COSE Update Magazine
Cleveland, OH
January 15, 2011

My Cause - GTS Communications

Describe your business:
We're an award-winning, family-owned company specializing in business phone systems, data and voice cabling, computer services, keyless entry and security systems. For 15 years, we've been serving companies around the corner and across the country.

How has the "new economy" changed your business?
Like our customers, we're more price-aware, but we've also turned away risky business and low-margin work. It's fortunate that we can still be selective about the projects we take.

Key strategies for your company's success?
1) Highly personalized, highly responsive service resulting in very low customer turnover 2) Very experienced, certified technicians 3) Employees are our top priority. When they're happy, everyone's happy and loyal for years.

Your organization's greatest accomplishment?
Jerry started the business from an apartment, and now we own our building. We're proud winners of five Weatherhead 100 awards, three NEO Success honors, EY's Entrepreneur of the Year, SBA's Small Business of the Year and COSE's inaugural Ten Under 10 Award.

If you could reinvent yourself, who would you be and why?
Victoria: A full-time philanthropist giving anonymously to those in need. It would be great to have a life-changing impact on others.

Significant moment or event that's changed your life and/or your business?
Jerry: Meeting Victoria.
Victoria: Meeting Jerry.

Favorite social or professional networking website or blog?
LinkedIn.

What opportunity would change your business?
Jerry: Additional, remote offices.
Victoria: An acquisition of a local firm or more relationships with major telecomm companies through which we'd be subcontracted for regional or national business.

GTS Owners Victoria and Jerry Stallard
Photography by Toby Shingleton