PeopleNet Celebrates 10 Years in Business; Signs Bridgestone/Firestone as its 1,000th Fleet Customer
ATLANTA-NPTC Education Management Conference & Exhibition, May 3, 2004-PeopleNet, the fastest-growing provider of onboard computing and mobile communications for North American trucking companies, proudly announced today that on the eve of its tenth anniversary it has signed Bridgestone/Firestone, the world's largest tire and rubber company, as its 1,000th customer.
Founded in 1994, PeopleNet is committed to providing innovative products and services to the transportation market. "Celebrating 10 years in business and our 1,000th customer are major milestones in the history of PeopleNet," said John Sarto, Chief Executive Officer for PeopleNet. "Our rich history of customer-driven innovation, leadership and commitment to customer service has resulted in ground-breaking applications that have significantly impacted the course of operations for many of the nation's fleets. Those values and achievements continue to fuel our growth and are the foundation of many innovations to come."
The signing of Bridgestone/Firestone, Nashville, Tenn., as PeopleNet's 1,000th customer follows a trend of steady growth for PeopleNet and marks the 18th consecutive quarter of expansion for the company. During the first quarter of 2004, 45 new trucking companies joined the ranks of PeopleNet customers. During 2003, PeopleNet's revenues soared 50 percent over those of the previous year. The company remains the only profitable, high-growth company in the Onboard Computing and Mobile Communications industry.
Continuous Innovation
"PeopleNet's history of innovation is a good indicator of how we will continue to offer a new and better approach, a new way of doing business by providing a choice of advanced onboard technology that focuses on our customers' needs," said Ron Konezny, Chief Operating Officer. "Continuous innovation fuels our growth. We are not standing still but rather building on ten years of development effort by focusing 100 percent of our R&D investment on improving our products and services.
"While PeopleNet's technology track record speaks for itself," Konezny continued, "products are just the beginning. Along with striving to be technology experts and innovators, a key differentiator at PeopleNet is our service mentality. Our customer service is above and beyond what anyone else offers because we really do listen to our existing and prospective customers, whom we rely on to guide our innovation."
PeopleNet's proactive approach to customer support, according to Konezny, is based on an infrastructure developed to deliver on this promise. For example, the company has formed a P3 Process (Product Planning and Prioritization) effort, and a Product Advisory Council to address the challenges of prioritizing and communicating new features to customers. These practices, he noted, have elevated PeopleNet's knowledge of system utilization, allowing the company to offer tailored solutions that provide improved value and a better and faster return on investment.
"We have also worked hard to improve our customer support processes," Konezny added. "The concept of waiting for someone to call with a problem is dead. Proactive customer support requires information, systems, processes and people that anticipate questions and problems by monitoring the process to be sure our customers are getting the most from their investment. Our extensive project management experience ensures sound planning and our highly knowledgeable support representatives are ready to provide coverage around the clock.
"Times may change but PeopleNet's commitment to its guiding values will not," Konezny concluded. "We remain driven by the need to provide innovative solutions, value and a return on investment, as well as proactive customer support by attracting and retaining the most talented individuals in our industry. PeopleNet and its wholly owned subsidiary PeopleNet Canada are also driven to remain profitable and maintain a strong capital position so we can continue to invest in new technologies and processes. And last but not least, PeopleNet remains committed to its exclusive focus on transportation fleets."
Headquartered in Minneapolis, PeopleNet is the fastest-growing provider of Internet-based onboard computing and mobile communications systems to the long-haul transportation and metro-based fleet industries. The company serves carriers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information about PeopleNet, call 888-346-3486, e-mail info@peoplenetonline.com, or visit www.peoplenetonline.com.
