SOVA Delivers Significant Value To Telecom Solutions Provider
SOVA has a very extensive back office, which keeps me from having to hire and pay people that would do the same thing. – ConnecTel President and Shareholder Scott McKinney
ConnecTel’s Challenge
Although connecTel Inc. had been working directly with Verizon for several years, in December of 2011 they found themselves in a position where they needed to begin working with a Verizon Master Agent.
ConnecTel President and Shareholder Scott McKinney runs the day-to-day sales operations, assists in negotiating carrier contracts, and manages connecTel’s partner program and its consulting and auditing services.
When connecTel began looking for a Master Agent, they didn’t have to look farther than SOVA and its principals President Gene Esopi and Vice President Mary Trainor. “We already had a great relationship with Gene and Mary and when the opportunity presented itself, I contacted them,” Scott said. “Since I knew Gene and Mary, there was a level of trust there–familiar faces with a good reputation for being honest. We have a common ethic: Always do the right thing, even when no one else will ever know you did it.”
SOVA’s Solution
ConnecTel became an official SOVA agent in 2011. In essence connecTel sells Verizon services and SOVA provides significant support services to ensure that connecTel is successful. This includes all of the back office support—such as pricing and contracting.
“They are selling a broad spectrum of wireless and wireline—just about everything that we offer through Verizon,” Gene said. “The value that we bring to connecTel is the same thing we provide to all agents: 22 years of Verizon experience; a wealth of inside knowledge; back office support; pricing; processing of orders; and what many people think of as project management activities. It’s the best of both worlds for connecTel: they get the same benefits of selling services directly from Verizon along with a wealth of support services that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Through the company’s relationship with SOVA, connecTel is selling a multitude of legacy Verizon services and newer wireless and Cloud-based services.
“We pretty much sell the whole gamut of Verizon services and solutions through SOVA,” Scott said. “SOVA has a very extensive back office, which keeps me from having to hire and pay people that would do the same thing. It helps us streamline our efforts to clients.”
ConnecTel’s Success
The business relationship between connecTel and SOVA continues to grow. “We consider connecTel to be a top tier agent,” Gene said. “We have a terrific working relationship with them. They have a very proven business model and bring significant value to their clients in all regards–a big reason for this is that they go the extra mile by taking the time to stay on top of new products and services.”
Gene continued, “There is an enormous array of telecom technology that organizations can choose from today. ConnecTel is an expert on the breadth and depth of the Verizon product portfolio–this uniquely positions them to provide their clients with the best solutions. They are a true solutions seller. On top of that, Scott and the rest of the connecTel team are a pleasure to work with not only for SOVA, but for our Verizon Channel Managers.”
Scott said that he doesn’t hesitate to recommend SOVA. “Just because I know and like SOVA only goes so far,” he explained. “It’s about providing consistent high quality service and being responsive to our concerns—they are timely and accurate and pay us promptly. That speaks volumes to me. They will always be fair, be ethical, and always listen and address any issues that do come up. The experience has been very positive. Every time someone asks me to recommend a Master Agent, I tell them to give SOVA a call.”
About connecTel
Privately held connecTel Inc. and connecTel Wireless Inc. are the largest independent telecommunication brokerage and consulting firms in Southwestern Pennsylvania that can sell and support a full suite of wireline and wireless telecommunication services. ConnecTel has access to numerous vendor resources while providing personalized attention to their customers. Their objective is to assist clients in improving their telecommunications infrastructure while reducing overall expenses. They accomplish this by introducing the latest technology, eliminating inefficient and unneeded services, and providing the best possible pricing-to-service quality ratio. All of this leads to a very low customer attrition rate, which is a primary factor in their success.
About SOVA’s Agent Solutions
As a valued Verizon Partner Program member since 1994, SOVA has earned Platinum level status; agents benefit from select privileges that many telecom solution providers cannot offer. SOVA has customized programs for telecom agents, VARs, MSPs, and telesales organizations and provides customer solutions in every product category including voice and data, network, Cloud, mobility, machine-to-machine, managed internet, VoIP, and global services. SOVA’s award-winning agent program features no quotas, no minimums, no commitments; dedicated pre-sales and post-sales specialists; simplified quoting and ordering; and a state-of-the-art agent portal. SOVA is headquartered in Plains, Pa., with additional locations in Pittston, Pa.; Boston; Denver; and West Palm Beach, Fla. To learn more about SOVA visit www.sova.com.
Get Started Now!
Call Miranda Godlewski: 570.824.6800 x 141 or email miranda@sova.com