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| New
Guide Reveals Questions
You Need to Ask Long Distance
Service Providers before
you sign up. |
Although
MCI customers have been
told to expect continued
service as World Com restructures,
national headlines are causing
people to re-evaluate their
long distance plans and
find a company they feel
more secure with. All businesses
that rely heavily on the
phone should be concerned,
but for catalogers especially,
a few days without service
can have devastating results.
One of the major costs in
cataloging is the monthly
phone bill. A small difference
in rate can make a big difference
on the phone bill. But rate
isn't all there
is to look for. There are
hundreds of long distance
programs, and without knowing
what to ask, it’s
easy to end up with a plan
that isn't right
for you.
“What
looks like the cheapest
plan may not really be the
cheapest plan when you see
the whole picture”,
says Rachel Rappaport, Director
of Cucumber Communications.
“You have to know
what to ask, and understand
how to evaluate long distance
plans. Once you know what
factors to look for, you
can compare apples to apples
and quickly find the better
plan”.
Helping catalogers understand
what’s involved in
long distance and enabling
them to compare and evaluate
various plans is what Cucumber
Communications had in mind
when they created a new
guide called “finding
the right long distance
service for your catalog
company”.
If it’s been a while
since your company looked
for a long distance provider,
don’t be surprised
to find rates (both within
the USA and international
calls) unbelievably low.
Long distance can be a breeding
ground for corporate waste,
and ignorance is not bliss
when it comes to your phone
bill. But here’s a
tip: don’t jump on
the first company you find
with rates lower than AT&T’s.
Most small companies today
have lower rates than the
“big three”,
and you may find even lower
rates with just a little
more research. Without factoring
other aspects, such as monthly
fees and minimum usage requirements
an expensive company can
look suspiciously cheap.
You’ve seen “teaser”
rates on credit cards. Some
phone companies will do
the same thing: a low rate
for new customers only,
perhaps for the first six
months. Make sure the rate
you get is not promotional.
Ask the companies you’re
researching, How long is
this rate good for? What
is the permanent rate?
Find out about specific
rates too, because every
company’s plans will
be different. Some will
give you a higher rate during
daytime hours; some will
keep to their low rate 24/7.
Rates will vary for different
countries, so if you get
orders from or have vendors
outside the untied states,
think about which countries
you call frequently, and
find out what the charge
is for those international
calls. The cost for long
distance calls within your
state are mandated (to a
degree), by the state, so
find out what yours are
with each company, and compare.
Not all companies bill you
by the minute. Some bill
in 6-second increments,
which means that if the
duration of a call is two
minutes and 12 seconds,
you will be billed for two
minutes and 12 seconds,
not three minutes. Some
companies bill in 6 second
increments from the beginning
of the call, some after
the first thirty seconds.
This difference in billing
will mean a higher-or lower-phone
bill.
Some advertised rates look
too good to be true, and
you know there may be a
catch. That catch is often
an access code, which means
when you want to dial a
long distance call, you
can’t just call, you’ll
have to dial a 5 to 10 digit
access code before dialing
the number. Putting that
access code into the speed
dial feature on your phone
system and informing all
employees about I is an
option, buy is it worth
the inconvenience? Ask potential
providers if the rate they
quote requires dialing an
access code, and consider
whether the savings are
worth the hassle. Maybe
you can find a company with
a lower rate that does not
require an access code.
Many cheap long distance
providers utilize an Internet
line to connect your call.
The result? Unclear lines,
which means mixed up orders,
confused staff, and irate
customers. So ask: Do you
use a land line or Internet
connection?
The biggest concern to catalogers
changing their long distance
carriers may be 800 numbers.
A catalog success depends
on having a toll free numbers,
and your current phone company
may not be ready to release
it. You should never be
without service, but changing
can take more than two weeks.
How is the service? This
is hard to rate, but if
you have the time, get some
references from the company
you’re shopping. It
pays.
|
| Interview
with the Media |
Below is
an excerpt of the interview
with R. Rappaport, a Communications
Analyst and the Director
of Cucumber Communications,
and the Media.
YN: Will
the bankruptcy of World
Com effect Cucumber Communications?
RR: Our
customers should not be
affected, but people are
loosing faith in big companies.
Years ago, people knew that
the bigger the company was,
the more likely they were
to stay in business. Not
anymore. Instead of moving
to AT&T or Sprint, I
think customers will flock
to the smaller companies.
YN:
Will people really lose
their phone service now
that MCI’s parent
company is in trouble?
RR:
It’s hard to say.
No one expected it to happen
with Econophone, and I remember
the night before they closed
down. We thought someone
would buy their lines. We
certainly didn’t expect
them to close up shop without
giving their customers any
advance notice. The next
morning, it was all over,
and people were left without
long distance service. Hopefully,
business will continue as
usual for MCI customers.
There may be customer service
issues because they’ll
be short staffed after having
fired 20% of their work
force, but the issue is
really one of confidence,
of trusting a company, and
no one wants a company they
don’t trust. Some
MCI customers have already
called us with inquiries
about our services.
YN:
What steps have you
taken to prepare for the
new business you’re
anticipating?
RR:
Well, we’ve opened
a new 24-hour call center
so that people can sign
up anytime. We’ve
also added a business department
to better serve our corporate
clients. Our top priority
for the past 6 months has
been improving our customer
service department. The
customer service representatives
here are well qualified,
receive ongoing extensive
training, and are empowered
with all the information
they need to answer every
question and handle all
circumstances.
YN: So
you’re pretty confident
that large numbers of people
will be signing over.
RR:
Absolutely.
YN:
But isn't the
service at larger companies
better? Don’t people
get more for the higher
rates they pay with, say,
AT&T?
RR: Not
at all. That is the great
myth of long distance, and
I’ll explain.
No company, big or small,
has their own lines all
over the country. AT&T
may use Sprint’s lines,
and vice versa. Big companies
use the lines owned by small
companies and small companies
use lines owned by big companies.
If you place a call to California,
you could be using lines
owned by three different
carriers. By using a big
company, you are not necessarily
getting different lines
than if you use a small
one.
YN:
Wow! Most people don’t
realize that. But does Cucumber
rely heavily on MCI lines?
RR:
No. Over 80% of our lines
are owned by Sprint.
YN:
You’d think that
everyone would switch to
lower rate companies, but
the majority of people still
use the “big three”.
Will WorldComs bankruptcy
change that?
RR: It
just might. Consumer’s
confidence has been shaken,
and people are learning
how the industry works.
Once they are sufficiently
educated, consumers will
be able to make informed
decisions. When you pay
for a name, you get just
that: a name.
YN: isn't
it amazing that a small
company is still doing well,
but a big one goes bankrupt?
RR: Listen,
everything is in Hashem’s
hands. But one very important
thing to remember is that
we don’t have the
corporate expenses of a
big company. People call
about our
Marketing, to find out which
firm we use to design our
direct mail and ads. That’s
how good it is. But you
know, it is actually designed
by volunteers. Everyone
at Cucumber cares about
the work they do and wants
to satisfy our customers,
because customer satisfaction
means more kids in Jewish
schools.
YN:
Well, we think it’s
great that someone can support
Oorah on a regular basis
without taking a penny out
of their pockets. What should
people do if they want to
sign up?
RR: Call
us at (877) CUCUMBER, 24
hours a day. Someone is
making a profit on your
phone bill. Shouldn't it
be the children of Oorah?
|
Cucumber
Promotes Assistance Fund
For World Com Employees,
Follows, Offer to Hire Thousands
of Laid-Off People |
Lakewood,
New Jersey – September
19, 2002 – Businesses
and consumers can donate
10% of their long distance
bills to assist laid-off
World Com employees at www.exWorldCom5100.com
with a new program from
Cucumber Communications.
The fund provides money
for basic necessities such
as food, utility bills,
rent and mortgage expenses.
“There are 17,000
men and women that were
laid-off from World Com
because of gross misconduct
at the highest levels of
the company. These people
have bills to pay, homes
and families. ExWorldCom5100-dot-com
is a way for businesses
and households to ease the
burden”, said Eli
Mintz, CEO of Cucumber Communications.
Cucumber sells long distance
for 4.5 cents-per-minute,
while many businesses still
pay 10 cents and consumers
pay 6 or more cents-a-minute
and are hamstrung by evenings-only
or weekends-only discounts.
By signing up for long distance
at www.exWorldCom.com, businesses
and households secure a
$0.045 cents-per-minute
rate at any time of the
day and have 10% of their
monthly charges donated
to the assistance fund.
“This fund was
the brainchild of a group
of energetic Cucumber employees
who wanted to lend a hand,”
said Kate Lee, treasurer
of the assistance fund and
herself a former World Com
employee.
On August 1, Cucumber offered
telecommuting jobs with
training and the option
to work full or part time
to all laid-off World Com
employees as a means of
subsidizing their unemployment
income temporarily.
Cucumber Communications,
Inc., headquartered in Lakewood,
New Jersey, was established
to raise funds for Oorah,
a not-for-profit educational
organization by providing
high quality, low-cost competitive
long distance services,
800 numbers and DSL lines.
Cucumber has full-time,
part-time and telecommuting
employees in 18 states,
including Mississippi, the
home state of World Com
For more information telephone
Laura M. Enock at 877-442-8466
or visit www.800cucumber.com.
|
| Press
Releases |
| Cucumber
Communications: The fundraising
project that became a small
business |
LAKEWOOD,
NJ. When Eli Mintz began
looking for an innovative
way to raise funds for his
not-for-profit organization
that put children from underprivileged
homes into quality schools,
he knew he had to think
out-of-the-box. Debts were
high, funds were low, and
the work “Oorah”,
his organization was producing
was important. He believed
in it. Others did, too,
but the money that could
be raised through dinners
and other charity events
had a limit. Mr. Mintz was
assuming financial responsibility
for the education of tens
of children, and the cash
flow just wasn’t there.
Not one to give up, Mintz
knew there had to be a way.
And so he invented a completely
new concept: Mr. Mintz started
a company for the sole purpose
of raising funds for a worthy
cause.
No profits.
No building shares.
No dreams of taking it public.
In fact, much of his company
is staffed by unpaid volunteers.
The company is called Cucumber
Communications, and it provides
both business and residential
phone service at rock bottom
rates. Using carriers such
as AT&T and Sprint,
Cucumber brings the same
clear phone lines to the
end user at a better price
than is available from these
carriers directly. With
no monthly charges, no minimum
fees, and direct dial 24
hours a day, current rates
are just 4.5 cents state
to state, 5.9 cents to the
UK, and 5.5 cents to Canada.
They even customize plans
for businesses, giving them
the lowest rates to the
countries they call regularly.
“Too many
people still pay 10 cents
a minute and think they’ve
got a good deal”,
explained Rachel Rappaport,
Vice President of Operations
for Cucumber. “They
don’t realize that
they can get the same service
for a lot less. Paying more
doesn’t mean you’re
getting more, but not everyone
knows how that can apply
to their phone bill”.
By contracting with major
long-distance carriers and
offering to bring in a large
customer base as a non-profit
organization, Cucumber Communications
has cut the rates without
compromising on the quality
of the connection. And then
there’s the good-will
aspect.
“Since
every penny that comes in
goes directly to sponsor
a child’s education,
people are supporting a
worthy cause every time
they pay their business
or residential phone bill”,
Brian, a volunteer of Cucumber
explains. “And since
the rates are low, they
also save money on their
phone bill. People are realizing
that you can’t lose,
and many of our contributors/customers
like the idea of helping
these children without taking
a penny out of their pockets.
I mean, this is a bill they
have to pay anyway”.
True enough. Every business
needs at least a few phone
lines, maybe 800 numbers,
and possibly T-1 lines.
With the proliferation of
the Internet and fax machines,
most people have more than
one line at home. Long distance
calling doesn’t carry
the expense it once did,
and Americans are calling
friends and family across
the country on a regular
basis. A phone bill is one
of those inevitable costs
of 21st century living.
Cucumber Communications
makes it a pleasure to pay.
Proof of how low their rates
are came from an unexpected
source: a representative
at AT&T. John Flannagan
was shopping for a long
distance plan, and called
AT&T to get their rates.
Figuring he could get something
lower, Mr. Flannagan asked
“Can’t you do
any better than that?”
“No”,
the representative answered,
“But call Cucumber
Communications. Their rates
are lower”.
Still, the competition is
tough. Telecommunications
is a cutthroat business,
and it takes more than good
will and low rates to keep
people happy. What about
the big “S”?
Can a charity organization
produce the service level
businesses need to function
optimally?
They can. “It’s
our non-business environment
that makes us want to go
the extra mile for our customers”,
says Liz Schon, Director
of Business-to-Business
Relations. “Because
we all believe in the end
use of these funds, it’s
almost like we’re
on a mission to keep people
happy. Retaining our customers
means that more children
will get a solid education.”
Still a small company, Cucumber
Communications is nevertheless
making waves in the industry.
Their marketing looks like
the product of a highly
professional marketing firm.
It isn't. Everything
is done in-house by friends
of “Oorah”.
After they’ve left
their jobs and come home
to their families, a team
of dedicated volunteers
gather for a late night
brainstorming session. The
results are spectacular.
Total Tell, a company that
was many times the size
of Cucumber Communications,
would bring Cucumber marketing
materials to their meetings
to analyze, learn from,
and emulate.
Although all revenues are
still being used to support
the original cause, Cucumber
Communications is now a
company in it’s own
right. More employees were
hired to meet the growing
demand for customer service,
and a full marketing department
was recently added.
Can success at the level
of determined entrepreneurs
come from people who have
other goals in mind? Cucumber
Communications says, “Yes!”
|
| World
Com former employees assistance
fund accepts donations from
those who don't want to
part with their hard-earned
cash. |
When John
Doe lost his job at World
Com, his household income
went was cut in half. His
retirement savings at World
Com dropped in value from
over $100,000 to a mere
$3,200. In one day, his
family’s world fell
apart.
John is not alone. Through
no fault of their own, thousands
of breadwinners are no longer
able to meet their basic
expenses. A group of concerned
employees led by Kate Lee,
a former senior manager
at World Com, established
the ex-WorldCom Assistance
fund to lend a hand.
Relying on the donations
of generous people, Ms.
Lee is fully aware of the
fact that it will not solve
the whole problem. However,
as anyone who has been in
a tight financial situation
knows, every bit really
does make a difference.
Not everyone, however, has
the extra funds to make
a donation. World Com employees
have therefore set up a
program through which anyone
can make a significant difference
to people like John, without
spending a dime.
Click onto the web site
www.exworldcom5100.com.
Click on 800 cucumber, and
sign up for long distance
service with Cucumber Communications.
As long as you remain with
the company, fully 10% of
your bill will be donated
to the fund, helping people
like John feed his family.
At 4.5 cents a minute Contiguous
State-to-State, consumers
will save money, too. Businesses
that have signed up for
long distance service have
saved thousands of dollars
a month. Some have cut their
phone bills in half.
Most Americans still pay
10 cents or more a minute
for long distance services.
But paying more doesn’t
mean your getting more.
Concerned Americans can
lower their phone bills
while helping former World
Com employees at the same
time.
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