In this CPTV interview, I spoke with ALLO Business manager of channel sales Laron Landgren about how the communications service provider stays local and hands-on.

ALLO offers fiber services mainly in Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. It focuses on SMBs with around 4 to 200 users.

“I think the biggest thing that makes us stand out is that we genuinely become part of the markets we operate in,” Landgren said. “In every market we're in, we have a storefront or office. We're part of the local chambers of commerce, we have local technicians, and when we come out to do an install, it's our own techs doing it. We provide our own training as well. Our sales reps actually serve as technical alignment managers in each of our markets for our managed services, and they're present for customers on an ongoing basis.

“We want to be in front of that customer. If we need to send a tech out, we send a tech out. We don't want to rely on remote hands. We want to be working in the neighborhoods and communities we serve — to see those businesses on the street, and for them to be able to see us.”

Landgren said while ALLO has large companies as customers, its sweet spot is smaller companies that require enterprise-like services.

“The suite of products we've developed is truly an enterprise-grade set of offerings that we've been able to bring down to the small and medium-sized business level,” he said. “That segment has historically been underserved — they haven't had access to the kind of security services and managed services that larger enterprise customers take for granted. That's really the gap we're filling.”

He said ALLO will use Channel Partners Conference to introduce itself to a wider range of partners. Although ALLO has been in business since 2003, it isn’t as well known as larger competitors.

“We've actually been in the channel for quite a long time, but a lot of people don't know us unless they have customers in Nebraska, Colorado, or Arizona,” Lundgren said. “So come see us, talk to us, and we'll walk you through everything we have to offer.”

Watch the full video at the top of the page.