The Magic of Dedicated Employees

I was thinking of magic numbers the other day, because we just welcomed our one millionth customer. One million sure sounds magical to me.

Soon after learning about our millionth customer, I learned that Consumer Cellular, for the third year in a row, made the list of 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon in an annual survey sponsored by Oregon Business Magazine.

I consider three a magic number. After all, it’s a constant in fairy tales as well as in comedy. We’ve all heard stories about The Three Musketeers, The Three Wisemen, The Three Little Pigs. We’re told to make three wishes or to click our heels three times.

I also consider 100 to be something of a magic number, as I suppose do many of you. But as one of the co-founders of Consumer Cellular, perhaps the most comforting news for me was how the voting took place.  It was our own employees who voted and ranked us as one of the 100 Best companies to work for—three years in a row.

“The 100 Best project has been identifying great workplaces for almost two decades,” says Oregon Business Editor Robin Doussard. “It is truly one of the most meaningful awards a company can receive because it is the employees who decide those great workplaces.”

Since 2005, we’ve increased our workforce from 30 employees to more than 750, and today we have employees in four locations and two states.

But numbers are just numbers. The real magic behind our success is our employees. These men and women are constantly on the phone, helping you get the most value out of your cell phone service. They’re the ones you talk to, day in and day out. Whether they’re advising you on your cell phone choices or helping you overcome a technical hurdle, they’re always looking out for your best interests.

In addition to working well with others, our employees also play well. After hours and on their own time, they give back to their local communities in many ways, from working at a food bank to donating blood to running as a team in charity events. As impressed as I am with making this prestigious list for three years in a row, I am even more impressed with the quality, commitment and team spirit of our employees.

I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again and again: We would not be the best in any category without such an incredible team of employees behind us. Because of their commitment to our customers and company, we’re able to make more than an annual Best Of list. We’re able to make a difference.