Frontier Communications has been through the ringer in recent years. They are now in the process of recovery and rebuilding in a marketplace that is tougher than ever with the weak economy, pandemic recovery, new technology and increasing competition. Early on they focused on the consumer business. Now, they are focusing on their business sector called Frontier Enterprise.
Ettienne Brandt was hired to head up this sector by CEO Nick Jeffery. His mission, to wake it up and get it back on a growth track.
Brandt is the is the new Executive Vice President and will be heading up Frontier Enterprise. At one point he was an executive at BT in the U.K.
While that past experience will be very helpful, the fact is the marketplace is much different in the United States compared to the U.K. So, the job of reinvigorating the company is a tough one.
Going forward, I am expecting to learn more about his strategy for growth at Frontier Enterprise and its renewed focus as they punch their way back onto the map.
AT&T Business, Verizon Business, T-Mobile Business are competitors
Business services are a potentially important growth engine at all the competing communications companies.
Some are better than others and some are growing faster than others. However, this is an extremely important sector as the general business community is in the process of upgrading and changing their entire business and communications structure with new ideas, new thinking, new technology and more.
Initially, it starts out with early adopters who gain a competitive advantage and impact the marketplace Then, over time as all competitors recognize the competitive threat, they move into this space and stay with the curve. Then, it simply becomes the new normal… a cost of doing business.
While some companies do better than others, this is not something that can be avoided. So, if companies must play this game, they must play to win.
Comcast Business, Spectrum, Optimum, Kore, Celona are competitors
This update on the business side will take years, but represents a big, potential growth opportunity for every communications service provider.
There are many large and small competitors at various levels. They include, but are not limited to AT&T Business, Verizon Business, T-Mobile Business, Comcast Business as well as Charter Spectrum, Altice Optimum, Kore, Celona and many others.
Today, business is looking to rebuild their wireless and wire line communications using new technologies like AI, IoT and more to gain a competitive advantage and grow.
Frontier Enterprise can grow as businesses update their systems
CEO Jeffery says business customers represent roughly 15% of Frontier revenue stream. He also says this opportunity has not been managed well for quite a long time.
I agree that is a great opportunity for growth if they can successfully focus and build.
Brandt will be responsible for the business side and his job is to focus on this as a growth opportunity.
The Frontier business operation has been losing customers. So, his job has three parts. One, stop the loss. Two, start growth. Three, accelerate that growth long-term.
Other companies have struggled with this as well. Some have succeeded, while many others are still trying to find their way.
How Frontier Communications can reinvent themselves for success
Frontier can learn quite a bit from looking at companies who have tried, succeeded and failed to make this change over time. Here are a few examples.
T-Mobile was crashing and burning until a new CEO and new management team upset the apple cart and set them on a growth trajectory. They took a loud, in-your-face approach, but they punched their way back onto the radar of analysts, media, investors and customers. It worked.
Companies like Blackberry, Motorola and Nokia were once leaders in the handset space. However, after the iPhone and Android entered the space, they never got their mojo back in the smartphone area.
Is Frontier willing to take the successful T-Mobile strategy path?
With Frontier Communications, success can be accomplished, but the strategy must be big and bold and capture the imagination of the marketplace. That means investors, customers, executives and workers.
They have been too quiet over the years. Today, no one pays much attention to this sleeping giant. This could be their changing moment where the entire ship can get turned around.
So, the next question is this. Does the new Frontier Communications have what it takes, and have it within themselves to change and become bigger than life, like T-Mobile did? Or will they continue to struggle like Blackberry, Motorola and Nokia?
Only time will tell. I hope they have it within themselves and understand the path to success. I’ll be keeping my eyes on them and hoping for the best.
As for CEO Nick Jeffery and EVP Ettienne Brandt, I hope they can both hit the ball out of the park.
