Have you considered cutting the prices for those willing to sign on for a length of term?
I currently offer month to month, 1 year, and 2 year. I have about 50 customers and not a one of them signed on for less than 2 years. In addition, purchase of the CPE equipment by the customer is mandatory. The customer now has something vested into the service. Of course the monthly looks really low because I do not have that overhead of leasing or owning the gear that gets tacked on to the monthly through smoke and mirrors. So, to reply to your marketing view, customers like those low numbers too. The other thing you are up against it sounds like is cable TV and the ability for COMCAST to provide that as well. You need to bang on their doors and get in their faces and show them what you can do. Talk to the 12 businesses you have and ask them to be references for you. People want to talk to other people who are using your service. No one believes a salesman. My service has been up and available for about 4 months. A good portion of the people who have not yet ordered the service are skeptical - too good to be true thinkers. Those people are beginning to call now as they have talked with others who have the service. I do not have a customer that has anything bad to say about the service and I do not think I could find one that does not feel the service is not above average. I have customer testimonials that state clearly that "it kills cable modem and dsl speeds". I have customers that have stated that if the cable company laid cable into their yard today, they would order cable TV but would not give up the wireless even if they could save $5.00 /mo. Up to 1400K is amazing to customers. Of course industrial/commercial is always going to be a tougher sell for everything. Businesses always think big! The bigger their provider the more reliable and the better the service will be. That is almost always a reversed situation in fact I could problably remove almost out of the sentence. Tout the fact that you are locally owned and operated and there to service their every need when they need it. Tout the fact that once they sign on with Comcast they immediately become a number in the queue. Businesses want special attention. I I was a network adminstrator managing the LAN/WAN for an almost billion dollar company from 1993 to 2001. We managed 1500 retail locations with many of them connected via DSL through several different national ISP's, cable modem through 2 national ISP's, and fixed wireless through a single ISP in Nebraska. By far (and I mean by far) we got the best service and performance from the wireless ISP. I have to admit I was skeptical if a small ISP like that would be able to do the job. They made the Bell South', SBC's, Qwest', and Charters of the world look totally friggin' stupid and unorganized - and overpaid. In turn there were times when they made me and my staff look stupid as well. Upper management did not have a good understanding of what it is like to work these jokers. To boot the fixed wireless was 1/2 the price of any of the others with 2X's the speed. Remember, the big boys charge more to support paying their wonderful service oriented staff - God. That is what they sell their products on and it is total bull***. So Rick, don't give up. Make appointments to talk to decision makers face to face at those companies. Stress the value of the ability of your company to be more personable to them instead of just a number which enables you to be more in tune with their needs. Businesses want to be babied. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Garrett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 5:52 PM Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use smartBridge... > 3MB internet for $99 is about like the AOL 1,000 hours free in the first > month. There is not 1,000 hours in a month and most users will run out > of data before they ever hit 3 MB sustained. Marketing types know > people tend to go for the high numbers and probably will never use it. > > Rick Kosick wrote: > > > Hi Colin. > > > > The problem is basically that I only service one office park of > > about 100 businesses. > > I only have 12 customers there now (on wireless, anyway). I admit > > I got a little lazy and didn't market there like I should have. > > Recently Comcast came in and wired the complex. Now I am cutting my > > prices to $75.00/month for small office and $125.00 for large office > > and NOBODY is replying. > > > > These people can't get DSL, and can't evem get cable yet but > > Comcast surveyed the area and got them interested. So, I'm cheaper and > > better (not faster) and they still go with them. > > > > I also pondered doing a 10Mbps link for the same pricing as > > Comcast and when I spoke to people about it, they just want Comcast. > > > > I pictched an office complex of 120 offices DYING for Internet > > Access. No DSL, no Cable. > > Comcast caught wind that this problem existed and tried to run > > lines. The association told them they wanted 10k in escrow to make > > sure no damage was done. Comcast said no. > > > > So, the customers sat for 18 months with nothing. No hope of > > Comcast, and no DSL options. > > I went it... do digging, installed within 2 weeks, $99.00/month. > > > > Comcast caught wind of this... came back and offered the complex > > $5000k escrow. They took it. I signed up 3 customers and 1 of them > > told them that they would likely only use me until they got their > > cable installed. The rest never responded. $95/month, 3.5Mbps. Do > > the math. And, they could double this at any time (speed, not price). > > > > Comcast is doubling their residential speeds from 1.5 to 3Mbps on > > Dec 1. > > Compete with that. > > > > They're smart. They know 3Mbps is impossible to get in any other > > economical format. DSL is not gonna do that (under realistic > > conditions) and T1 isn't either. Diabolical! > > > > I used to have about 100 customers on wireless but I opt'd to swap > > out all the radio equipment for burried Cat5(it is a complex). Almost > > all of them were concerned that "when it rains or the wind is blowing, > > doesn't it go out?". This is directly related to Comcast's commercials > > regarding the dish. :-( > > > > I don't even tell people its wireless. I call it wDSL, or Wireless > > DSL if they ask. > > > > === > > Rick Kosick > > StarLinX Internet Service > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Colin Watson <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 12:39 PM > > Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use smartBridge... > > > > How badly are u suffering? Why can't you compete? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Rick Kosick <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 4:26 PM > > Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use smartBridge... > > > > Nope, wasn't me who called. I started out with Breezecom about > > 3 years ago and remained pretty small. I'm taking it in the > > backside now with Comcast here giving it all away for free. > > Scumbags. > > > > Wouldn't it be so nice to have that monopoly? Run wires to > > every home and then call it a private network so nobody else > > has access to the wire. Funny, 230' of their cable runs across > > my lawn and I don't see any rent money for that "private > > network". What a waste the FCC is. > > === > > Rick Kosick > > StarLinX Internet Service > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Sevak Avakians <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 11:10 AM > > Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use smartBridge... > > > > Hi Rick, > > > > I'm in NYC. Yeah, both our areas (NY & PA) were hit bad > > yesterday! > > > > PA? There was a guy in PA that wanted to setup a WISP and > > had called me for tips awhile back...that wasn't you, > > right? If I remember correctly, his name was also Rick. > > > > Sevak > > > > On Fri, 2003-11-14 at 11:02, Rick Kosick wrote: > > > >> > >> No luck. I downgraded to lower firmware and nothing. > >> I am going to try and reset it by using the button on > >> PowerShot and trying from scratch. Otherwise, I have to > >> dump the equipment and move to something else. Way too > >> much time spent on this what-should-be-simple setup. It > >> did work for about 5 mins until I tried enabling WEP. > >> Ever since though, nothing. > >> > >> Where are you located that you have 55MPH wind? I'm in PA > >> and have the same problem. Trees down everywhere :-( > >> > >> Where can I get 1.4j.9? Maybe that will do it? > >> === > >> Rick Kosick > >> StarLinX Internet Service > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: Sevak Avakians > >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 10:47 AM > >> Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use smartBridge... > >> > >> Hi Rick, > >> > >> Turns out that I'm also having problems getting 2 > >> aPPOT units to bridge. At first, I was having > >> trouble with one of the appot to broadcast it's > >> ssid. The other appot did not take up the ssid > >> changes I made to it. Whenever sniffing wirelessly, > >> its ssid appeared as airPointProOutdoorTOTAL. After > >> re-flashing the rom, rebooting, and switching from > >> wireless bridge mode to client bridge mode then back > >> to wireless bridge mode, the ssid appears properly on > >> the second unit. (Note, that the ssid as seen from > >> the monitor program would always appear as the > >> correct one. It was only from looking at the > >> wireless broadcast that I could see that the ssid was > >> incorrect.) > >> > >> Well, anyway it is way too windy here today for me to > >> continue (55 mph winds!), so I'll take another look > >> at it tomorrow. > >> > >> Any luck with your setup??? > >> > >> Sevak > >> > >> On Thu, 2003-11-13 at 09:19, Rick Kosick wrote: > >> > >>> > >>> Software: 1.6 > >>> Firmware: 1.4j.8 > >>> > >>> Both sides. > >>> === > >>> Rick Kosick > >>> StarLinX Internet Service > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: Sevak Avakians > >>> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>> Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 9:11 AM > >>> Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use > >>> smartBridge... > >>> > >>> Rick, if you got the firmware off the website, > >>> it may not be the latest. Usually sb has a beta > >>> version that they post on this list and most of > >>> us use before it is posted to the website. > >>> > >>> Check the version number using simpleNMS or the > >>> firmware upgrade utility. > >>> > >>> Sevak > >>> > >>> On Thu, 2003-11-13 at 09:05, Rick Kosick wrote: > >>> > >>>> > >>>> I don't know the actual version number but I > >>>> just downloaded it off the website in the past > >>>> few days and it is the very latest on both sides. > >>>> > >>>> This part about it bringing the switch to its > >>>> knees is VERY disturbing because a switch, by > >>>> its design, should not allow that to happen > >>>> normally. I can see it happening to a hub. > >>>> > >>>> I was working on this remotely (from home) at > >>>> late hours both times and had to drive to the > >>>> NOC to remedy it because I couldn't access any > >>>> machines via PC Anywhere. The whole network > >>>> crashed basically. > >>>> === > >>>> Rick Kosick > >>>> StarLinX Internet Service > >>>> > >>>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>>> From: Blazen Wireless > >>>> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>> Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 8:59 AM > >>>> Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Why not to use > >>>> smartBridge... > >>>> > >>>> Interesting what firmware were you using > >>>> which should not affect your switch like > >>>> that just curious to know.. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>>> From: Rick Kosick <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>> Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 5:39 AM > >>>> Subject: [smartBridges] Why not to use > >>>> smartBridge... > >>>> > >>>> So far I've come up with three good > >>>> reasons to not continue to use > >>>> smartBridges but I'm open to > >>>> suggestions for fixing these problem. > >>>> Pardon my frustration but I have 3 > >>>> years of wireless experience and its > >>>> taking me more than 10 hours of > >>>> fiddling to get a simple Wireless > >>>> Bridge to Wireless Bridge up and > >>>> running and I am sitting here with more > >>>> problems than solutions right now. > >>>> > >>>> 1) Last week I plugged the ethernet > >>>> side of an APPO into an APCC PNET4 > >>>> ethernet surge supressor where there > >>>> where three other devices plugged in. > >>>> This caused severe packet loss on the > >>>> other devices. Pinging the other > >>>> devices between each other would result > >>>> in 4 out of 10 pings timeing out. > >>>> > >>>> SOLUTION: Bypass the ethernet surge > >>>> supressor. > >>>> > >>>> 2) Right now I have two APPO's > >>>> configured in Wireless Bridge mode > >>>> (which won't work, see #3). At my NOC > >>>> side its plugged into a D-Link DES3226 > >>>> Managed Switch. If I put the APPO into > >>>> Access Point mode, it KILLS the traffic > >>>> on my switch entirely to the point > >>>> where workstations and servers can > >>>> barely reach each other. As soon as I > >>>> unplug the APPO's ethernet connection > >>>> from the switch, immediately everything > >>>> goes back to normal. This has happened > >>>> twice now in my quest to get my > >>>> wireless link working. > >>>> > >>>> SOLUTION: No idea. Maybe avoid > >>>> Access Point mode? > >>>> > >>>> 3) I have to admit I did enjoy 3 > >>>> minutes of Wireless Bridge mode where > >>>> everything worked as it was expected, > >>>> but I got adventerous and enabled WEP. > >>>> This did not work out for some reason > >>>> and now, after disabling WEP... I > >>>> cannot get the Wireless Bridge mode to > >>>> work again. I've reset to Defaults and > >>>> started over, still nothing. I simply > >>>> cannot get Wirless Bridge to Wireless > >>>> Bridge mode to work at this point. I've > >>>> been through the "recycling both > >>>> sides", "double checking MAC#'s", etc. > >>>> You'd think that if this was going to > >>>> work at all, I would have accidentally > >>>> made it work by now. > >>>> > >>>> SOLUTION: None as of yet. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> Clearly, when considering points #1 and > >>>> #2 above, there is more happening on > >>>> the ethernet side of the link than just > >>>> ethernet. Something is different than a > >>>> standard ethernet connection because > >>>> this radio clearly caused major packet > >>>> loss between the other devices plugged > >>>> into am ethernet surge supressor. Maybe > >>>> power is leaking through from the > >>>> PowerShot device? And, its ability to > >>>> completely bring a managed switch to > >>>> its knees just reassures this.. > >>>> > >>>> === > >>>> Rick Kosick > >>>> StarLinX Internet Service > >>>> > > The PART-15.ORG smartBridges Discussion List > To Join: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type subscribe smartBridges <yournickname> > To Remove: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type unsubscribe smartBridges) > Archives: http://archives.part-15.org > The PART-15.ORG smartBridges Discussion List To Join: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type subscribe smartBridges <yournickname> To Remove: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type unsubscribe smartBridges) Archives: http://archives.part-15.org
