When a storm knocks out power in McHenry County, Illinois, and the water mains break at 2:00 a.m, the community calls Ganziano Sewer & Water.
Emergency calls peak exactly when power and internet go down, and Ganziano Sewer & Water has to answer. The company does millions of dollars’ worth of work a year, but without connectivity, they wouldn't make a penny.
"My phone is our biggest money maker,” explained Joe Ganziano, Owner of Ganziano Sewer & Water. “That’s how clients call and how I connect the pieces to make everything happen. Without it, we're dead in the water."
A business that requires 24/7 prioritization
In the emergency utility industry, communication and uptime directly translate to community welfare and business survival. Yet every call, whether an emergency or a routine question, went directly to Ganziano, with no way to triage calls and prioritize emergencies.
“In our environment, minutes matter,” said Ganziano. “If we miss an hour, that’s another hour that people are without water. That's another hour of damage.”
At the same time, Ganziano Sewer & Water’s operations are 100% digital. The company requires reliable internet to coordinate critical water main repairs, download blueprints, and stay competitive for public bidding, which accounts for half of their business.
However, Ganziano Sewer & Water’s office had no hard-line internet or fiber. Previous attempts with satellite internet and mobile hotspots proved unreliable. Internet outages crippled productivity, preventing crews on job sites from accessing essential internal server files like work orders and blueprints.
My phone is our biggest money maker. That’s how clients call and how I connect the pieces to make everything happen. Without it, we're dead in the water.
Joe Ganziano, Owner, Ganziano Sewer & Water
A reliable suite of connectivity and security solutions
To overcome these challenges, Ganziano Sewer & Water chose Verizon to upgrade its communication and internet connectivity systems.
Ganziano Sewer & Water implemented Verizon One Talk to handle the growing call volume and ensure no calls are missed. Verizon One Talk’s Automated Receptionist routes non-emergency calls to other employees, freeing Ganziano to focus on emergency calls requiring immediate support. This automation improves response time and customer satisfaction.
Verizon One Talk's Hunt Group feature further ensures no calls go unanswered. It connects to four different lines, forwarding customer calls to the next available team member until one answers.
Our customers get three phone calls in one when they need to get a hold of someone on our team.
Joe Ganziano, Owner, Ganziano Sewer & Water
Phone calls are only half the equation. Verizon Business Internet provides high-speed, reliable wireless internet. It powers office servers and includes battery backup capabilities, keeping Ganziano Sewer & Water's operations online even during power outages.
It is also portable, allowing crews to take it out to the field, hours away from the office, and stay connected to their internal server to fetch blueprints and work orders. This has replaced slow, outdated paper-and-pencil workflows.
“I can take the internet with me and work anywhere,” said Ganziano. “I don't have to hook up to a hotspot. I can have Verizon Business Internet in my truck in the middle of a field, and we're good to go.”
Ganziano Sewer & Water takes the security of its internal and customer data very seriously. "Nobody wants their address and their name put out there," said Ganziano. "In the world we live in, privacy's a big deal." They implemented Verizon Business Internet Security (VBIS), a comprehensive network security offering that works in the background to block malicious traffic and safeguard sensitive customer data.
Ganziano Sewer & Water also has access to Whole Office Management, a cross-vendor technical support service that provides troubleshooting assistance for all office hardware and software. The service provides 24/7 access to one dedicated team of tech experts for a flat monthly fee, without the overhead of an in-house IT team.
I can take the internet with me and work anywhere. I don't have to hook up to a hotspot. I can have Verizon Business Internet in my truck in the middle of a field, and we're good to go.
Joe Ganziano, Owner, Ganziano Sewer & Water
Streamlined Communications:
Verizon One Talk (Automated Receptionist & Hunt Groups)
On-Site and Field Connectivity:
Verizon Business Internet with battery backup & mobile truck deployment
Cyber Protection and IT Support:
Verizon Business Internet Security & Whole Office Management
Empowering 24/7 response
The partnership with Verizon is the backbone of Ganziano’s operations, enabling faster emergency response and fueling business growth and continuity.
Verizon One Talk has streamlined telephone communications and minimized the risk of missed business. Calls can be prioritized and routed to the right person, helping reduce the potential for lost leads and bad customer service.
Today, Ganziano Sewer & Water no longer worries about power outages shutting down operations. Verizon Business Internet battery backup provides crucial buffer time during power outages, giving the office vital extra time to manage emergency calls and resolve issues.
“We do not have to shut down operations for four hours because we lost power,” said Ganziano. “That's a big deal, especially this year, as we have had a lot of storms and the power has been going off left and right.”
Beyond powering connectivity that drives critical emergency business operations, Verizon provides peace of mind. For businesses that rely on their phones and internet for survival and growth, Ganziano recommends Verizon.
“Embracing a fully digital, highly mobile workflow is what allows us to keep our employees moving forward,” said Ganziano. “We can win public sector bids and confidently build out the future of Ganziano.”