The complexities of broadband require specific expertise, experience, and resources. Make sure your potential partner checks the boxes with these key questions.
To successfully execute and sustain a broadband project, you require more than a consultant; you need a mentor. Specifically, you need an organization with funding, construction, and material expertise to help you reach your goals on time and under budget. Before entering a partnership, ask your potential partner these five questions to determine whether their processes, resources, and skill set align with your utility’s needs.
“Can you share your past grant success?”
Grant funding can help you reach previously unfeasible service areas, speed up time to profitability, and mitigate financial risks. To help you navigate the grant process, a broadband partner must have a deep understanding of federal, state, and local funding procedures and the specifics of the broadband grant program at hand. Depending on their involvement, your partner might also use technical writing skills and risk calculation to decide where and how many locations to apply for.
To ensure you receive the best guidance and support, ask your potential partner about their track record in securing grants at various government levels. How did they do in past grant opportunities? What is their role in the application process? Do they write the grants, help prepare the information, or something else? Ask these questions and more to help identify fruitful partnerships, as this will help your utility maximize funding opportunities and the benefits that accompany them.
“What's your grant reporting process?”
Beyond the grant application, grant reporting plays a crucial role in funding success. Effective reporting ensures that your cooperative continues receiving grant disbursements while building trust and credibility with funding agencies. Choose a broadband partner with an efficient, transparent reporting process to make things that much easier.
For example: at Irby Utilities, our paperless process leverages geospatial data, simplifying the reporting process with easily accessible information. Where clients would typically assess construction progress on-site with funding representatives, they can instead conduct a “desktop review,” displaying timestamped photos of construction updates without ever stepping on location. This approach saves time and effort compared to traditional field visits, further streamlining the grant reporting process.
“When do you order materials for our project? Do you warehouse them?”
Partnering with a broadband provider that orders and houses its own inventory brings multiple benefits. They can proactively manage material procurement by monitoring market trends, anticipating demand, and securing materials in a timely manner. This method helps prevent delays and increased costs associated with last-minute material sourcing—safeguarding the progress and profitability of your project.
As well, material ownership allows your partner to develop efficient coordination and storage systems, minimizing the risk of inventory errors and enabling faster retrieval when needed. Your partner's ability to purchase materials in bulk can also lead to cost savings, which they can pass on to you, helping optimize your budget and achieve overall cost-efficiency throughout the project. By partnering with a reliable broadband partner that controls its inventory, you can have confidence in the uninterrupted availability of your materials.
“Can construction pivot at any time?”
Flexibility in construction is an invaluable asset during a broadband project. The ability to pivot and adapt construction efforts based on evolving circumstances can make a significant difference, allowing you to move around grant requirements, permitting, make ready and anything else that might warrant a change in priority.
Be sure your broadband partner has experience pivoting construction crews, or at a minimum, a thorough plan in case it’s needed. Have they ever changed course to pursue grant funding? What happens when crews are waiting on right-of-way permits? This type of adaptability ensures your project remains on track and optimizes the utilization of resources.
Here’s another example: Irby Utilities offers a unique solution through our geospatial data. Our technology allows cooperative and municipal partners to adjust construction plans, seamlessly reallocating resources and manpower. With detailed material and labor information readily available, construction crews can confidently navigate new areas, enabling construction progress without unnecessary delays.
“Do you have business support services?”
Sustainable services are essential for success long after project completion. Remember, as a utility entering the competitive broadband market, you must maintain superior service quality and outperform other providers.
Depending on your situation, you may need any of the following ongoing services:
Customer Service Representatives: This one is a must for all high-quality broadband companies. Dedicated customer service representatives ensure enhanced customer satisfaction by addressing issues promptly and effectively.
Sales Support Representatives: To drive revenue growth through marketing, information provision, and streamlined signup processes
Grant Assistance: To maximize funding opportunities, offset project costs, and ensure financial viability
Compliance and Regulatory Support: To keep utilities updated on evolving regulations, avoid penalties, and maintain operational efficiency
These services collectively contribute to a competitive advantage, establishing your utility as a reliable broadband provider and outperforming competitors. By investing in ongoing support, utilities can secure long-term sustainability, delivering superior service quality and satisfying customer expectations.
By asking these five crucial questions, you can assess a potential broadband partner's qualifications, experience, and commitment to your project's success. Choosing the right partner is essential for a smooth and prosperous cooperative or municipal broadband endeavor.
Irby Utilities is dedicated to supporting utilities in realizing their broadband goals, and we invite you to reach out to us for a free feasibility study or to learn more about our services.