alaska iptv provider shares their successful turnaround
Fast forward from 2009 to today with KPU Telecommunications in this Alaskan community of 14,000.
*70% NET GROWTH IN IPTV ACCOUNTS *IPTV MARKET SHARE FROM 16% TO 26%*TRIPLED HD ACCOUNTS*NON-REG ANNUAL REV + SEVEN FIGURES
So how did they do it? If you talk to Ed Cushing, KPU’s Sales & Marketing Division Manager, it was a matter of changing the overall attitude from a utility company to a for-profit business and capitalizing upon the company’s and the competitor’s respective strengths and weaknesses.
Cushing, a veteran with previous experience in competitive situations was brought in and given the opportunity to implement a competitive sales culture at KPU----which meant changing everything.
In a nutshell, organizational structure was streamlined, employee sales training and incentives were implemented and a physical location was set up that capitalized on the old business adage, “location is everything.” In addition to these fundamentals, aggressive advertising and delivering local video content were additional key components leading to the turnaround.
One of impressions that needed to be reversed was the consensus that their chief competitor was viewed as the “local” company, even though that was not the case. KPU engaged a strong advertising campaign to shift the public’s mindset with radio ads like this (click here to hear ad).
To summarize KPU’s success, Cushing notes six fundamental bullet points:
- CHANGING A CULTURE MEANS CHANGING EVERYTHING
- CHANGE-FOCUS MUST BE UPON SALES
- HIRE THE RIGHT PEOPLE
- KILL SACRED COWS
- EVERYTHING MATTERS
- FOCUS ON RESULTS