Like the cutting-edge technology it provides, Nex-Tech has come a long way since 1951. Launched as a telephone co-operative over seventy years ago, the company has never been afraid to evolve.
“At Nex-Tech, we started with core telecom services connected by copper cable, before adding internet services and television,” begins CEO Jimmy Todd. “Soon though, we diversified further, developing our own local TV content, and transitioning into marketing and advertising services for small to mid-sized businesses.”
On top of the varied offering that Jimmy describes, Nex-Tech supplies IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) services to a wide range of businesses. In fact, following a series of strategic acquisitions, the organisation is currently the largest IT MSP between Kansas City and Denver.
“A lot of our small/mid-size business clients didn’t have IT staff,” Jimmy explains. “We had some technical expertise in the area and slowly expanded to a broader audience. We now provide those services across the entire state of Kansas, as well in some areas of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Colorado. These fall alongside our nationwide offerings, including network operations monitoring.”
Acting Boldly
As Jimmy makes clear, Nex-Tech has always acted boldly when it comes to adding new services that can help fulfil client needs. This commitment to diversification has allowed the company to evolve at speed – a key requirement for an organisation in the fast-moving world of technology.
“Diversification for us has always started with things that we needed to do for ourselves,” Jimmy states. “We then became skilled in those areas and started providing those services locally, regionally, and occasionally, nationally.”
Nex-Tech’s diversity has become a core differentiator for the business in recent years. The company’s diverse portfolio is largely a result of the rural nature of its customer base. Encouraged to master new services for its rural clients, Nex-Tech has then been able to take these solutions to new locations.
“A lot of what we do has come from rural client demands,” Jimmy points out. “We’ve been presented with a requirement, which we have then perfected, learned how to scale, and taken elsewhere.”
Though it has provided Nex-Tech with opportunities, operating in rural areas has also presented the company with challenges. For instance, fiber networks can be very expensive to deploy in rural areas, which has forced Nex-Tech to become adept at securing low interest loans and grants in order to expand its fibre footprint.
“We’ve used Universal Service Funds to operate and maintain our network,” Jimmy reveals. “The cost of doing business in rural areas can be extremely high, but we’ve started penetrating areas with bigger populations and that’s helped us reinvest in our network.”
Creating Careers
Another rural challenge for Nex-Tech is staffing. This is especially true for technical positions – a problem that led the company to build ties with a local technical college, helping to revamp the institution’s telecom and fiber program.
“It’s not too hard to get a lot of applications for accounting or customer service positions, but when it comes to more technical work, it can be a real challenge,” says Jimmy. “By working with the local college, we have helped develop something more in line with the skillset we need today.”
Similarly, Nex-Tech has recently adopted an education assistance program. Popular with agriculture firms like John Deere, the initiative sees high school graduates funded through a training program, and in return, they agree to work for the company for several years.
“We sponsor three people to go through that technical program each year,” Jimmy reports. “It allows us to bring in young people who have an interest in learning a technical skill, with the goal of keeping them as long-term employees. Equally, it gives them the chance of lateral or upward mobility, and the opportunity to truly create a career.”
Nex-Tech has been offering its sponsorship initiative for four years now. Graduates from the program have already gone on to fill vital gaps in the organization.
“It’s allowed us to fill key positions with young people that are coming in eager and excited to become a permanent part of the team,” Jimmy declares. “It is already proving to be a great way to bring in new talent.”
Fiber First
New Nex-Tech employees are joining an organization that values professional development and career advancement. It is a culture that has helped Nex-Tech foster a skilled and tight-knit team.
“I’ve been very blessed to work with a great group at Nex-Tech, from frontline employees all the way up to leadership. I think the difference between an average company, a good company, and a great company is your workforce. It’s definitely what makes us a great company, and we’re challenging ourselves to be even better.”
Moving forward, Nex-Tech aims to continue evolving as it expands both its offering and geographical footprint. However, first and foremost, Nex-Tech will remain a ‘fiber-first’ company.
“We have expanded our fiber footprint to serve over 11,000 square miles across the state of Kansas,” Jimmy says. “Of course, there are still many areas not served by fiber, but it’s the future of technology, so we will have plenty of opportunities to expand our network.
“At the same time, we will continue growing our IT footprint, including across the cyber aspects of IT MSP because more small and mid-sized businesses have learnt about protecting their data. It’s another example of how we listen to our customers and try to stay a step ahead of what they want and need.”
