December 18, 2024 • 20 mins
When you have multiplebroadband competitors pulling potential subscribers away, how do you set your story apart? Hear how Georgia's Tri-CoGo turned powering food trucks, fireworks shows and parks and recreation spaces into a way to build brand awareness in its community.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro:
A production of Pioneer Utility Resources. (00:05):
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StoryConnect, helping communicators discover ideas to shapetheir stories and connect with their customers.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Food trucks and fireworks (00:16):
how to creatively connect community events.
That's what we'll be talking about on this episode of TheStoryConnect Podcast.
Hi, I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe, one of the storytellers atPioneer Utility Resources, and I am joined by Greg Mullis, chief
operating officer at Tri-CoGo in Georgia, my home state.
(00:38):
It is very exciting to see you.
We are not in Georgia right now.
We are in Vegas at Calix ConneXions, the conference.
So Greg, thank you so much for joining us today.
Greg Mullis: You're very welcome. (00:49):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Now, your tagline is delightful, and not just because it rhymes. (00:50):
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Tri-CoGo, Say No To Slow.
Tell us a bit about your co-op and your broadband program.
Greg Mullis: Absolutely. Well, we are the fiber affiliate for Tri-County EMC located in Gray, Georgia. (01:02):
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We are at about 8,500 subs.
We hope to be around 9,100 by the end of the year.
And just things are going well.
We're growing by about 2.5 To 3% per month.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wow. (01:20):
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Greg Mullis: And just doing really well. (01:20):
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We are about two months away from being completely built out.
So that's exciting.
So from here on it becomes how well can we market?
How well can we let our reputation carry us into other parts ofour community?
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, and you're not the only person facing that challenge right now. (01:34):
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A lot of folks, there was a big push initially just to getthings built out.
And now it's about fighting churn, looking at your take rates,how can we get more folks to know about us?
And then you have a really unique challenge in middle Georgia.
(01:55):
You've got nine broadband competitors, I believe you told me,pulling some of your potential subscribers away.
Greg Mullis: That is correct. We've had – (02:01):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: No pressure. (02:02):
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Greg Mullis: We've had fiber built over the top of us by one competitor. (02:03):
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We've got, you know, a lot of interesting things going on.
None of them, other than the little bit of fiber that's been putin, are really that innovative or, you know, really enhancing a
customer experience. Quite the opposite.
It's the race to the bottom.
(02:24):
Drop our prices, cut our prices, play bundling games, and that sort of thing.
Megan McKoy-Noe: No one wins with that. (02:28):
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But the question is, how do you set your story apart when you'redealing with that?
Greg Mullis: Well, we absolutely are best in class. (02:34):
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We are 100% fiber, you know, greenfield place.
So we're able to control the quality.
We're doing a really good job with putting great installers inhomes.
We're fulfilling our promises to our members and also ourcommunity.
We've built to now over 2,000 off system locations.
(02:56):
We have a tremendous reputation in the community.
The best thing I've seen is someone will go on a communityFacebook page and ask, "Hey, can anybody tell me about Tri-CoGo?
Is it any good?" And the last one of those I saw at last count,there were around 60 very supportive,
just enthusiastic.
"Heck yes. Go get it.
(03:17):
It's great." And you know you can't buy that.
You know, that has to be earned, and we've really earned a greatreputation in the community.
And when we say we are your best internet experience, we cantruly back that up.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, that is exciting. (03:29):
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Now, I have to say, one of the best parts for me of CalixConneXions is the conversations that folks are having in the
halls, the circles of success.
Greg Mullis: They're fabulous. Yes. (03:40):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: I saw you, and I was like, "Hey, how are you?" And you were like, "Wait, I know you." It was fun. (03:40):
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And –
Greg Mullis: It's a small world after all. (03:45):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: It is a small world, I know. (03:46):
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I love our small world.
But my personal favorite is just the coffee line.
I've had the best conversations with people trying to get morecaffeine.
But that brings me to food trucks, obviously, because you and Igot into the craziest conversation yesterday about food trucks.
So tell me how powering food trucks became a way to build brandawareness in your community.
Greg Mullis: So everybody loves food trucks. (04:10):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: I mean, who doesn't? (04:12):
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Greg Mullis: Except when you can't run a credit card transaction at a food truck. (04:12):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: No one carries cash anymore. (04:18):
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Greg Mullis: No one carries cash anymore. (04:19):
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So our Chamber of Commerce, we have a community that we're basedin is Gray, Georgia.
Great little bedroom community to Macon, right in the center ofthe state.
Our chamber is always trying to be innovative and push theenvelope and do fun things.
So they had established a 4th of July fireworks display, whichwas a lot of fun, except there was nothing to
(04:41):
eat.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (04:42):
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Greg Mullis: Tried to bring in food trucks. (04:42):
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No cell service there at the rec complex.
So that aspect was a miserable failure that first year.
So here we are –
Megan McKoy-Noe: It didn't reach its full potential, Greg. (04:52):
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Greg Mullis: It did not reach its full potential. (04:53):
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So we're right in the middle of this fiber build.
And we've built to that rec complex with fiber.
And our first thought was, "Hey, we could fix this." You know,Calix has just come out with some new outdoor APs that are really
quite amazing. They've been a game changer for us in terms of,you know, certain market segments and just some, you know, do
(05:15):
something that the competitor can't, which is awesome.
But we thought, let's figure out how we can get out there.
And you know, this is a pretty large rec complex.
There are probably eight football fields, at least that manybaseball fields, softball, pickleball, lots of stuff going
on.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah. (05:31):
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Greg Mullis: So we start looking at it. (05:31):
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And, you know, what would it really take?
So about the time all this was going on and we're trying this,we were asked about a grant
program. Actually our friends at Georgia EMC.
Megan McKoy-Noe: We love Georgia EMC. (05:45):
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Greg Mullis: I'll have to give Lindsay Bridges a shout out. (05:46):
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She's awesome. She heard about this grant opportunity fromCareSource.
They were looking to spend some money and try to bring somebroadband to lower income homes or folks
in our region.
So, you know, we put our hand out and said, "Yeah, let's put someideas together." And the first thing that came to mind was, we
(06:10):
need some places for kids to be able to study that we can'treach.
You know, we've built 24,000 passings, really 26 with our awwsystem, but there's places we're probably never going to get to.
But that doesn't mean we can't come to the rescue a little bitin the community.
So we said, "All right, great.
Let's apply for this." We got the funds, and we leveraged thatto go buy these APs and put them up at two fire
(06:33):
stations, a rec facility with all of the Little League andfootball and stuff that also happens to house the
fireworks. So for, as you might imagine, the next year there'slots of fire food trucks, and everything
worked flawlessly. Now we, we had some lessons to be learned.
We did learn very quickly that people are full of water andwater blocks the internet signal, you know, more than you
(07:00):
might think.
Megan McKoy-Noe: What? (07:00):
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Greg Mullis: Yeah, I mean people. (07:01):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: I'm sorry. I thought you were going to talk about the port-a-potty line. (07:02):
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No, you're just saying when you have that many people there.
Greg Mullis: Yep. It really absorbs and blocks signal. (07:08):
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So it took us a little while of learning and figuring out howmany of these APs we needed.
So once we kind of figured that out and got things kind ofsquared away, it really works well.
So fireworks are super –
Megan McKoy-Noe: Is there a magic number? Sorry, I just got to – the people blocking the signal is very exciting. (07:24):
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Greg Mullis: You know, my operations folks probably can quote you something there because they had a lot of fun experimenting with this. (07:29):
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Because we are going to take this concept and like our friendsin Mississippi, we're going to go put some APs up at football
games and provide, you know, community service there.
Because we do have some football stadiums that have really lousycell signal, and when you put that many people in there, of
(07:49):
course, it just drops off the world.
So, you know, we're learning and using this, but it was really alot of fun to watch people.
We put up signage all around the facility with, you know, a QRcode and, you know, free internet brought to you by
Tri-CoGo. So it's free advertising that's going to stay therefor years and years.
(08:10):
And, you know, a local bank got the naming rights for thefacility which is nice.
And they spent, you know, $50,000 or $60,000 on that.
And I pretty much got free advertising for as many years as Iwanted without any additional expense.
So it's fun when you can leverage things successfully.
You know, the food trucks are great, and they had lines backedup.
(08:31):
You know, they were doing a really good business, and that'sawesome because that's something that can be there to help from
economic development standpoint, supporting the chamber.
But what really brings it home is when you go out there on anormal weeknight and you see, you know, there's a little league
practice going on, and there's 2 or 3 moms over sitting workingon something where they scan their QR code.
(08:52):
Or even better, from what we understand, the pickleball leaguejust loves us because before they couldn't take photos and share
them, and they couldn't, you know, get on the internet whilethey were out there.
So now they can.
And one of our employees, his wife plays pickleball in thatleague, and she came home and told her husband, "Look, y'all need
some more signs out there because these pickleball moms lovethis."
Megan McKoy-Noe: The pickleball moms. (09:15):
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Greg Mullis: It's like soccer moms, only different. (09:17):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: What? Yes. (09:19):
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Greg Mullis: I'm not sure if it's better or worse, but it's fun. (09:21):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Unclear, at this point. (09:23):
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Greg Mullis: But that's been a lot of fun. (09:25):
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We've, you know, Calix has really done some neat things withtheir innovation.
You know, they've got a new one of these devices that apparentlywill go a mile.
We haven't figured out how to apply one of those yet, but we'veput a lot of the other two devices, the 360 device and the other
AP, and they're great technology, but we're able to reallydifferentiate ourselves.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah. (09:49):
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Greg Mullis: We've got a lot of lake homes where people who want to have their dock and pool and backyard well equipped for (09:50):
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internet. Well, they can sit out and stream football or whateverto their heart's desire.
That's been very, very successful.
But it's fun to really, when you think about APs, food truckslined up, feeding the people and having a good time at the
(10:12):
fireworks.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, and the fireworks, I think I was excited about something else, and we went off on a trail with that. (10:12):
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But you also made it possible not just to have people watch thefireworks there, but talk to me about how you were able to
then share the fireworks with other folks.
Greg Mullis: Well, definitely. (10:30):
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You know, there's enough bandwidth there.
You know, you're not going to get gig speed wirelessly, butyou're going to get, you know, half that at least.
And we made sure to be able to saturate that area.
So yeah, if you want to stream the fireworks on your phone orfor the chamber to do that and be able to share with folks who
can't be there, it's just an added benefit.
(10:50):
The capacity of the broadband networks we're putting out there ispretty amazing.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, you mentioned a couple times QR codes. (10:55):
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Greg Mullis: Yes. (10:58):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: And folks are, you know, I was interviewing Brenda at Pea River Cooperative about their Friday night Wi-Fi. (10:59):
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Greg Mullis: Yes. (11:05):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: So they are doing that in stadiums as well. (11:06):
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And everyone has a different approach to how you share yourstory, your brand, and have folks connect.
Can you explain how the QR codes work?
I mean, do they know?
Is there a name?
Greg Mullis: Yes, absolutely. (11:21):
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So, you know, in the Calix technology, you have the ability to goin and name your SSID.
And if you want to just, if you're at your home, you can justshare that QR code with any guests who don't want to have to put
in their password and do all that.
Well, you can do the same thing –
Megan McKoy-Noe: Are you making it easy? (11:37):
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Greg Mullis: They really are. (11:38):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: What? (11:39):
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Greg Mullis: Yep. You know, we're really proud to be a Calix partner. (11:39):
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They've been great.
And it's little things like the QR code.
So our marketing folks will take those and blow them up and putthem on either a metal or plastic signs.
One of my favorite applications that we did was to put, we'vegot a board member that has an event
(12:01):
facility, and it'll house 500 to 600 people.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah. (12:05):
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Greg Mullis: You know, like at a table setting. (12:06):
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And he does songwriters nights and sells tickets and with themoney going to different charities.
So he called me one day and he said, "I want to do this, silentor not, not silent auction, but auction, live auction.
And everybody's going to use their cell phone.
And as you know, where I live, there's barely cell coverage,period.
Can we do this?" So, as you might imagine, we put up two of theAPs, and then
(12:31):
back to the bodies are made of, you know, filled with water.
We got –
Megan McKoy-Noe: I've heard. I've heard that's an issue. (12:35):
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Greg Mullis: We got a little nervous. (12:36):
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So we actually put a third in, and one of our folks sat therethroughout the night with their laptop out and monitored.
You know, how many folks are connected, and are they being ableto get the speed they need to do this auction?
Went off flawlessly.
So we took a lot of confidence from that that we can do a lot ofdifferent stuff.
All it takes is creativity.
(12:57):
But yeah, our marketing guy has really gotten creative withtaking these signs and putting them in a lot of different
applications that are weatherproof or just like in this barnjust around, you know, sponsored by or brought to you by
Tri-CoGo. And when you scan it, it comes up on your phone.
It's connected, you know, thanks to Tri-CoGo.
So it's a great marketing tool.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I would love to see a screenshot of what that looks like too. (13:18):
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Greg Mullis: I'll send one. (13:21):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Wonderful. See, this is why it pays to have friends. (13:22):
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Greg Mullis: Absolutely. (13:25):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Over many, many years. (13:26):
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So yeah, we'll have that attached to the podcastat pioneer.coop/podcast.
You'll be able to see it there.
So we've talked about how food trucks are free to roam thecommunity.
Fireworks are blazing for all to see.
What other community areas have potential for Tri-CoGo to grow?
Greg Mullis: Well, we're definitely going to move into football stadiums. (13:46):
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You've heard that around the country.
Megan McKoy-Noe: You heard it here first. (13:50):
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Greg Mullis: You heard it here first. (13:51):
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Really, the sky's the limit.
You know, we don't serve in any downtowns, but we're looking athow we might be able to work in some community spaces.
We've already been asked, one of our really tiny communitiesthat's got some persistent poverty, but is really kind of
the citizens there are really doing a good job of pullingthemselves up by their bootstraps, so to speak.
(14:15):
They're having a Christmas event.
And we were approached about being a sponsor and we said, "Well,hey, what if we put up one of our APs and everybody there for the
two days of the event can get free Wi-Fi?" And, you know, we'llalso, you know, be a sponsor as well.
So that's exciting. So there's, the sky's the limit of what wecan do.
It just takes creativity.
Megan McKoy-Noe: And listening to your subscribers, to your community and finding ways to connect folks to solutions. (14:36):
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Greg Mullis: Absolutely. (14:42):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: It's not just being a sponsor and giving out money. (14:43):
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It's becoming part of their life and part of their experience inthe community, which is just a lot of fun.
You're doing other fun things at Tri-CoGo.
Greg Mullis: We are. (14:54):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: You are. I was on y'all's Facebook page last night. (14:55):
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What is the middle Georgia duck hunt?
Greg Mullis: So this was one where my marketing guy thought maybe he had gone too far, and he was going to get fired. (15:02):
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But it actually has been pretty fun so far.
So I'm going through check requests one day, and there's a checkrequest for ducks.
Megan McKoy-Noe: And not live ducks. (15:19):
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We should clarify.
Greg Mullis: Well, I didn't know that. (15:22):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: You didn't know? (15:22):
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Greg Mullis: You know, I couldn't tell from the, you know, the memo field on the check request. (15:23):
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So I had to go walk in his office, and I said, what is thisthing with ducks?
And he kind of looks over and sure enough, there's a box ofthese bright blue, shiny glittery.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I was gonna say they're like glitter ducks. (15:40):
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Greg Mullis: Yeah, they're really shiny. (15:42):
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They're impressive.
And they've got little tags on them with QR codes.
And the concept is you go and hide them around the community.
There are, I think, ten participating businesses.
And the first person who finds a duck from every business wins$1,000 cash.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wow. (16:00):
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Greg Mullis: So we've been – I say "we," I have not had an opportunity to do that yet, but I'm thinking about taking some to church and kind (16:00):
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of hiding them around Sunday and seeing if anybody notices.
You don't think that's blasphemy do you?
Megan McKoy-Noe: Mhm. I mean ducks were created in the beginning, so. (16:13):
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Greg Mullis: So but they're really fun, and I'll have to give him credit for, you know, he's thinking outside of the box. (16:17):
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And that's what it takes as a marketer sometimes to really thinkof new things and get people laughing and participating.
But, you know, the first time they went out to hide these,Christopher shared them on our Facebook page.
And within minutes, apparently, somebody went out and got all ofthem and like, you know, shared that, "Hey, I got all those."
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Well, that was, you know, why did you get all of them, insteadof letting others?
Megan McKoy-Noe: It's a very strange competition. (16:46):
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Greg Mullis: It really is. (16:48):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Going on in middle Georgia. (16:48):
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Greg Mullis: You know, you got to give Christopher's props. (16:50):
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He went out and found something creative, and some folks had funwith it.
And I'll have to say, our CFO, who's normally kind of a littlebit square, I mean, it's the CFO, right?
She said, "You know, that's really cool.
I really like that." I was like, okay.
Hey, we have a convert.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I love it, and it's not something that Tri-CoGo created. (17:10):
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You're just participating and being part of the community and –
Greg Mullis: Part of the community. (17:19):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Having fun. (17:20):
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Greg Mullis: And that's what it's all about, is, you know, this is we serve internet, we sell electricity where we live and work (17:20):
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and play.
And what better motivator than making where you live better?
Megan McKoy-Noe: I love that so much, Greg. (17:36):
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Well, I think you're going to make everyone's communities betterright now just by sharing these ideas and what
you've learned through your experience with connecting folksoutside and helping to connect your communities in some really
unique ways.
Greg Mullis: It's been a heavy lift, but it's probably. (17:55):
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Well, it's without a doubt the most rewarding thing I've evertried to do.
You know, we work really hard at it.
At times it's been an avalanche trying to open new zones andkeep up with the lead times on the installs.
But seeing somebody at the grocery store or seeing a Facebookpost about how you've changed their lives.
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And the same with businesses.
We've got a business customer that makes a very obscure product.
They actually it's a piece of equipment that processes chickenand a turkey gizzards.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wow. (18:30):
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Greg Mullis: And they literally ship these all around the world. (18:30):
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But they lived in a space in Jones County, the county wherewe're headquartered in, where they had single
digit, you know, virtually dial up speeds on a legacy, you know,provider that had no interest in upgrading them ever.
You know, their data caps and the whole nine yards and paying$250 a month.
(18:52):
So we brought them gig speed internet to their location.
They're now completely able to use the functionality of theirbilling system, all of their CRM stuff, and they're really
thriving now.
And we're actually going to shoot a testimonial with them weekafter next when we get back and talk about, you know, what we've
(19:12):
been able to help them do.
And those are the kind of things that, you know, keep you going,that gets you excited about going to work.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I love that. (19:18):
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That and then finding the blue sparkle duck.
Greg Mullis: Yes. Yeah. If anybody really wants a duck, you know, send $100 bill and a self-addressed, stamped envelope and – (19:23):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: It is fun. (19:32):
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If you have not seen, I will include a picture of the ducks, andthey have your brand and everything on them.
So it's just a fun community project that maybe somebody elsewill hear and say, "Hey, we should do that," and have the co-op
lead or the utility lead, that idea.
So anyhow, I could talk to you all day about this, Greg.
(19:52):
So it's just, it's a treat.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with utility pioneers.
He is Greg Mullis from Tri-CoGo, and I'm your host, MeganMcKoy-Noe, at Pioneer Utility Resources.
And until we talk again keep telling your story.
Outro: StoryConnect is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources, a communications cooperative that is built to share your story. (20:08):
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StoryConnect, helping communicators discover ideas to shapetheir stories and connect with their customers.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Food trucks and fireworks (00:16):
how to creatively connect community events.
That's what we'll be talking about on this episode of TheStoryConnect Podcast.
Hi, I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe, one of the storytellers atPioneer Utility Resources, and I am joined by Greg Mullis, chief
operating officer at Tri-CoGo in Georgia, my home state.
(00:38):
It is very exciting to see you.
We are not in Georgia right now.
We are in Vegas at Calix ConneXions, the conference.
So Greg, thank you so much for joining us today.
Greg Mullis: You're very welcome. (00:49):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: Now, your tagline is delightful, and not just because it rhymes. (00:50):
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Tri-CoGo, Say No To Slow.
Tell us a bit about your co-op and your broadband program.
Greg Mullis: Absolutely. Well, we are the fiber affiliate for Tri-County EMC located in Gray, Georgia. (01:02):
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We are at about 8,500 subs.
We hope to be around 9,100 by the end of the year.
And just things are going well.
We're growing by about 2.5 To 3% per month.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wow. (01:20):
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Greg Mullis: And just doing really well. (01:20):
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We are about two months away from being completely built out.
So that's exciting.
So from here on it becomes how well can we market?
How well can we let our reputation carry us into other parts ofour community?
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, and you're not the only person facing that challenge right now. (01:34):
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A lot of folks, there was a big push initially just to getthings built out.
And now it's about fighting churn, looking at your take rates,how can we get more folks to know about us?
And then you have a really unique challenge in middle Georgia.
(01:55):
You've got nine broadband competitors, I believe you told me,pulling some of your potential subscribers away.
Greg Mullis: That is correct. We've had – (02:01):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: No pressure. (02:02):
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Greg Mullis: We've had fiber built over the top of us by one competitor. (02:03):
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We've got, you know, a lot of interesting things going on.
None of them, other than the little bit of fiber that's been putin, are really that innovative or, you know, really enhancing a
customer experience. Quite the opposite.
It's the race to the bottom.
(02:24):
Drop our prices, cut our prices, play bundling games, and that sort of thing.
Megan McKoy-Noe: No one wins with that. (02:28):
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But the question is, how do you set your story apart when you'redealing with that?
Greg Mullis: Well, we absolutely are best in class. (02:34):
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We are 100% fiber, you know, greenfield place.
So we're able to control the quality.
We're doing a really good job with putting great installers inhomes.
We're fulfilling our promises to our members and also ourcommunity.
We've built to now over 2,000 off system locations.
(02:56):
We have a tremendous reputation in the community.
The best thing I've seen is someone will go on a communityFacebook page and ask, "Hey, can anybody tell me about Tri-CoGo?
Is it any good?" And the last one of those I saw at last count,there were around 60 very supportive,
just enthusiastic.
"Heck yes. Go get it.
(03:17):
It's great." And you know you can't buy that.
You know, that has to be earned, and we've really earned a greatreputation in the community.
And when we say we are your best internet experience, we cantruly back that up.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, that is exciting. (03:29):
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Now, I have to say, one of the best parts for me of CalixConneXions is the conversations that folks are having in the
halls, the circles of success.
Greg Mullis: They're fabulous. Yes. (03:40):
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Megan McKoy-Noe: I saw you, and I was like, "Hey, how are you?" And you were like, "Wait, I know you." It was fun. (03:40):
undefined
And –
Greg Mullis: It's a small world after all. (03:45):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: It is a small world, I know. (03:46):
undefined
I love our small world.
But my personal favorite is just the coffee line.
I've had the best conversations with people trying to get morecaffeine.
But that brings me to food trucks, obviously, because you and Igot into the craziest conversation yesterday about food trucks.
So tell me how powering food trucks became a way to build brandawareness in your community.
Greg Mullis: So everybody loves food trucks. (04:10):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: I mean, who doesn't? (04:12):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Except when you can't run a credit card transaction at a food truck. (04:12):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: No one carries cash anymore. (04:18):
undefined
Greg Mullis: No one carries cash anymore. (04:19):
undefined
So our Chamber of Commerce, we have a community that we're basedin is Gray, Georgia.
Great little bedroom community to Macon, right in the center ofthe state.
Our chamber is always trying to be innovative and push theenvelope and do fun things.
So they had established a 4th of July fireworks display, whichwas a lot of fun, except there was nothing to
(04:41):
eat.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (04:42):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Tried to bring in food trucks. (04:42):
undefined
No cell service there at the rec complex.
So that aspect was a miserable failure that first year.
So here we are –
Megan McKoy-Noe: It didn't reach its full potential, Greg. (04:52):
undefined
Greg Mullis: It did not reach its full potential. (04:53):
undefined
So we're right in the middle of this fiber build.
And we've built to that rec complex with fiber.
And our first thought was, "Hey, we could fix this." You know,Calix has just come out with some new outdoor APs that are really
quite amazing. They've been a game changer for us in terms of,you know, certain market segments and just some, you know, do
(05:15):
something that the competitor can't, which is awesome.
But we thought, let's figure out how we can get out there.
And you know, this is a pretty large rec complex.
There are probably eight football fields, at least that manybaseball fields, softball, pickleball, lots of stuff going
on.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah. (05:31):
undefined
Greg Mullis: So we start looking at it. (05:31):
undefined
And, you know, what would it really take?
So about the time all this was going on and we're trying this,we were asked about a grant
program. Actually our friends at Georgia EMC.
Megan McKoy-Noe: We love Georgia EMC. (05:45):
undefined
Greg Mullis: I'll have to give Lindsay Bridges a shout out. (05:46):
undefined
She's awesome. She heard about this grant opportunity fromCareSource.
They were looking to spend some money and try to bring somebroadband to lower income homes or folks
in our region.
So, you know, we put our hand out and said, "Yeah, let's put someideas together." And the first thing that came to mind was, we
(06:10):
need some places for kids to be able to study that we can'treach.
You know, we've built 24,000 passings, really 26 with our awwsystem, but there's places we're probably never going to get to.
But that doesn't mean we can't come to the rescue a little bitin the community.
So we said, "All right, great.
Let's apply for this." We got the funds, and we leveraged thatto go buy these APs and put them up at two fire
(06:33):
stations, a rec facility with all of the Little League andfootball and stuff that also happens to house the
fireworks. So for, as you might imagine, the next year there'slots of fire food trucks, and everything
worked flawlessly. Now we, we had some lessons to be learned.
We did learn very quickly that people are full of water andwater blocks the internet signal, you know, more than you
(07:00):
might think.
Megan McKoy-Noe: What? (07:00):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Yeah, I mean people. (07:01):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: I'm sorry. I thought you were going to talk about the port-a-potty line. (07:02):
undefined
No, you're just saying when you have that many people there.
Greg Mullis: Yep. It really absorbs and blocks signal. (07:08):
undefined
So it took us a little while of learning and figuring out howmany of these APs we needed.
So once we kind of figured that out and got things kind ofsquared away, it really works well.
So fireworks are super –
Megan McKoy-Noe: Is there a magic number? Sorry, I just got to – the people blocking the signal is very exciting. (07:24):
undefined
Greg Mullis: You know, my operations folks probably can quote you something there because they had a lot of fun experimenting with this. (07:29):
undefined
Because we are going to take this concept and like our friendsin Mississippi, we're going to go put some APs up at football
games and provide, you know, community service there.
Because we do have some football stadiums that have really lousycell signal, and when you put that many people in there, of
(07:49):
course, it just drops off the world.
So, you know, we're learning and using this, but it was really alot of fun to watch people.
We put up signage all around the facility with, you know, a QRcode and, you know, free internet brought to you by
Tri-CoGo. So it's free advertising that's going to stay therefor years and years.
(08:10):
And, you know, a local bank got the naming rights for thefacility which is nice.
And they spent, you know, $50,000 or $60,000 on that.
And I pretty much got free advertising for as many years as Iwanted without any additional expense.
So it's fun when you can leverage things successfully.
You know, the food trucks are great, and they had lines backedup.
(08:31):
You know, they were doing a really good business, and that'sawesome because that's something that can be there to help from
economic development standpoint, supporting the chamber.
But what really brings it home is when you go out there on anormal weeknight and you see, you know, there's a little league
practice going on, and there's 2 or 3 moms over sitting workingon something where they scan their QR code.
(08:52):
Or even better, from what we understand, the pickleball leaguejust loves us because before they couldn't take photos and share
them, and they couldn't, you know, get on the internet whilethey were out there.
So now they can.
And one of our employees, his wife plays pickleball in thatleague, and she came home and told her husband, "Look, y'all need
some more signs out there because these pickleball moms lovethis."
Megan McKoy-Noe: The pickleball moms. (09:15):
undefined
Greg Mullis: It's like soccer moms, only different. (09:17):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: What? Yes. (09:19):
undefined
Greg Mullis: I'm not sure if it's better or worse, but it's fun. (09:21):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Unclear, at this point. (09:23):
undefined
Greg Mullis: But that's been a lot of fun. (09:25):
undefined
We've, you know, Calix has really done some neat things withtheir innovation.
You know, they've got a new one of these devices that apparentlywill go a mile.
We haven't figured out how to apply one of those yet, but we'veput a lot of the other two devices, the 360 device and the other
AP, and they're great technology, but we're able to reallydifferentiate ourselves.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah. (09:49):
undefined
Greg Mullis: We've got a lot of lake homes where people who want to have their dock and pool and backyard well equipped for (09:50):
undefined
internet. Well, they can sit out and stream football or whateverto their heart's desire.
That's been very, very successful.
But it's fun to really, when you think about APs, food truckslined up, feeding the people and having a good time at the
(10:12):
fireworks.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, and the fireworks, I think I was excited about something else, and we went off on a trail with that. (10:12):
undefined
But you also made it possible not just to have people watch thefireworks there, but talk to me about how you were able to
then share the fireworks with other folks.
Greg Mullis: Well, definitely. (10:30):
undefined
You know, there's enough bandwidth there.
You know, you're not going to get gig speed wirelessly, butyou're going to get, you know, half that at least.
And we made sure to be able to saturate that area.
So yeah, if you want to stream the fireworks on your phone orfor the chamber to do that and be able to share with folks who
can't be there, it's just an added benefit.
(10:50):
The capacity of the broadband networks we're putting out there ispretty amazing.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, you mentioned a couple times QR codes. (10:55):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Yes. (10:58):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: And folks are, you know, I was interviewing Brenda at Pea River Cooperative about their Friday night Wi-Fi. (10:59):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Yes. (11:05):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: So they are doing that in stadiums as well. (11:06):
undefined
And everyone has a different approach to how you share yourstory, your brand, and have folks connect.
Can you explain how the QR codes work?
I mean, do they know?
Is there a name?
Greg Mullis: Yes, absolutely. (11:21):
undefined
So, you know, in the Calix technology, you have the ability to goin and name your SSID.
And if you want to just, if you're at your home, you can justshare that QR code with any guests who don't want to have to put
in their password and do all that.
Well, you can do the same thing –
Megan McKoy-Noe: Are you making it easy? (11:37):
undefined
Greg Mullis: They really are. (11:38):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: What? (11:39):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Yep. You know, we're really proud to be a Calix partner. (11:39):
undefined
They've been great.
And it's little things like the QR code.
So our marketing folks will take those and blow them up and putthem on either a metal or plastic signs.
One of my favorite applications that we did was to put, we'vegot a board member that has an event
(12:01):
facility, and it'll house 500 to 600 people.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah. (12:05):
undefined
Greg Mullis: You know, like at a table setting. (12:06):
undefined
And he does songwriters nights and sells tickets and with themoney going to different charities.
So he called me one day and he said, "I want to do this, silentor not, not silent auction, but auction, live auction.
And everybody's going to use their cell phone.
And as you know, where I live, there's barely cell coverage,period.
Can we do this?" So, as you might imagine, we put up two of theAPs, and then
(12:31):
back to the bodies are made of, you know, filled with water.
We got –
Megan McKoy-Noe: I've heard. I've heard that's an issue. (12:35):
undefined
Greg Mullis: We got a little nervous. (12:36):
undefined
So we actually put a third in, and one of our folks sat therethroughout the night with their laptop out and monitored.
You know, how many folks are connected, and are they being ableto get the speed they need to do this auction?
Went off flawlessly.
So we took a lot of confidence from that that we can do a lot ofdifferent stuff.
All it takes is creativity.
(12:57):
But yeah, our marketing guy has really gotten creative withtaking these signs and putting them in a lot of different
applications that are weatherproof or just like in this barnjust around, you know, sponsored by or brought to you by
Tri-CoGo. And when you scan it, it comes up on your phone.
It's connected, you know, thanks to Tri-CoGo.
So it's a great marketing tool.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I would love to see a screenshot of what that looks like too. (13:18):
undefined
Greg Mullis: I'll send one. (13:21):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wonderful. See, this is why it pays to have friends. (13:22):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Absolutely. (13:25):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Over many, many years. (13:26):
undefined
So yeah, we'll have that attached to the podcastat pioneer.coop/podcast.
You'll be able to see it there.
So we've talked about how food trucks are free to roam thecommunity.
Fireworks are blazing for all to see.
What other community areas have potential for Tri-CoGo to grow?
Greg Mullis: Well, we're definitely going to move into football stadiums. (13:46):
undefined
You've heard that around the country.
Megan McKoy-Noe: You heard it here first. (13:50):
undefined
Greg Mullis: You heard it here first. (13:51):
undefined
Really, the sky's the limit.
You know, we don't serve in any downtowns, but we're looking athow we might be able to work in some community spaces.
We've already been asked, one of our really tiny communitiesthat's got some persistent poverty, but is really kind of
the citizens there are really doing a good job of pullingthemselves up by their bootstraps, so to speak.
(14:15):
They're having a Christmas event.
And we were approached about being a sponsor and we said, "Well,hey, what if we put up one of our APs and everybody there for the
two days of the event can get free Wi-Fi?" And, you know, we'llalso, you know, be a sponsor as well.
So that's exciting. So there's, the sky's the limit of what wecan do.
It just takes creativity.
Megan McKoy-Noe: And listening to your subscribers, to your community and finding ways to connect folks to solutions. (14:36):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Absolutely. (14:42):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: It's not just being a sponsor and giving out money. (14:43):
undefined
It's becoming part of their life and part of their experience inthe community, which is just a lot of fun.
You're doing other fun things at Tri-CoGo.
Greg Mullis: We are. (14:54):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: You are. I was on y'all's Facebook page last night. (14:55):
undefined
What is the middle Georgia duck hunt?
Greg Mullis: So this was one where my marketing guy thought maybe he had gone too far, and he was going to get fired. (15:02):
undefined
But it actually has been pretty fun so far.
So I'm going through check requests one day, and there's a checkrequest for ducks.
Megan McKoy-Noe: And not live ducks. (15:19):
undefined
We should clarify.
Greg Mullis: Well, I didn't know that. (15:22):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: You didn't know? (15:22):
undefined
Greg Mullis: You know, I couldn't tell from the, you know, the memo field on the check request. (15:23):
undefined
So I had to go walk in his office, and I said, what is thisthing with ducks?
And he kind of looks over and sure enough, there's a box ofthese bright blue, shiny glittery.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I was gonna say they're like glitter ducks. (15:40):
undefined
Greg Mullis: Yeah, they're really shiny. (15:42):
undefined
They're impressive.
And they've got little tags on them with QR codes.
And the concept is you go and hide them around the community.
There are, I think, ten participating businesses.
And the first person who finds a duck from every business wins$1,000 cash.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wow. (16:00):
undefined
Greg Mullis: So we've been – I say "we," I have not had an opportunity to do that yet, but I'm thinking about taking some to church and kind (16:00):
undefined
of hiding them around Sunday and seeing if anybody notices.
You don't think that's blasphemy do you?
Megan McKoy-Noe: Mhm. I mean ducks were created in the beginning, so. (16:13):
undefined
Greg Mullis: So but they're really fun, and I'll have to give him credit for, you know, he's thinking outside of the box. (16:17):
undefined
And that's what it takes as a marketer sometimes to really thinkof new things and get people laughing and participating.
But, you know, the first time they went out to hide these,Christopher shared them on our Facebook page.
And within minutes, apparently, somebody went out and got all ofthem and like, you know, shared that, "Hey, I got all those."
(16:43):
Well, that was, you know, why did you get all of them, insteadof letting others?
Megan McKoy-Noe: It's a very strange competition. (16:46):
undefined
Greg Mullis: It really is. (16:48):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Going on in middle Georgia. (16:48):
undefined
Greg Mullis: You know, you got to give Christopher's props. (16:50):
undefined
He went out and found something creative, and some folks had funwith it.
And I'll have to say, our CFO, who's normally kind of a littlebit square, I mean, it's the CFO, right?
She said, "You know, that's really cool.
I really like that." I was like, okay.
Hey, we have a convert.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I love it, and it's not something that Tri-CoGo created. (17:10):
undefined
You're just participating and being part of the community and –
Greg Mullis: Part of the community. (17:19):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Having fun. (17:20):
undefined
Greg Mullis: And that's what it's all about, is, you know, this is we serve internet, we sell electricity where we live and work (17:20):
undefined
and play.
And what better motivator than making where you live better?
Megan McKoy-Noe: I love that so much, Greg. (17:36):
undefined
Well, I think you're going to make everyone's communities betterright now just by sharing these ideas and what
you've learned through your experience with connecting folksoutside and helping to connect your communities in some really
unique ways.
Greg Mullis: It's been a heavy lift, but it's probably. (17:55):
undefined
Well, it's without a doubt the most rewarding thing I've evertried to do.
You know, we work really hard at it.
At times it's been an avalanche trying to open new zones andkeep up with the lead times on the installs.
But seeing somebody at the grocery store or seeing a Facebookpost about how you've changed their lives.
(18:17):
And the same with businesses.
We've got a business customer that makes a very obscure product.
They actually it's a piece of equipment that processes chickenand a turkey gizzards.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Wow. (18:30):
undefined
Greg Mullis: And they literally ship these all around the world. (18:30):
undefined
But they lived in a space in Jones County, the county wherewe're headquartered in, where they had single
digit, you know, virtually dial up speeds on a legacy, you know,provider that had no interest in upgrading them ever.
You know, their data caps and the whole nine yards and paying$250 a month.
(18:52):
So we brought them gig speed internet to their location.
They're now completely able to use the functionality of theirbilling system, all of their CRM stuff, and they're really
thriving now.
And we're actually going to shoot a testimonial with them weekafter next when we get back and talk about, you know, what we've
(19:12):
been able to help them do.
And those are the kind of things that, you know, keep you going,that gets you excited about going to work.
Megan McKoy-Noe: I love that. (19:18):
undefined
That and then finding the blue sparkle duck.
Greg Mullis: Yes. Yeah. If anybody really wants a duck, you know, send $100 bill and a self-addressed, stamped envelope and – (19:23):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: It is fun. (19:32):
undefined
If you have not seen, I will include a picture of the ducks, andthey have your brand and everything on them.
So it's just a fun community project that maybe somebody elsewill hear and say, "Hey, we should do that," and have the co-op
lead or the utility lead, that idea.
So anyhow, I could talk to you all day about this, Greg.
(19:52):
So it's just, it's a treat.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with utility pioneers.
He is Greg Mullis from Tri-CoGo, and I'm your host, MeganMcKoy-Noe, at Pioneer Utility Resources.
And until we talk again keep telling your story.
Outro: StoryConnect is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources, a communications cooperative that is built to share your story. (20:08):
undefined
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