Rainbow Youth Advisory Council 3 Spotlight on Pierce Heating and Cooling 4 Increase Internet Speed to Increase Productivity 6 Returning to Your Roots 7 connections www.rainbowtel.net 800-892-0163 SPRING 2022 • VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 4 BUSINESS Pierce Heating and Cooling Celebrates 20 Years L to R: TJ Hanshaw, Brandon Pierce, and Makhi Rolfsmeyer
2 Spring 2022 Business Connections is a publication of Rainbow Communications, 608 Main St., Everest, KS 66424. Editorial and Circulation Contact: Kaycee Slough, 628 Oregon St., Hiawatha, KS 66434 800-892-0163 Extra issues are available to business customer employees on a limited basis while supplies last. Contact: Kaycee Slough, 628 Oregon St., Hiawatha, KS 66434 800-892-0163 All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright® 2022 by Rainbow Communications and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. Postmaster send changes to: Kaycee Slough Rainbow Communications 628 Oregon St. Hiawatha, KS 66434 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Rainbow offers cool technology. It includes high-speed Internet up to 1 Gig, Business PremiumWi-Fi, and Hosted PBX—all made possible by the Rainbow Fiber-Optic Network. The Spring ‘22 Business Connections issue showcases what’s cool as well as warm thoughts about our community. On page 3, Meet the RainbowYouth Advisory Council. We thought high school students would have cool ideas to share with Rainbow, and we were right. Check out the Business Spotlight on Pierce Heating and Cooling on pages 4 and 5, which was the inspiration for the cool (and warm) theme for this issue. You’ll enjoy learning about this 20-year-old business in Bendena and how it keeps customers comfortable. Rainbow is honored to provide several communications services to Pierce Heating and Cooling. Page 6 advises you to Increase Internet Speed to Increase Productivity. When your online activity heats up, you need an Internet plan that’s fast enough to keep employees working efficiently. Then on page 7, Neil Lednicky of Bendena State Bank shares warmmemories of small-town life in Returning to Your Roots. Cool technology isn’t all you’ll get from Rainbow. You’ll also get to work with a warm and friendly team of professionals. Let us know how we can help. Sincerely, Rainbow Business Solutions Department connections BUSINESS L to R: Angie Kreider Director of Business Development Jonny Kane Business Solutions Representative Deanna Lanter Business Solutions Representative Mike Regenstein Business Solutions Representative Suzanne Schuster Business Solutions Representative Jerad Enneking Business Solutions Manager SPRING 2022
BUSINESS connections Spring 2022 3 We began the Rainbow Youth Advisory Council at the start of the 2021/2022 school year. It’s comprised of juniors from local high schools within Rainbow’s serving area, and its purpose is to educate and involve students in the scope of our services and obtain ideas and suggestions from student leaders regarding technology. In exchange for their time and participation, each council member will receive a $500 scholarship upon completion of the program. So far, the Youth Advisory Council members have met in person to network with one another and to discuss and execute halftime entertainment for various local basketball games. The next meeting will take place at the end of March and will be a career fair, during which Rainbow employees will talk about their jobs, explain what tasks they do daily, and describe what education they had prior to starting employment at Rainbow. Members of the Rainbow Youth Advisory Council will also get to learn how to splice fiber and actually try their hand at doing it. Highland Community College will also be coming to the March meeting to talk about classes they have available that can fit each pathway for employment at Rainbow. Students on the Rainbow Youth Advisory Council have had great things to say about their experiences so far, including: • “I am looking forward to exploring all the career pathways Rainbow offers.” • “I get to meet with other students from different schools.” • “ It’s given me an opportunity to get to know new people, and it’s pushed me outside my usual comfort zone.” • “ It allows me to work with other youth in my area to make fun events for my fellow peers.” • “I’m excited to learn more about leadership from this program.” We thank Alaina Pantle, Emili Postma, Ethan Ramirez, Zach Dove, Emmillie Losey, Camden Bachman, Julia Lehew, Madison Stirton, Montana Hutchison, Sophie Schumacher, and Kate Beyer for serving on the council. Meet the Rainbow Youth Advisory Council Get Ready to Celebrate Small Business Week Since 1963, the Small Business Administration (SBA) takes the opportunity each year to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Small Business Week is held annually during the first week of May. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. During National Small Business Week, the SBA recognizes the 32.5 million small businesses that drive our nation’s economy and showcase the resources and services the SBA provides to entrepreneurs at every stage—whether they’re just starting up, expanding, or getting through a tough time. If you own a small business, take a moment during Small BusinessWeek to remind your customers and supporters why you started your business by sharing your story on social media using the hashtags #SmallBusinessWeek or #MySmallBizWhy. You may also want to join forces with other small businesses in your area that reach a similar audience by promoting each other’s businesses and offering a small discount coupon.
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 4 Spring 2022 Keeping customers comfortable for 20 years Wide Range of Solutions Pierce Heating and Cooling provides practical solutions for all types of indoor comfort challenges. The business is an independent Trane dealer and also sells equipment from Mitsubishi Electric, Bosch, and Nexia. Its offerings include: • S ales of a wide variety of heating and cooling systems—air conditioners, air handlers, furnaces, heat pumps, all-in-one systems, and ductless systems • Heating and cooling system installation and service • A/C maintenance checkups and tune-ups • Energy-efficient geothermal systems • In-floor and tube radiant heating • System control panels and thermostats • Air filters and cleaners • Dehumidifers • 24-hour emergency service • Free new system estimates Pierce said, “We strive each day to provide our customers with the same thing we would want—friendly, reliable service at a fair price. Comfort isn’t only about achieving the right temperature. Our easy-to-talk-to technicians help create a whole new level of comfort.” Pierce Heating and Cooling Brandon Pierce started Pierce Heating and Cooling as a solo business out of his basement on January 1, 2002. Today, he has eight employees on his team, and they serve homeowners and businesses throughout Northeast Kansas from the Bendena office. Brandon Pierce, Owner
Spring 2022 5 BUSINESS connections Smart Thermostats Improve Energy Efficiency You’ve probably been using a programmable thermostat business for years. They essentially allow you to pre-program temperature settings at scheduled times during the day. Smart thermostats, by contrast, are Internetconnected and take this idea to an entirely new level, with learning capabilities that allow the device to pick up on your habits and preferences. Once a smart thermostat understands the ins and outs of your routine, it will automatically change temperature settings based on key actions, such as when you get out of bed, close the front door, or have more than the usual number of people in your home (such as during a party). While smart thermostats may seem like an investment—prices typically fall in the $200 to $300 range—they have the ability to generate long-term savings that far exceed the upfront cost. According to product manufacturers, smart thermostats could help users take anywhere from 10 to 15 percent off their heating and cooling bills. Rainbow Internet offers the speed and reliability you need for smart thermostats and all the other smart devices in your home or office. To learn more, call 800-892-0163. Pleased with Rainbow Connections To stay connected with customers and work most efficiently, Pierce Heating and Cooling uses Rainbow’s phone service, Hosted PBX system, Internet service, and Business PremiumWi-Fi. “I have nothing but good things to say about the performance of our Hosted PBX phone system from Rainbow. First of all, when our secretary isn’t going to be in the office, she can click a few buttons on her computer and easily have calls transferred to the answering service. I also like how the system lets us receive multiple calls at one time, so callers don’t have to leave a message or be put on hold. That’s important, since 99 percent of our customer contact is by phone,” noted Pierce. He added, “I’m also pleased with our Rainbow Internet and Wi-Fi. The speed is unbelievably fast, especially for our location out here in the country. Much of our work requires the Internet, including the employee training we do in the breakroom every couple of months, so we need a fast and reliable connection. We don’t have issues very often, but when we do, I appreciate the quick response we get from Rainbow.” Smart Homes, Valued Employees Internet connections are used by many of today’s heating and cooling systems to help reduce energy costs and add customer convenience. It’s all part of the increasing popularity of smart home technology in general. Pierce said, “At Pierce Heating and Cooling, we see more interest in smart home technology all the time. When I first got into this business, smart homes were unheard of. Now, one out of five installs we do has a Wi-Fi thermostat controlled by the customer’s smartphone. That way, they can remotely monitor and manage their interior temperatures.” Since 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of Pierce Heating and Cooling, we asked Pierce what he’s most proud of when it comes to his business. He responded, “I’m most proud of my employees. They’re good, honest, down-toearth, and trustworthy people. Without hesitation, I can leave my business in their hands and know they will care for it like I do.” ” I have nothing but good things to say about the performance of our Hosted PBX phone system from Rainbow. That’s important, since 99 percent of our customer contact is by phone.” — BRANDON PIERCE, OWNER, PIERCE HEATING AND COOLING
6 Spring 2022 Rainbow Appears on World’s Greatest TV Show From hidden gems to household names, World’s Greatest TV Show has aired for the last 16 years. It takes viewers on a fast-paced tour around the world, and has featured behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with some of the most amazing and unique companies, products, people, and travel destinations the world has to offer! Rainbow was recently featured on World’s Greatest TV Show because of our great work at providing exceptional broadband services to rural communities in Northeast Kansas. Jason Smith, CEO/General Manager, and Jackie Petersen, Director of Products & Services, helped to tell the story of Rainbow’s success in telecommunications. For example, the fact that small towns in Rainbow’s service area have Fiberto-the-Home connections and access to Internet speeds up to 1 Gig is truly a world-class achievement. This exceeds what many urban areas have today. Scan the QR code to watch the episode featuring Rainbow. Or go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPliIeewWk8. Is your current Internet speed keeping up with the demands of your employees and customers? Ask yourself these questions: • D oes it take too much time for your staff to do online research or receive large files? • Are your employees frustrated with the Internet speeds at your business? • D o your customers have to wait on the phone while their account information is being loaded or transactions are being processed? • I s your staff unable to effectively use video conferencing for collaboration? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, it may be time to consider increasing the speed of your Internet connection. Most businesses can reap rewards by upgrading their Internet plan, particularly in terms of improving efficiency and productivity. By doing so, employees will no longer have to waste time waiting for large files to download or upload. They can move seamlessly from task to task without losing steam and becoming distracted by downtime. Faster Internet also enables employees to take full advantage of productivity-boosting activities such as video conferencing with co-workers and customers, cloud-based data storage and software, customer relationship management programs, and more. The bottom line is this: A huge percentage of business activity is now done online, and data-intensive applications require faster Internet speeds. If you want to stay ahead of your competition, you need to be traveling as fast, or faster, than they are. By equipping your business with more bandwidth, your employees can move data more quickly and efficiently, resulting in increased productivity and a better overall experience for your customers. Are you interested in increasing your Internet speed to help increase productivity? Find out about the Rainbow Internet options available. Call us today at 800-892-0163. Increase Internet Speed to Increase Productivity
BUSINESS connections Spring 2022 7 In this magazine, we periodically highlight people in our community whose career path brought them back to their roots in northeast Kansas. For this issue, we feature Neil Lednicky, Loan Officer at Bendena State Bank. Neil Lednicky grew up outside of Horton, Kansas, and attended Horton High School. Lednicky said, “I enjoyed the small-town life and the relationships I was able to build in a smaller community. There are experiences you have growing up in a small town that someone from the city doesn’t necessarily get exposure to, and I’m grateful to have had those opportunities.” Lednicky left Horton to attend college. He earned an associate degree from Highland Community College, then transferred to Kansas State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. What prompted Lednicky to return to his roots? He replied, “After getting married, my wife Jessica and I bought a house in Hiawatha and started a family. Hiawatha was a good halfway point between both of our families and also close to my wife’s job. A few years later, we bought a house outside of Troy. We wanted to live in the country, and also to be closer to my job in Bendena to be able to interact more with the people that live in the county.” As Loan Officer at Bendena State Bank, his primary responsibility is interviewing loan customers to find the best product to fit their needs. “Working in an agricultural community, I am involved in ag lending as well as home loans and all other types of consumer lending. I get to do a little bit of everything, so the variety is nice,” said Lednicky. If someone he knewwas considering amove to the area, Lednicky would have plenty to say, including this: “The people are friendly and the topography is beautiful in Northeast Kansas. From fertile farmfields to the bluffs along theMissouri River, the area is great for someone who enjoys spending time outdoors. When it comes to raising a family, the schools’ smaller class sizes are great for a more individualized teaching approach as well as personalized opportunities for extracurricular activities such as 4-H.” Returning to Your Roots
UNLOCK NEW POSSIBILITIES WITH FIBER Fiber gives you more. More speed. More reliability. More efficient cloud access. HD video conferencing, and backups. The Rainbow Fiber-Optic Network gives you more advantages with nearly unlimited bandwidth solutions. 800-892-0163 Call for availability and pricing.
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