The Utility Company Awards 2008 Partner of the Year to Terry Cole

West Tennessee Utility Service Provider Recognized for Growth, Quality of Service and Contribution to Overall Business

Dec 2, 2008 Ottawa, Canada –The Utility Company®, a single-source provider of technology, communications and business management solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) has announced its 2008 Utility Service Provider of the Year - Terry Cole of Lexington, Tennessee. This award is presented annually at the company’s Utility Revolution Summit to the partner that best demonstrates exceptional performance in terms of sales, marketing and customer service within Utility’s complete business system.

During the company’s recent Utility Revolution Summit Terry presented “Secrets to My Success as a Utility Service Provider” where he related his personal experiences since joining Utility. Terry’s rate of monthly revenue growth exceeded all other partners since coming on board along with very high customer satisfaction ratings. He also revealed his 2009 plan to reach his stated goal of $1 million in recurring annual revenue.

Mark Scott, President and Founder of The Utility Company, had this to say about Mr. Cole and his efforts since coming on board in December of 2007: “Terry has been a tremendous business partner right from the beginning. He had wanted to move his small and medium-sized business customers into a managed support model for quite some time – even before he heard the term managed services. In fact he was trying to figure out how to ‘build it himself’ when he learned that we had already created ‘exactly what he wanted to build’. Terry has come in, embraced our Utility Business System and flat out excelled. It is our pleasure to appoint him Utility Service Provider of the Year.”

“The Utility Company reflects the absolute only way that all small businesses should be supported, especially my existing ’break-fix’ customers”, stated Terry Cole in his Summit session, speaking to other partners. “I have been in business for myself, by myself, since 2002. I have a great relationship with all my customers but I understood that I did not have a ‘scale-able business’… I had a job with no future value. At some point you have to realize, and your customers will realize, that their IT-dependent business operations are in the hands of someone who could get hit by a bus just crossing the street. Not to sound morbid, but that’s the truth. In fact, I have lost clients who were growing and were concerned about a ‘one-man vendor’ being able to ‘be there’ for them…The Utility Company allows the client to benefit from the relationship you’ve developed and provide them with a service that doesn’t depend solely on you.”

When asked “Why pick The Utility Company?” Mr. Cole replied, “I first heard about The Utility Company after seeing them at an SMB Nation tradeshow in Seattle. I had started attempting to build, from scratch, using a variety of vendor “tools”, the infrastructure needed to support my customers in a more scale-able, more proactive nature. I wanted to entertain larger companies or opportunities and knew the market was heading towards what I was studying - ‘managed services’. I had even hired a salesperson from one of the tool vendors thinking that “sales” had to come first before I could realistically build what I needed but then it became clear to me that The Utility Company had already created everything that I wanted to create – so why re-invent the wheel?”

“It is great to have the flexibility of an entrepreneur, but also be part of a larger team for the expertise and scale. I now have instant access to a team of trained network engineers performing service delivery, as well as sales and marketing advice and campaigns from head office. I now offer a complete service to my clients – I can be their ‘one-stop shop’ for all their technology needs. And, of course, I no longer have to be in two places at once – my customers have a single toll-free number to call for immediate assistance. No need to wait for Terry to show up on-site anymore! 95% of the time the (1-866-My-Utility) live helpdesk service will solve any issues or answer any questions my customers have. I can spend more time acquiring new business or consulting with my clients on how to use their technology effectively or strategically.”

For more information on the Beyond Managed Services partnership opportunity, including the new master reseller program, please visit our microsite at www.theutilitycompany.com/bms.

About The Utility Company®

The Utility Company® is a single-source provider of technology, communications and business management solutions for small and medium-sized businesses across North America. Our Connected Office Technology-as-a-Service program provides a single point of contact for ALL things technology delivering the required hardware, software and service for a monthly fixed fee per user. Customers are supported by local Utility Service Providers delivering on-site service and business-technology consulting to reduce spending and increase utilization – our Beyond Managed Services franchise opportunity is available by prospectus only. Learn how to make technology work for your business today at www.theutilitycompany.com.

For more information contact:

Aaron Bradley
Director of Marketing
1-866-My-Utility (698-8454) ext.7675
abradley@theutilitycompany.com