We work in a competitive industry, and customers have many choices when selecting a partner. They are looking for exceptional trust, consistent reliability and, of course, a high performing network, and it is important to communicate these key differentiators when making a sale.
Continuing our FirstLight Partner Program blog series for 2017, this piece looks at some of the most effective ways to move from competing on price, to conveying the value of our product and stressing what sets FirstLight apart. There are a variety of ways to drive these important points home, while demonstrating an understanding of the client’s major pain points. Again, it is all about differentiation when conveying our advantage over the competition.
First and foremost, it’s important that we educate our partners on our product, so that they understand the benefits that will pique the interest of their prospects. Our sales director works closely with our partners, usually on a one-on-one basis, to ensure they are equipped with the most up-to-date information. Partners get the latest building lists, data sheets and network maps so that they can provide prospects and customers with the most current specs.
Network performance is one of our most powerful selling tools, and we drive that point home with our partners. FirstLight is a leading fiber provider in the northeastern U.S., and we are positioned to meet the needs of both regional enterprises and carriers in ways the competition cannot. We believe the quality of our network and our high touch approach is a key differentiator.
An exciting development that has allowed us to push these points is FirstLight’s recent acquisition of Oxford Networks. The combination means that we now operate an enhanced high-capacity fiber optic network spanning 5,000 route miles in five states. We offer service to 4,400 locations and have ten, geographically diverse data centers, many of which are SOC-2 compliant and offer cloud and managed services. In short, we have doubled our size and increased our scale and network reach substantially. This means we are in a unique position to continue meeting the growing bandwidth and infrastructure needs of customers located in the northeast.
Based on this network growth, 2017 is already off to a promising start, and we are well positioned for our most successful year to date. It’s all about quality service with dedicated, locally based support and competitive pricing. We work hard to arm our partners with the tools they need to be a part of this success.
Interested in learning more? Find out why FirstLight is the right connectivity partner for your business. Explore all of the benefits our Partner Program has to offer. Learn more at https://www.firstlight.net/partners/.
