Level 3 Reorganizes NA Sales

By Khali Henderson

PHONE+ confirmed today that Level 3 Communications Inc. is streamlining its business units into one organization a move that means the dissolution of business, wholesale and content market groups. The news was announced to employees July 29.

Jen Swonger, senior director of media and analyst relations, told PHONE+ that under the new structure, there will be one sales organization in North America with six channels large enterprise, wholesale, federal, content and media, midmarket and indirect reporting to a president of sales, Andrew Crouch. Crouch is formerly president of the Wholesale Markets Group. James Heard will continue in his position as president of European Markets.

Jeff Tench, president of BMG, is no longer with the company as a result of the reorganization. Tench joined the organization in late 2008 along with president and COO Jeff Storey; the new leadership sought to clarify the carriers enterprise strategy. This resulted in two big shifts in 2009 one was moving away from a death grip on its on-net strategy and the other was moving sales support to local markets.

Jeff Tench did a fabulous job in the midmarket for Level 3,” Swonger said, noting that he guided the development of 25 new markets and instituted the local general manager model. We are sad to see him go.”

Swonger said the indirect sales channel will not be impacted by the changes. Craig Schlagbaum, vice president of indirect channels, remains in charge of the channel and will report directly to Crouch, she said. Previously, Schlagbaum reported to Tench.

This in no way should lessen our commitment to the midmarket or the channel,” she said, noting, if anything, it should improve decision-making cycles.

All the moves are designed to accelerate our growth and streamline processes,” Swonger said, explaining the over the last few years, the organization was organized into business units to fuel growth into specific markets content, midmarket and wholesale/large enterprise. We feel at this point, we have incubated those business units and can streamline them into one.”