Most people think of Verizon as a competitor to T-Mobile and AT&T.
But the New York-based telecom company wants to be seen as more than that, including small business providers, said Aimee Novak, Verizon’s national small business vice president. Her team includes her 1,000 professionals nationwide.
“During the pandemic, it was about how we help them survive,” she said. “I think we all probably have stories of our favorite little shop or favorite restaurant going wrong. I really found a way.”
The company’s offerings to small businesses include internet, 5G, and voice-over-IP services that convert voice into digital files and send them over the internet, so you never miss a call. We can also offer security solutions and a Zoom competitor called BlueJeans. Novak said the tool helps small businesses look bigger.
“Customers can use BlueJeans to make them look much bigger than they actually are. Small businesses are adopting this because they want a professional look,” she said.
Novak has been with Verizon for 16 years, starting as a Technical Data Representative. She moved to Texas three years before her and lives in Keller. She talked about some of her insights she’s gained in her current role.
What have you learned from working with small businesses?
What we’ve learned over the years is that flexibility is not an option. I ran a small business survey at the end of April and found some pretty interesting statistics. And one of them was the importance of being flexible. Thus, whether your business is large or small, flexibility proves to be crucial when it comes to surviving and predicting what will happen next.
How do you find Verizon small business customers?
Welcoming customers who visit our store. But we’re looking across the community for opportunities to partner with customers who don’t exist today. Christina’s Fine Mexican Restaurant in D-FW is one example. They were new customers and we were able to partner with them to meet their needs for things like 5G and internet.
How do small business owners feel now with inflation, supply chain issues and labor issues?
As with consumers, parts of the operating model had to adapt and change. So small businesses don’t want to raise prices for their customers, but ultimately they’re trying to find ways to bring their business into the digital world. increase. Like video services, they’re looking for ways to collaborate that will make employees more productive. When we talk to our customers, more than two-thirds of them across all companies surveyed say they are better now than they were a year ago. And they felt they would be better off a year from now. So there is definitely a sense of optimism.
What do you think about labor issues?
I was driving through the streets last night and didn’t see a shop without a sign in the yard or window saying help needed. But I think it’s more than just trying to recruit people. Once they are on board, how do you keep them? So we believe the retention process starts from day one. We really make sure we have a great onboarding program. Again, culture is very important. Make sure your team feels they have the training they need and become part of the community.
Why do you think some companies struggle to fill roles?
I think people decided to make different choices when they got home during the pandemic. Some wanted to work from home, and that’s certainly an option.
Is salary the most important thing for employees?
Not always. Salaries are obviously important. But the flexible model moved from the bottom up and up for people because they didn’t know what that meant before the pandemic. Now people are saying And I’m going to find a company to support it. ”
