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Clearwater, FL – Jonathan Hunt is the third generation of his family who is a music merchant. Just like his father, he knows everything there is to know about the grand pianos of Steinway & Sons.  The Hunts have the exclusive on Steinway & Sons pianos in the entire Tampa Bay region and have been a local landmark for more than 30 years. It’s now benefiting from changes to another landmark, of sorts, just down the street – the broadcast tower.

Earlier this year when an employee from PBX-Change walked in the door and said new technology on that tower could bring them more reliable phone and internet service, better customer service, plus savings Hunt was all ears. “We have a 10,000 + square foot showroom, with about 150 pianos. We sell the very best piano in the world,” explains Hunt, whose father Charlie Hunt started the business in 1991.

Customer Service

“A piano like this costs six- figures,” he says with his hand on a sparkling black Steinway. “So if the phones or Internet are down and a client can’t get in touch with us, that’s a problem. It’s critical that our connections are working all the time so we’re able to help them.”

Reliability

“Today’s businesses need high speed internet, and not just occasionally. They need it every single day,” explains Bill Heinz, Vice President and Solution Specialist at PBX-Change. “Doctors’ offices, for example, would have to stop seeing patients if the internet is down because they can’t access patient information. At a store, what happens if employees can’t process credit cards? In our increasingly cash-less society, that’s akin to a shut-down,” says Heinz.

 

Savings

Several months into the Music Gallery’s new phone and internet service, it has saved money on its bill every single month. The family-owned business was among the first to benefit from the new PBX-Change equipment installed on the Ulmerton tower. “It’s been pretty seamless,” explains Hunt, who calls the switch to PBX-Change a “no brainer.” “There’ve been no interruptions in service. Our Internet is faster and less expensive than it was with Spectrum.”

Powering Digital Pianos

Prior generations of Hunt piano teachers, pianists and music merchants would be surprised by the “digital” pianos Jonathan also has on the showroom floor.  The Music Gallery’s models of Roland pianos are infused with technology inside classic grand piano cabinets. How much tech? They’re built with Bluetooth connectivity that lets you stream songs from your phone or tablet, wirelessly. It’s one more reason why Hunt switched to the reliability and customer service of the PBX-Change. When customers come in to the showroom, Hunt needs to be able to demonstrate how these digital instruments connect to piano education apps, access digital sheet music and song libraries, wirelessly. Hunt can even make song choices from his wristwatch, using PBX-Change high speed internet and a dedicated app for Apple watches.

Decades Serving Local Businesses  

PBX-Change, also a locally owned business, specializes in business phone and internet services and has been serving the Tampa Bay Region for more than 20 years. It’s a registered competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) in Florida, delivering voice, contact center management and internet services to business of any size, organizations, schools and local government agencies, just to name a few. “The reliability of our Internet and Phone services, and our customer support sets us apart from our competitors,” says Heinz.

In the months following the enhancements on the tower, PBX-Change employees have visited many of the neighboring businesses and more have joined the PBX-Change family of customers.

“Live” Customer Support

One particular visit, says Heinz, stands out. “One of our salespeople walked into a local Ulmerton business to discuss our new promotion,” recalls Heinz. “The business owner was on the phone and on hold. While he waited, our salesperson explained our new promotion on phone and internet services because of our new tech on the Ulmerton tower.”The PBX-Change employee got through the entire explanation and the business owner was still on hold.

With who? “He was on hold with his provider. He was trying to lodge a complaint and get customer service,” says Heinz in dismay. “That business owner was on hold for one hour, trying to get customer support.”

At PBX-Change, that would never happen. Unlike competitors, PBX-Change offers “live” customer service. That means a human is taking your call.

PBX-Change Technoloy on Ulmerton Rd. Tower

The addition of PBX-Change technology on the Ulmerton Tower earlier this year has meant greater connectivity to an area of five Pinellas county zip codes that have more than 6,000 businesses combined. The businesses are in the zip codes 33760, 33762 and 33764 in Clearwater, plus zip codes 33771 and 33773 in Largo. Seventy-five percent of those businesses have only a handful of employees. Another 23% have between 5 – 49 employees. PBX-Change can serve them all – small, mid-size and large businesses. It is a reliable high-speed internet option with synchronous upload/download speeds.

Back at the Music Gallery, owners are still singing the praises, or shall we say, “playing” the praises of PBX-Change. The enhancements at the Ulmerton tower couldn’t have come at a better time. They are working their way back from the coronavirus pandemic with a full offering of new and used pianos, plus a 150 seat auditorium available at no charge for recitals, master classes, repertoire practices, lessons and musical events.

 

Following in his grandfather and father’s footsteps, Hunt is making the most of his degree in marketing and forging important community relationships, including the St. Petersburg Opera, University of South Florida, and the Music Teacher’s Association.

“We love what we do,” says Hunt. “For us, it’s critical to have the dependability and customer service we get from PBX-Change.”  That’s music to the ears of the team at PBX-Change, making new connections every week in the Ulmerton area.