From Hurricane Katrina to war zones in the Middle East, Portsmouth-based Globafone's satellite phone systems help organizations, federal agencies and military personnel stay connected. The 13-year-old company had its best year ever in 2010, with sales up 30 percent from 2009-and sales in 2011 held steady. Globafone, which has six employees, counts BAE Systems, the New York City Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service as customers.
We help heroes save lives, says CEO Lou Altman. That's the results of what we do. I think there is a vast differentiation if you approach your business from the results versus how many widgets you can sell.
Altman says his company is able to win contracts over competitors five times its size in the $1.5 billion satellite communications market because of its customer service. Globafone sends out phones fully charged in padded bags. For customers with multiple phones, Globafone provides an online database that allows customers to track activity on each phone.
The company has 150 individual clients and thousands of lines under management at any time. For now, 98 percent of those are voice lines, but Altman is looking to sell more data plans and to add a staff member with data experience. He is also exploring the possibility of providing a new product that will translate a person's speech into another language at the touch of a button.
For more information, visit globafone.com.
Current Issue - May 2024