ASCENT: American Telesis Announces Expansion

In response to consistent growth over the last year, Hilton Head, S.C.-based wholesale data provider American Telesis Inc. (Booth 409) has expanded its sales force by a factor of three, and added a new marketing manager, Caroline Harrington, to the team. Harrington brings with her many years of Web design and corporate marketing experience. Under her direction, American Telesis has re-launched its Web site with a sleeker look and a new navigation process broken into three areas for agents, resellers, carriers and end users.

A dramatic increase in business during the last 12 months prompted American Telesis to expand, says Steve Hesling, vice president of business development. He credits the growth to a philosophy of personal customer service in automated times.

"Where the other carriers are reducing their workforce we are increasing ours to maintain or improve our service levels, our agents know we are willing to jump through hoops for them," says Hesling. "No auto-attendants here, only real live human beings on every call."

Hesling also credits the expansion to agent loyalty.

"Our recent hyper-growth is due in great part to the agents’ need to work with a carrier that will be able to continue paying them commissions without interruption," he says. "They are also coming to us and staying with us due to our low pricing and overall service levels."

Also, American Telesis has a focused business model. It only provides private lines, dedicated Internet services and frame relay services, and exclusively to the reseller and agent communities. Its motto is, "It’s all we do, since 1992!"

"When you have been offering the same services to the agent and carrier community for 10 years plus, you get pretty good at it," says Hesling.

Here at the ASCENT Fall Conference & Networking Center, American Telesis will be giving away a high-end golf driver at its booth for the fifth telecom show in a row.

The Ping Driver will be given away on the last day by a drawing. The winner does not have to be present to win.

There’s more to it than golf clubs for its agents and resellers, says Hesling. In an August interview he told PHONE+, an agent who sells a T1 private line from New York to Los Angeles could earn $250 a month during the life of the contract, which lasts an average of 31/2 years, for a total of $13,500.