Cross Telecom

Top honors┬áAt Cross Telecom, attaining top honors in the communications industry is more than just a goal, it is a matter of day-to-day business. Kate Sawyer reports. Cross Telecom, founded in 1996, is fast becoming the premier telecommunications provider in both the private and public sector. In the past decade, it has grown ten-fold, and has capitalized on strategic partnerships to expand and improve. Whether training clients on the latest technology, implementing solutions or offering consulting services, Cross employs a comprehensive approach.Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, in a state-of-the-art, 82,000 square foot facility, Cross is an end-to-end integrator with numerous awards and quality certifications. It employs more than 400 people, with a dedicated sales force of 125 technicians. As one of the largest and most experienced teams in the communications industry, it provides technical excellence to all its customers.ÔÇ£Our combined revenue now exceeds $150 million; that allows Cross to sustain our year over year revenue growth of 30 percent. Our customers will continue to benefit from the additional resources and the expertise they bring,ÔÇØ said Bob Coughlin, Cross president and CEO. ÔÇ£When we pull together these factors with the ability to offer custom applications, we can truly support any business communications and data need from cradle to grave.ÔÇØCross has consistently received top honors from Avaya, Inc., a telecommunications firm that provides solutions for the communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the Fortune 500. Cross has been recognized with honors including the Avaya SMBS Growth Award, the Avaya award for Customer Excellence, classification as a Small and Medium Business (SMB) Expert and is recognized as AvayaÔÇÖs number one National BusinessPartner in IP office sales. Cross has also been honored with an unprecedented four years in a row as the recipient of the Avaya BusinessPartner of the Year Award. The award is given to an Avaya BusinessPartner that consistently performs above the bar. Cross makes the most of its partnership with Avaya by maintaining a strong partnership. ÔÇ£We have a unique position in the market today,ÔÇØ explains Coughlin. ÔÇ£We are the only company classified as both an Avaya BusinessPartner and Premier Systems Integrator in AvayaÔÇÖs DevConnect program.ÔÇØ This unique partnership allows for more flexibility in building solutions for clients.Since 2006, Cross has held Silver Certification with Cisco Systems. In order to hold this distinction, Cross not only had to meet stringent requirements set forth by Cisco in personnel, training and support, and customer satisfaction, but also maintain rigorous standards through annual auditing of its network technicians on Cisco solutions. As a Silver Certified partner, Cross is able to utilize specialized tools to increase its capacity to deliver services related to the latest Cisco technologies for maximized productivity.ÔÇ£We are committed to creating the tools, training and programs that help drive channel partner profitability through improved productivity and return-on-invested capital,ÔÇØ said Surinder Brar, senior director, worldwide channels for Cisco. ÔÇ£With specializations in security/VPN, wireless LAN, routing & switching, Cross has secured the training, skills and knowledge to play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of Cisco technology solutions.ÔÇØIn 2007, Cross Telecom acquired Orlando-based American Communication Technologies Inc., also known as ACT. The acquisition provides Cross with a more extensive product and services portfolio, capitalizing on ACTÔÇÖs expertise in development of customized software and applications. By accentuating the strengths of custom application development, Cross is positioned to expand strategic business consultancy. When assessing a clientÔÇÖs unique telephony and IP requirements, a standard solution will not always meet the needs of the situation. Understanding each clientÔÇÖs organization, and tailoring the project from initial design, through implementation to completion, and providing support throughout, Cross is able to exceed customer needs. ÔÇ£Industry leaders are seeking solution providers that are willing to spend the time to learn about their true business needs and become their trusted advisor. This results in the implementation of software applications that allows them to gain the efficiencies necessary to be competitive through their technology,ÔÇØ said Coughlin. This innovative approach of creating solutions to meet each customerÔÇÖs individual needs and translating that into strategic communications plans has resulted in a 96 percent or better rating for excellence in customer satisfaction year after year.Another aspect of this commitment to customer satisfaction involves on-going training. Therefore, Cross University was created, and is operated out of the Bloomington facility. This extensive training program is designed for Cross customers, and provides classroom experience, hands-on demonstrations and online seminars to deliver high-quality training for the communications solutions it supports.Through this multifaceted approach, Cross Telecom continues to attain the high levels of acclaim that have given it a decade of success.┬á