| In the past couple of years, an increasing | | | | |
| number of State Agencies and financial firms | | | | Although it may take more than one success |
| have been re-addressing cost cutting | | | | story to bring additional call centers |
| solutions by sending customer service jobs to | | | | throughout the U.S, we need other States to |
| rural areas of the United States, where labor | | | | see how this success story provided local |
| costs can be dramatically lower and where | | | | jobs in a high unemployment county and to |
| skilled labor forces are available. | | | | help them work to build a similar footprint |
| | | | in their State. |
| We believe that there is an attempt to bring | | | | |
| outsourcing jobs back from overseas to | | | | "Our call center footprint works, it has been |
| smaller cities and towns through the United | | | | highly successful and very cost effective. |
| States. We recently visited the Michigan town | | | | Outsourcing is a direct response to the need |
| of Oscoda -- home to about 20,000 people, | | | | for "cost savings and the right skills". We |
| near the northeast lower peninsula of | | | | have a success story using good old fashioned |
| Michigan along the shores of Lake Huron -- | | | | American ingenuity that is a direct result of |
| where some say there aren't enough jobs in | | | | our services meeting or exceeding the needs |
| local retail, government, building, farming | | | | of our clients." Art Cruse says. |
| and manufacturing industries to keep local | | | | |
| residents employed. | | | | We found that Crusecom was significantly |
| | | | wired for communication and information. This |
| "In today global marketplace, these | | | | means that they are connected to the global |
| industries operate with lower and lower | | | | marketplace. For this rural community, |
| margins each year," says Art Cruse, CEO of | | | | Crusecom is a prime example of a leader that |
| Crusecom Technology Consultant LLC. "I | | | | recognizes the global economy and how they |
| believe the Economic Development challenge | | | | can fit into it. Crusecom considers itself a |
| for rural Northeast Michigan is (getting) | | | | local business within the global business |
| from a commodity economy to a technology | | | | community and invests in the infrastructure |
| based business-driven economy." | | | | necessary to optimize the existing |
| | | | opportunities and continue to update their |
| Crusecom is one company taking up the | | | | business direction to gain additional |
| challenge, hiring local residence, providing | | | | potential advantages. |
| appropriate training, who otherwise would | | | | |
| leave rural Michigan to find work in bigger | | | | Can others create the competitive jobs in |
| cities. Crusecom went from 8 to 67 employees | | | | rural communities that are needed in order to |
| within 10 months and expect to grow to over | | | | compete in the global marketplace? Many real |
| 100 employees by the end of 2007. By using | | | | success stories of small urban-based |
| the Internet, and the latest asterisk-based | | | | companies leveraging the relationship with |
| VoIP System from Fonality, the firm supports | | | | global marketplace to build new industry in |
| over 75,000 calls per month. | | | | rural America are not featured on prime time |
| | | | news. "Not to be harsh, but it seems as |
| Cindy Walker, Director of Operations who | | | | though our economic development leaders place |
| manages the call center and Web design | | | | their faith in industries of the past. What |
| services for Crusecom, "I am elated that I | | | | we need to do is to continue to build a |
| found a job in Oscoda that matches my | | | | telecommunication "fiber" infrastructure in |
| experience and desired occupation. A large | | | | our communities. I am concerned when local |
| factor in our success thus far has been the | | | | and regional leaders really do not seem |
| same excitement and positive attitude our | | | | interested or concerned about this |
| employees bring to Crusecom." she says. | | | | infrastructure and how it could save, promote |
| | | | and expand their/our communities. Don't get |
| There were a number of potential roadblocks | | | | me wrong, these people are sound community |
| to their success, but Crusecom goal was to | | | | leaders, but they have a new industry to |
| build a new industry in rural Michigan. This | | | | learn in the global marketplace. " Art Cruse |
| new industry would fundamentally bring more | | | | says. |
| jobs to Iosco and surrounding counties. "We | | | | |
| are bursting at the seams in our current | | | | The new wealth of America's heartland once |
| facility", says Leesa Cruse - CFO. Crusecom | | | | again relies upon innovators in order to |
| expects to expand to a new 14,000 square foot | | | | compete for outsourced projects. Success |
| facility this fall. This facility includes a | | | | stories need to be shared so that the |
| 5000 square foot secure data center that will | | | | American businesses with the desire to create |
| be used to support the growing demand for | | | | new jobs closer to home in beautiful rural |
| Internet and Data solutions and support up to | | | | America communities may, like Crusecom, seek |
| 300 new employees. | | | | out and seize such opportunities. |