Raw Urth is now better protected, increasingly productive, and more profitable with Cbeyond
The Company
After just one week at a blacksmithing camp in New Mexico, founders Amy and Stefan Sasick set out to combine their then-untested metal working skills with their landscaping background to create an authentic brand of products: Raw Urth Designs. The Sasicks now devote their business to designing unique, custom steel accents and a number of standard production pieces, such as range hoods and exterior fire features. Raw Urth is also set apart by its founders’ dedication to creating an eco-friendly work environment. Amazingly, all of their steel comes from post-consumer American waste such as junked cars and old appliances. From a single forge and one antique anvil, the Sasicks’ passion for design and metal working has become a fully fledged company which has gained customers and recognition around the country.
The Challenge
Though it is now a burgeoning and nationwide business, Raw Urth started out as a regional vendor. As they tried to grow their company, the Sasicks, who have no IT staff, spent a great amount of time managing technology issues and reviewing numerous bills, instead of shaping steel.
"We found ourselves making business communication and IT decisions randomly as they presented themselves rather than having a real technology strategy in place that would let us grow our business," said Amy Sasick. "Every month I was spending hours calling technology vendors to understand the charges on my bills so I could map them to the services we were receiving. In many cases we were purchasing the same services from different providers or simply overpaying. It was a nightmare."
The Solution
This challenge sent Sasick in search of a single, responsive communications vendor that could offer her comprehensive business communication and managed IT services that Raw Urth needed to grow. Cbeyond was the answer. On top of her technology wish list was a toll-free number so customers from around the country could order their metal masterpieces, something her previous providers were unable to deliver. “When I learned Cbeyond would save me time and money, all my services would come from one provider, and the company could provide us a toll-free number in addition to our local lines, it was a simple decision," said Sasick. "Now we provide a free option for potential customers to contact us which has opened the door to new customers outside of our existing region."
Today, Raw Urth uses Cbeyond's bundled package of voice and data services including secure VPN so Sasick maintain productivity even while at home. After becoming a customer in 2008, Sasick also transferred her mobile service to Cbeyond, including her BlackBerry® smart phones, giving Raw Urth a full complement of business communication and managed IT services. Having all of these assets under just one bill has also been a time-saving advantage to Sasick and Raw Urth.
The essence of a Cbeyond customer, Raw Urth is an excellent example of a thriving small business with individual IT challenges and needs that Cbeyond is able to meet and sustain. With Cbeyond’s IT solutions, Raw Urth is now better protected, increasingly productive, and more profitable.
Click here to watch a video testimonial from Raw Urth Designs
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