Scottrade  

Overview of solution

Qwest is a strong partner with us on the Cisco side. When we built our new data center, we actually used Qwest as our purchasing partner to purchase all of our Cisco gear, and we're primarily a Cisco shop, so in putting together our network and working with Cisco not only in putting together and buying the network, but working with Cisco Advanced Services, we brought in some of Qwest's key engineers on the sales side and in other areas to help us design the network that we put in place. So we had Cisco, Qwest, and Scottrade all looking at it to determine what was the best way for us to implement our new network.

Why Qwest

Qwest worked with us diligently to come up with what's the right solution for us? It wasn't taking a hammer and saying 'Here, use that' when I needed a screwdriver. We really tweaked it and took quite a bit of time not only during the contract negotiation-they didn't just walk away. You know, it wasn't just signed and walked away. It was 'Okay, now we've got the premise and the analysis and the initial design of what we wanted to do. We signed a contract. Now let's try and really get it in implementation.' They're still there as a partner working with us, making sure that we've got it done the right way so that we're covered.

Customer Service

Working with their NOC, working with their people has been wonderful. We have very few times that we've had issues. I would say I find out almost as quick as some of the top people here at Qwest that there's a problem, and they're ready to talk to me and they know what's going on-from my level, they know what's going on almost as soon as I do. And I think that's key also. It's not just the NOC that's doing things, it's not just-and they aren't looking at just my SLA; they know Scottrade well enough, they know the criticality of our branches to us and they understand what it takes and where we drive, and they drive just as hard here to get things resolved as fast as they can."