Over a decade ago, RCN Corporation (RCNI-G) built a rich fiber-based network to offer superior voice, data and video services to customers in five major metropolitan areas across the country with a large presence in Queens, serving Astoria, Long Island City, Corona, Elmhurst, Fresh Meadows, Flushing, Maspeth, Rego Park and Woodside. Already the provider of choice for many residential customers, more and more businesses are now turning to RCN Business Services, for competitive prices, flexible product packages and in-house support dedicated solely to business customers. From realty offices and hardware stores to doctor’s offices and beauty salons to hotels, hospitals and universities, RCN Business Services stands out among the competition for its knowledge and expertise, accessibility and exceptional customer service.
“It’s all about the service,” says George Dionisio, vice president of Atomic Fuel in Astoria. Dionisio chose RCN Business Services for his oil and heat business. “I get personal attention and hands-on involvement from the managers and reps,” Dionisio says. “I’m extremely happy with the service I get from RCN.”
The exceptional support customers receive from RCN Business Services begins well before the sale ever gets completed, with product selection and right-sizing. An RCN Business Services representative will meet with you face-to-face to help identify areas where you can save money on your existing telecom services. While other providers may overwhelm you with complex pricing and packages, or features you do not need, the RCN Business Services account executive helps you select just what you need at prices that fit your budget.
Mark Mrugal, manager of RCN Business Services Customer Care, said, “We spend time with the customer to understand their business. That way we can recommend the right set of services. While the customer can choose to get more, there is no pressure to buy more than what they need. We don’t oversell, and customers are pleasantly surprised by that.”
Customers are also happy that RCN Business Services provides in-house customer service rather than outsourcing. Every agent is trained in all aspects of the business from service selection to billing to technical support, in order to assist customers with their questions rather than transferring the call to several different departments for resolution. Many have long tenures with RCN working in various capacities throughout the service center. And you won’t waste precious time waiting for a representative to answer your call because RCN Business Services boasts some of the shortest hold times in the industry. The company was even featured in a recent online article at Barrons.com.
While other service providers bypass support for problems that extend beyond their company’s equipment, RCN Business Services recently introduced “Enhanced Technical Support.” Enhanced Technical Support offers RCN Business Services’ Internet customers assistance with such issues as wireless network configuration and troubleshooting, basic Microsoft Office functions, software package installation, operating system upgrades, virus and spyware protection and removal, non-network related speed and performance issues, e-mail setup and configuration and troubleshooting for printers, scanners and faxes. Agents also help with general hardware configuration involving routers, network cards, video cards, sound cards, CD/DVD readers and writers, hard drives, flash memory systems, gaming consoles or firewalls. RCN Business Services Enhanced Customer Support is perfect for the small business that doesn’t have an on-staff technical expert or help desk person available. Support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and you don’t pay to use the service unless your problem is solved.
Customer care is outstanding when it comes to large businesses too. Recognizing that businesses like hotels, for example, have different needs, RCN Business Services provides a dedicated project manager and implementation team to walk through a project with the customer from beginning to end, managing installation and taking care of any follow-up or support. These teams interface with your general contractor, electricians and other service providers to ensure the job is completed correctly and on schedule. After the installation is complete, a dedicated account manager is assigned to work with you for ongoing support. Large business customers say they choose RCN because the company understands the specific needs of a larger enterprise.
“We built a hotel that will draw Hollywood types, celebrities and VIPs, and we needed a provider who could offer more,” said Elizabeth Mao, general manager of luxury hotel Thompson LES, on Manhattan’s lower east side. “RCN not only came to the table with digital and high-definition television services and competitive rates, they proved their reputation in the hospitality space by completing their work on a timeline that was in step with our construction schedule.”
Large businesses, small businesses and residential customers alike choose RCN for its ability to meet individualized needs, its competitive prices and customer care that puts other providers to shame.
Technology Leader
Aside from exceptional customer service, another element that sets RCN apart from other providers is its fiber-based network. The high-capacity network uses advanced carrier grade networking technologies, allowing customers to receive crystal-clear phone service, high quality digital cable TV, and fast high-speed Internet service when compared to a typical coaxial line.
In addition, RCN Business Services recently introduced a Hosted VoIP service under its newly launched RCN TalkwareTM product line. What is Hosted VoIP? The service, also known as Hosted IP PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange), uses a single broadband connection for the voice and data communication needs of your business. Offering unsurpassed flexibility in managing phone calls, you can transmit voicemail via e-mail, route and transfer calls without the need for a receptionist, and automatically send calls to one or more alternate numbers if you are out of the office. The result? Your business saves money, appears even more professional to your customers and prospective customers and you never miss an important phone call. Plus, there is no expensive phone wiring or maintenance contracts and you enjoy the point-and-click ease of managing your calls with a web-based portal accessible from any computer.
“With RCN Talkware, remote offices can be connected via 4-digit dialing with calls at literally no cost, and lines can be added, dropped or reconfigured without the need for a technician to come to your office to reconfigure hardware. Plus, with broadband and your phone system both from a single provider, you have the convenience of a single customer support team to call,” said John Baker, senior vice president of Marketing and Product Management.
Community Involvement
RCN is headquartered in Herndon, Va., but each office employs people local to the area. Brad Martin, senior director of Marketing and Operations said, “The employees at the Queens offices are neighbors, friends and family members with the customers they serve. We truly are a hometown provider. Employees take part in the community activities where they work. Many of our employees volunteer their time to charities or organizations aimed at improving the lives of others.”
As part of this community involvement, RCN announced earlier this year that it is donating $3 million in cable television time to the United Way of America for 2008, making this the second year in a row for contributing such a substantial amount of air time to this group. RCN CEO Pete Aquino said, “We take the role of being a good corporate citizen in the markets we serve and live very seriously.”
RCN also sponsors many events in the New York area, including the Lady Liberty Swim and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, each a part of the Manhattan Island Foundation’s New York City Swim Series.
“We were pleased to present and support the outstanding New York City Swim Series events, because they help raise public awareness of the waters that surround New York and support efforts to clean and protect them,” said RCN Vice President and General Manager-New York, Anthony Ontiveros.
RCN was also a sponsor of NYC Summer Streets 2008 and the official Transition sponsor of the 8th Annual New York City Triathlon. A popular stop during the Triathlon’s Finish Festival was the RCN Connection Booth. Using its Hosted VoIP product Talkware, RCN provided free digital phone service for triathlon participants. After completing the event, participants flocked to the booth to use the RCN phones to contact family and friends, experiencing firsthand the clarity and convenience of RCN’s hosted VoIP solution.
The company is also a corporate sponsor of the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team. On June 6 and 7, 2008, RCN sponsored the Cyclones “24 Hours of Baseball” event benefiting the United Way of New York City’s Housing Help, Autism Speaks and HeartShare Human Services of New York, and the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation (NYPLCF).
“RCN always steps up to the plate as a terrific supporter of United Way’s education and income and health programs, and we thank them and the Brooklyn Cyclones for their generosity,” said Gordon J. Campbell, United Way of New York City president and CEO. Ontiveros added, “We care about our customers, our employees, and our investors, and we seek to be an outstanding corporate citizen in the communities where we live and provide service.”
RCN Business Services remembers what it’s like to be the “small” business in town, but its employees have embraced this and continue to ensure that every business customer they work with has the products it needs at a price it can afford. And in this economy, that’s a comfort for most business owners.
For more information, please contact RCN toll-free at 877.RCN.7000 or on the web at rcn.com/business.
