KFR Services' focus on teamwork is getting people's attention. The business publication "Strategies" spotlighted the parent company of Tele-Tech Services in its March 2007 issue. Author John Carroll, a consultant for KFR Services, wrote how the company is surviving in a rapidly changing telecom industry through teamwork.  

He explained how management addressed new market forces and trends to the entire staff, presented revenue numbers, and described how each employee contributes to the success of the company. Teams of employees researched new product ideas while an advisory board, made up of outside professionals, guided their research. KFR's Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Kim Russo, says their concentration on new product development motivated "everyone from researchers to customer service reps to software engineers to look for ways to improve upon products and services for our customers." 

A new business that sprouted from this collaboration includes Atlantic Business Continuity Services, a service that helps companies mitigate losses due to business interruptions; and the purchase of America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association, a membership service that provides maps, travel information and networking opportunities to boaters who cruise The Great Loop. 

New products for the Telecom industry that are in the design, testing, or initial release phase include providing outsourced services to maintain the rates charged to carriers by their wholesale international partners and a service to help carriers set or verify "percent local usage" factors. 

"KFR's focused actions, its willingness to look outside for help and resources, and its use of teams to discover, articulate and clarify its missions, have brought it several viable options," wrote Carroll. "Each of those could lead to new markets, new business, and healthy new revenue and profit."

As you may know, Janice and Steve have slowly taken more of an advisory role within the company to pursue other interests. One of those interests is diversifying KFR Services, the parent company of Tele-Tech. Their daughters, Stephanie Fetchen and Kim Russo, who have been full-time employees for 15 years, are running day-to-day operations.

Another interest is one outside of work: boating. Janice and Steve are officers with the Charleston Power Squadron and teach boating classes once a week. They've also been active members of America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association (AGLCA) since its founding in 1999. AGLCA provides maps, travel information and networking opportunities to boaters who cruise The Great Loop, the circumnavigation of Eastern North America along the Atlantic seaboard, across the Great Lakes, through the inland rivers, along the Gulf of Mexico and around Florida. Steve has been AGLCA's email coordinator for the past five years.

"Some people thought I ran the organization," says Steve.

Ron and Eva Stob, founders of AGLCA, actually ran it. But this past December, when they had dinner with the Kromers, Ron expressed a desire to slow down. Steve recalls Ron saying, "I'm 75 years old. I don't want to do this anymore." Nobody thought much of it at the time, but the next day, Steve and Janice started brainstorming.

AGLCA is a network of Great Loop cruisers, also known as "Loopers", who share specialized navigational information, such as bridge heights, locking techniques and where to get the best price on fuel. KFR Services provides solutions for complex analytical processes. Why not bring the two together to help Great Loop cruisers better enjoy what is already a difficult, technical journey to plan?

The timing was right for both the Stobs and the Kromers. In March, KFR Services took over operations of AGLCA. KFR Services has already enhanced web services to members, who can now renew memberships and purchase products directly through the AGLCA website, www.greatloop.org. Eventually, members cruising the Loop will be able to enter their current location on the website and view a map showing other members, sponsors, and vendors in the area.

Just as the telecom industry turns to Tele-Tech for highly accurate call rating data, Great Loop cruisers will turn to AGLCA for the most complete, accurate information to help them safely navigate the waters.

P.S.