A PERSON WHO FEELS APPRECIATED WILL ALWAYS DO MORE THAN WHAT IS EXPECTED

Posted by Egger O Gunter on 19 November 2019

There’s a lot of truth behind the saying, “People don't leave bad jobs. They leave bad bosses." More often than not, it’s not because they are underpaid, rather it’s because they feel undervalued and unappreciated. Sadly many managers think that they've fulfilled their duty by providing a paycheck, but that's not enough if you want engaged and productive employees.

All great bosses know that employees need to feel appreciated. Nothing works better than positive reinforcement. Research suggests you need to praise at least three times as much as you criticize to keep employees happy. Instead of being quick to criticize, be quick to point out some of the great things you see your employees doing. This will not only reinforce these positive actions with the employees that performed them, but also encourage other employees to do the same. Appreciation coupled with incentive rewards is a great morale and productivity booster. Even the slowest employee will work to the best of their ability if they know their efforts are appreciated.

It does not cost much to show employees how much you appreciate them:

– Punish in private; praise in public. Make the public praise timely and specific.

– A personalized thank you giving specifics on how the employee has helped.

– Recognition in meetings.

–Remember to cc people’s supervisors. “Don’t tell me. Tell my boss.”

– A random breakfast or lunch.

– A relevant gift. Even something that can help them do their job better.

– Time off

Actions speak louder than words. Saying, "Thank You" can only have real meaning if employees know you are an authentic person. Be a leader who genuinely cares about employees. Other great phrases that go hand in hand with "Thank You" are:

•       Great job.
•       Well done.
•        I'm sorry.
•        How can I help you?
•       What are your thoughts?

"People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise and rewards." -Dale Carnegie

Two of the most basic human desires are validation and appreciation — we need to feel like we matter. People want to feel appreciated, respected and included. Sometimes it's the little things we do that counts the most. Waiting too long to appreciate employees could result in those you lead feeling resentful. Not only do underappreciated employees cost more when they (inevitably) leave but they cost a lot more if they stay. (faulty work, poor customer service, reduced productivity)

Choose to see the best in others. Choose to see what makes them amazing. Let them know the amazing things you see. Play to your team's strengths and everyone wins.

Shentel EVP on C-SPAN

Shentel Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Heimbach appeared on C-SPAN recently with Matt Polka, the President of the American Communications Association on the show The Communicators. The men along with the host, Peter Slen, discussed issues affecting smaller telecommunications companies such as whether cable companies would continue providing video or move to broadband-only, extending broadband farther in rural areas, 5G and the reauthorization of the law governing the fees and rules for broadcast TV to be sent to rural areas. 

Shentel reports first quarter 2019 results

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company Reports First Quarter 2019 Results Quarterly Operating Income Increased 47.9% to $24.8 million Highest first quarter organic net growth in Wireless subscribers in Company history

Shentel announced strong first quarter results, reflecting continued revenue growth and significantly improved profitability. Wireless service revenue demonstrated solid growth driven by the net addition of 5,776 postpaid wireless customers and 8,516 prepaid wireless subscribers, including record gross activations for the Boost brand. Postpaid gross and net activations reached an all-time high as compared to any historical first quarter. Growth in the Cable Segment was bolstered primarily by continued increases in broadband subscribers.

First Quarter 2019 Highlights • Operating revenue of $158.8 million grew 3.1% • Operating income grew 47.9% to $24.8 million • Net income of $13.9 million, or $0.28 per share • Adjusted OIBDA of $73.0 million grew 6.3% • Acquired  Big Sandy Broadband, Inc. ("Big Sandy"), adding approximately 4,800 revenue generating units.

Consolidated First Quarter 2019 Results

• Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $13.9 million, resulting in net income per share of $0.28, compared with $0.13 per share in the first quarter of 2018, reflecting an increase of approximately 115%.

• Operating revenue for the first quarter of 2019 was $158.8 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.1%, driven by strong subscriber growth in the Wireless and Cable segments.

• Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $134.1 million, compared with $137.4 million for the equivalent quarter in the prior year primarily due to a decline in network costs for the Wireless segment attributable to repricing backhaul circuits and migrating voice traffic from traditional circuit-switched facilities to more cost effective VoIP facilities. The decrease was offset by higher costs for the Cable segment primarily due to our deployment of higherspeed data access packages and infrastructure investments necessary to support its growing cable and fiber networks.

• Operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased 47.9% to $24.8 million from $16.8 million in the prior year quarter.

• Adjusted OIBDA increased 6.3% to $73.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, driven by subscriber growth in the Wireless and Cable segments.

Wireless

• Shentel served 800,952 wireless postpaid customers at March 31, 2019, an increase of 3.4% over 774,861 subscribers as of March 31, 2018. As of March 31, 2019, tablets and data devices were 9.8% of the postpaid base.

• Shentel served 267,220 wireless prepaid customers at March 31, 2019, an increase of 6.8% over 250,191 subscribers as of March 31, 2018.  First quarter prepaid churn was 4.14%, representing an improvement of 28 basis points compared with the prior year.

• Wireless operating revenue increased 2.5%, to $115.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared with $112.8 million in the first quarter of 2018, primarily driven by a 3.4% increase in postpaid subscribers and a 6.8% increase in prepaid PCS subscribers.

• Wireless operating expenses decreased 5.5% in the first quarter of 2019 to $90.3 million, compared with $95.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This decrease was primarily due to a $2.9 million decrease in depreciation and amortization as a result of the retirement of assets acquired in the nTelos acquisition; a $1.3 million decrease in cost of goods sold as a result of decreased equipment costs; a $0.3 million decrease in cost of services due to the repricing of Wireless backhaul circuits to market rates and migrating Wireless voice traffic from traditional circuit-switched facilities to more cost effective VoIP facilities; and a $0.8 million decrease in selling, general and administrative due to a prior year reassessment of property taxes in West Virginia.

• Wireless Adjusted OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased 7.4% to $61.8 million, compared with $57.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Wireless Continuing OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $52.2 million, compared with $48.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Cable

• Total Revenue Generating Units increased 4.5% in the first quarter of 2019 to 139,504 which includes the addition of approximately 4,800 Big Sandy subscribers, compared with 133,439 for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

• Cable operating revenue for the first quarter of 2019 was $33.7 million, representing a quarter over quarter increase of 6.3% compared with $31.7 million for the prior year first quarter. The increase was primarily attributable to increases in broadband and voice subscribers, higher video rates implemented to pass through programming cost increases, and customers selecting or upgrading to higher-speed data access packages.

• Cable operating expenses for the first quarter of 2019 were $28.0 million, a quarter over quarter increase of 7.0% compared with $26.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to our deployment of higher-speed data access packages and investments in infrastructure necessary to support the growth of the cable and fiber network.

• Cable Adjusted OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $12.1 million, compared with $11.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Wireline

• Wireline operating revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $18.9 million, compared with $19.7 million for the prior year first quarter. The decrease in operating revenue was primarily attributable to repricing Wireless backhaul circuits to market rates and migrating Wireless voice traffic from traditional circuit-switched facilities to more cost effective VoIP facilities.

• Wireline operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $14.6 million, a quarter-overquarter decrease of 2.5% compared with $14.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The decline in operating expenses was primarily attributable to a reduction in network costs.

• Wireline Adjusted OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $7.8 million, compared with $8.1 million for the prior year equivalent quarter.

“Shentel delivered solid first quarter results, building on the success we achieved in 2018. We achieved consolidated revenue growth, dramatically increased operating income, significantly improved profitability, and continued OIBDA growth in the first quarter,” said President and CEO Chris E. French, “We saw customer growth in all of our operating segments, highlighted by record customer additions in both our Wireless and Cable businesses.     

“The investments we’ve made to improve the reliability and coverage of our network and to expand our base of stores have elevated brand recognition in the markets we serve, enabling us to attract new customers and drive growth in both our postpaid and prepaid customer base.  Our Cable segment continued to see increased RGUs and revenue as customers upgraded their service plans to accommodate a growing need for higher bandwidth. We were pleased to add the assets of Big Sandy Broadband, which expands our service area in Kentucky. Shentel is well-positioned to continue to provide our customers with the best service in our expanding footprint and we look forward to driving continued growth as we move through 2019.”

Other Information

• Capital expenditures budgeted for 2019 have been updated to reflect the acquisition of Big Sandy and are expected to be approximately $149.5 million, including $64.1 million in the Wireless segment primarily for wireless network capacity improvements. In addition, $55.0 million is budgeted primarily to support growth in our Cable segment including new fiber routes and continuing investments in DOCSIS 3.1 upgrades, $20.5 million in Wireline projects including expansion of the fiber network, and $9.9 million primarily for IT and other miscellaneous projects.

• Capital expenditures were $44.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared with $24.4 million in the comparable 2018 period.

• The Company expanded its Cable segment into the adjacent market of eastern Kentucky through the acquisition of Big Sandy on February 28, 2019.

• Outstanding debt at March 31, 2019 totaled $751.3 million, net of unamortized loan costs, compared to $770.2 million as of December 31, 2018.  During the quarter, the Company reduced debt $19.9 million, including a voluntary $15.0 million prepayment in addition to the scheduled quarterly payment.  As of March 31, 2019, no amounts were outstanding under the revolving line of credit. The total leverage ratio as of March 31, 2019 was 2.42.

Shentel announces additions to management team

Shentel has announced that Chase L. Stobbe has joined the Company as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (CAO), and Elaine M. Cheng has joined as Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Mr. Stobbe will be responsible for the leadership of Shentel’s Accounting function.  Previously, he was a Senior Manager in the audit practice of KPMG, LLP where he focused on serving public telecommunications companies over the last twelve years. Mr. Stobbe has led diverse engagement teams and has extensive knowledge of U.S. GAAP and internal control over financial reporting. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and is a Certified Public Accountant.  As previously announced, the Company has initiated and is continuing an open and comprehensive search for a Chief Financial Officer.

Ms. Cheng will be responsible for the leadership of Shentel’s Information Technology function.  For the past eight years, she has served as Chief Information Officer & Managing Director, Global Strategic Design, for CFA Institute in Charlottesville, VA. 

Prior to her time at CFA Institute, she held a number of different roles over 13 years with M&T Bank in Buffalo, NY, most recently as Group Vice President, Technology Business Services.

2018 Fourth Quarter Results

Shentel announced strong fourth quarter financial and operating results, reflecting record subscriber additions in both the Wireless and Cable segments. The net addition of 9,639 postpaid wireless customers during the quarter set an all-time high during Shentel's nearly two-decade relationship with Sprint. Growth in the Cable segment was led by strong sales of the Company's newly introduced PowerHouse broadband service. These successes drove quarterly operating income to $27.0 million.

Shentel's solid fourth quarter performance closed out a strong fiscal 2018, with significant increases in consolidated revenue and operating income, and improved OIBDA. Consolidated revenue increased to $630.9 million, compared to $612.0 million in 2017. Operating income more than doubled from $46.5 million in 2017 to $93.2 million in 2018. Adjusted OIBDA was $285.7 million for 2018 compared with $280.9 million in 2017.

"2018 was a strong year for Shentel, as demonstrated by solid consolidated revenue growth, significantly increased operating income and improved OIBDA," said President and CEO Christopher E. French. "During the past few years, we've strategically expanded our geographic reach and upgraded our network to ensure that we provide the most reliable coverage and highest data speeds and bandwidth in the areas we serve. Throughout 2018 we saw the benefits of these efforts as distribution levels and activation rates steadily increased. We believe our state-of-the-art network and expanded market coverage competitively position us to continue to capture market share and to grow our leadership position as the telecommunications provider of choice in the communities in which we operate."

"We achieved customer growth in all of our operating segments during fiscal 2018, highlighted by record customer adds in both our Wireless and our Cable segments during the fourth quarter," French continued. "Consumer reliance on wireless connectivity continues to increase exponentially, and our robust network meets and exceeds customer expectations for reliability and capacity. Likewise, in the Cable segment our high bandwidth capabilities are attractive to new customers and play a key role in our ability to transition existing customers to upgraded service packages. We're pleased with our achievements in 2018 and with our visibility today we believe we are well positioned to leverage our extensive coverage area, high caliber network and exceptional service to cultivate continued momentum as we move through 2019."

Shentel Acquiring Big Sandy Broadband

Shentel has announced an agreement to purchase Big Sandy Broadband.  Big Sandy Broadband is a cable television, broadband Internet and phone provider to homes and businesses located in eastern Kentucky.

 “We are pleased to be able to expand our Cable operations into Kentucky,” said Dave Heimbach, Chief Operating Officer at Shentel.  “Big Sandy has been family-owned for nearly 60 years. We appreciate those strong roots. Shentel was founded in 1902, and has a long history of serving rural areas like Floyd and Johnson counties.”

The purchase will include all assets of Big Sandy Broadband along with current customers. Employees of Big Sandy have been offered jobs with Shentel. The integration is expected to be complete by the second quarter of 2019.  Until that time, Big Sandy customers will continue to pay bills and contact the Big Sandy customer service center for service related questions. Information related to the full transition to Shentel services will be available in the coming months.

Shentel provides cable television, broadband Internet, and voice services through its high-speed, state-of-the-art network to customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Shentel is also an affiliate of Sprint with wireless coverage in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. Shentel also provides fiber services to commercial and wholesale customers along its 5,641-mile fiber network across four states.

Big Sandy Broadband will add approximately 4,700 revenue generating units (RGUs) to Shentel’s cable segment, including more than 2,200 broadband RGUs. The Big Sandy system is adjacent to existing Shentel cable markets in West Virginia, and it is part of the Charleston DMA.

Shentel announces launch of 1 Gig Internet in VA

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) (NASDAQ: SHEN) today announced the official launch of 1 Gig Internet in its Virginia markets.

The 1 Gig package is the highlight of Shentel’s new PowerHouse high-speed Internet offerings, which are revamped with Over-The-Top (OTT) users and homes with multi-device use in mind. PowerHouse offers the Internet speeds families need with a price that is more affordable than ever.

“The PowerHouse packages are a direct result of listening to our customers,” said Willy Pirtle, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Shentel. “These packages offer our customers more speed, flexibility and bandwidth, at a reasonable price.”

Shentel PowerHouse has four Internet speed options – 50M, 150M, 300M and 1G. The range of slower Internet speeds once offered by Shentel will gradually be eliminated, though customers with those speeds will be grandfathered in.

Shentel is promoting both the benefits and availability of high-speed Internet to current and potential customers in an effort to break down the barriers of distance and time created by geographic challenges. Higher Internet speeds meet the broadband needs of a rural population that wants to download high-definition (HD) movies, stream video content, game, use multiple Internet-enabled devices simultaneously and communicate with the world at large.

“Providing a faster high-speed Internet option for Shentel customers is another example of the Shentel commitment to offering high-quality products and services that will enrich the lives of our customers, many of whom live in rural communities,” said Pirtle.

Shentel Named to 100 Fastest Growing Companies list

Shentel is proud to announce that the company was named to FORTUNE Magazine’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies list of domestic and foreign publicly traded companies for 2018.

The 116-year-old Edinburg-based company provides Internet, voice, video, mobile and fiber service in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland and currently has more than a million customers between its service offerings.

“Earning a spot on this prominent list is exciting for Shentel and is recognition that our employees remain focused on shareholder growth,” said Willy Pirtle, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Shentel. “As a company that was started in 1902, Shentel has grown and prospered as a result of our focus on serving our customers with the telecommunications products they demand and on investing in the future to adapt to new technology and the changing consumer habits.”

Shentel’s operating revenues in 2017 were $612 million, an increase of $77 million or 14.3% over 2016, primarily due to the expansion of its wireless network and coverage area through the acquisition of nTelos. In recent months, Shentel stock has hit new 52-week highs and the number of employees is now close to 1,200.

“We are firing on all cylinders right now,” Pirtle said. “We are continuing to grow, and we remain focused on serving our customers now and in the future.”