENNETH T. SEEGER, PRESIDENT, MWV COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LAND MANAGEMENT GROUP MARCH

6 Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices A mobile-friendly website helps you connect with customers and increase sales BEFORE Widget Worldwide Who we are What others say How to order USA EUR ASIA Product Listing Contact Us AFTER In late 2012, Google conducted an independent survey titled What Users Want Most From Mobile Sites Today. Of the 1,088 smartphone users that were surveyed, about 67 percent indicated they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from a business that built a mobilefriendly website. Couple that with the fact that 61 percent of users also said they d leave a site that s not optimized for mobile and it s clear that having a mobile-friendly site is more important than ever. more details.) It s important for your business to have a mobile-friendly website, since it can pay off in two ways: users are more likely to be active when visiting the website and they are more likely to return to the website in the future. If your website performs well on a smartphone or tablet, your business can reap your share of the rewards of mobile search which include: Product and price research Top 3 Features of a Mobile-Friendly Website What do customers want when they visit a website on a mobile device? According to a Google survey, it s primarily the following: 1. Fast loading. Customers want to be on a website in 5 seconds or less. 2. ease of use. Customers prefer large buttons, easy search, clear and readable text, and limited scrolling and pinching. Phone calls According to Google s Go Mo website ( more people use Store visits their mobile phones than PCs to get online Purchases and there will be one mobile device for every person on earth by Your customers Google reports that 70 percent of mobile are already mobile. Is your business? users have compared prices on their phones, 65 percent have read product reviews on A mobile-friendly website can be viewed their phones, and 50 percent of mobile easily on smaller screens and also displays searches lead to purchase. important company information without complicated navigation. (See the sidebar for Is it time for your business to mobilize your website? If you re already working with a company on your desktop site, contact them about going mobile. Or consider adding a mobile developer to your team. 3. Quick access to business information. Within just a few taps, customers want to find directions, contact numbers, product information, and purchase instructions. To see how your website looks on a smartphone, visit com/en/d/test-your-site. Simply fill in your URL, and this tool will show you what your customers see on the screen. It will also provide a free report with personalized recommendations tailored to how your business can build a more mobile-friendly experience. 6 MARCH 2014

7 // BUSINESS CONNECTIONS // Tips for Building Website Traffic Focus on creating valuable content and encouraging shares Your website can be a powerful, 24/7 way to promote your business and build sales but only if customers find their way there. How can you attract more website visitors? Start by creating great content, which naturally leads to more traffic. Try these tips: Include pillar content on your website. In-depth, well-written content about your areas of expertise will help drive traffic via person-to-person sharing. Publish high-value blog posts. This helps build relationships with your readers and gives them a reason to check back with your website regularly. Share slide decks and other presentations. By posting informative materials to sites like Slideshare and Scribd, you can increase exposure to new markets and new potential customers. Deploy infographics. Infographics are a fun and quick way to learn about a topic without a ton of heavy reading. They get shared more often than most other types of content. Run a YouTube channel. YouTube is one of the web s largest search engines, making it a great way to expose new audiences to your brand. It s also important to foster social sharing of your website s content: Add social sharing buttons to your website. These buttons make it easy for people to share your content with their networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Ask visitors to share your site. Don t assume they ll do this on their own. Ask them directly to forward your articles to others or share them via social networking. Over-deliver on your company s products or services. From a word-of-mouth traffic standpoint, over-delivering can t be beat. When you go the extra mile for customers, they ll recommend you to others leading to more traffic. Internet Predictions for 2016 The Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) Forecast ( ) is an ongoing initiative to forecast and analyze Internet Protocol (IP) networking growth and trends worldwide. It reports significant growth in Internet traffic and service penetration, driven by factors including: An increasing number of devices: The proliferation of tablets, mobile phones, and other devices are driving up the demand for connectivity. By 2016, the forecast projects there will be nearly 18.9 billion network connections almost 2.5 connections for each person on earth compared with 10.3 billion in More Internet users: By 2016, there are expected to be 3.4 billion Internet users, which represents about 45 percent of the world s projected population according to United Nations estimates. Faster broadband speeds: The average fixed broadband speed is expected to increase from 9 Mbps in 2011 to 34 Mbps in More Wi-Fi: By 2016, over half of the world s Internet traffic is expected to come from Wi-Fi connections. It s an exciting time of growth and Home is working diligently to meet our customers Internet needs. MARCH

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