SUMMER 2023 5 SOLUTIONS With Cooperatives, Customers are Member-Owners A cooperative is a not-for-profit organization owned by its members, and they can be found in many industries. Both Panora Fiber and Guthrie County REC are cooperatives, designed to serve their members in the best way possible, by following the Seven Cooperative Principles: • Voluntary and Open Membership • Democratic Member Control • Members’ Economic Participation • Autonomy and Independence • Education, Training, and Information • Cooperation Among Cooperatives • Concern for Community There are more than 800 electric cooperatives in addition to Guthrie County REC in the U.S., located in 47 states. While rural electric cooperatives serve the smallest number of consumers, about 12 percent of the market, their electric lines cover more than 75 percent of the U.S. landmass. This is because rural electric cooperatives provide power where others once refused to go, due to the low population density and fewer potential customers fromwhom to recoup the costs. easier. We wouldn’t be able to operate without it. Looking up customer accounts, taking payments, monitoring our mapping system, and reading meters are all vital components of our everyday operation, and they all require a robust connection.” Communications services aren’t the only business solutions Guthrie County REC gets from Panora Fiber. Guthrie County REC also chooses Panora Fiber for IT equipment and services including these: • Purchase of PCs, laptops, and servers • AV/EDR Solution (cyber security) • Server work/maintenance • Network work/maintenance • Workstation work/maintenance • Email Migration to Microsoft 365 Exchange “We purchase PCs, laptops, and servers from Panora Fiber because we want to support local businesses, and we get great customer service. Panora Fiber makes sure we have the devices we need to operate efficiently and helps us keep software updated. When we upgrade our PCs, they get everything set up and running smoothly for us,” Nelsen said. A Valued Business Partner Should issues come up, Nelsen is impressed by the knowledge, friendliness, and responsiveness of the Panora Fiber team. She noted, “From time to time, we’ve had server issues with a lost connection. We’ll call Panora Fiber, and they’re usually here within 10 minutes to get us back up and running. Guthrie County REC has a battery backup, and it went out a few years ago. Panora Fiber was at our office right away and spent all morning figuring out how to make it work and get us operating until we could get a new one. Whenever we have questions or need support, we don’t hesitate to contact Panora Fiber, because we know their staff and technicians are there to help.” How would Nelsen sum up Guthrie County REC’s relationship with Panora Fiber? She replied, “Guthrie County REC looks at Panora Fiber as a valued business partner that provides us with timely, affordable, and irreplaceable communications solutions.” We purchase PCs, laptops, and servers from Panora Fiber because we want to support local businesses, and we get great customer service. Panora Fiber makes sure we have the devices we need to operate efficiently and helps us keep software updated.” — COZY NELSEN, CEO, GUTHRIE COUNTY REC CEO Cozy Nelsen (center of bottom row) with members of the Guthrie County REC Board of Directors
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTMzNDE=