Many of you have had the opportunity to work with, listen to, or golf with Megan Keiswetter in the past. As Nex-Tech’s expert in all things marketing she did a great job representing the Nex-Tech Advertising Solutions team and we wish her well as she embarks on a new journey. Enter Maggie Basgall, who is taking over Megan’s role as Advertising Solutions Representative at Nex-Tech.

OLGA: Maggie, welcome to the team! Tell us a little bit about yourself:

MAGGIE: Absolutely! I have been in the telecommunications industry for as long as I remember. My family is deeply rooted there. My grandpa, great-uncle, Mom and Dad[1] and sister have all worked in telecommunications at some point, and my husband works in engineering.

I have grown up in the industry from the time my dad was installing poles through my professional career. It’s been a journey. I started at Nex-Tech while still in high school as a customer sales representative working upfront. Next came community development, promoting our services on a community and economic development level. Most recently, I supervised six of our retail stores before switching gears and joining the Ad Solutions group

OLGA: What made you transition to this new role?

MAGGIE: Transitioning to this role provided an opportunity for me to stay engaged with a company and industry that I love. My family is relocating to another state for my husband’s career and initially I thought I would have no choice but to resign. However, that wasn’t the case. Nex-Tech and the ability to work remote provided an option for me to contribute in a whole new way.

What I am looking forward to in this position is the opportunity to work with our clients on services that directly align with what I have been doing on the frontline over the past years. It all fell perfectly in line and I’m really excited to make it come full circle between my experience and what we can do for our Ad Solutions clients.

OLGA: Tell us more about that – what energizes you?

MAGGIE: It’s always exciting to do something new including working with different people at Nex-Tech and meeting new clients. The people side is the biggest thing for me. I enjoy getting to know different backgrounds, networking, and connecting in different ways. This position allows me to do that on a different level than any of my previous jobs.

OLGA: Why was it important for you to stay within the telco industry and with Nex-Tech specifically?

MAGGIE: It is important for me to stay in the telco industry and with Nex-Tech specifically because of our team values. It’s not just the Internet service, it’s also the personal stories you hear from the technicians. Like when they connect a 75-year-old lady in her home for the first time and show her how to use Facetime before they head out the door so she can talk to her grandkids in another state. Those behind-the scenes stories make it worth-while. Plus, telco isn’t just delivering the service. It’s what’s happening because of it. So, while this role is a natural fit for my knowledge and experience, really seeing those stories exhibits values I can really get behind.

OLGA: Where do you see some challenges or opportunities for the industry?

MAGGIE: I definitely see opportunities. One thing that has been interesting to witness is the impact of the pandemic. No matter who you are or where you work, it has opened people’s eyes to the importance of connectivity. It has become like water or electricity. You have to have it. The pandemic has spurred action. There are grant programs opening up and demand and peak usage is skyrocketing.

I believe there will be a lot of opportunity for service providers to expand and improve their networks, and to me, that’s a direct connection to marketing. Being able to communicate all your services to your customers and capture new customers is the most important piece of that puzzle. So, as the marketplace evolves and becomes more competitive, how we communicate with our customers must change to stay engaged and relevant.

OLGA: Finally, Maggie, what do you do for fun?

MAGGIE: Right now, my fun is packing for our upcoming move! But usually, I love to read, anything from leadership to mystery novels, and I’m a podcast junkie. Our family also loves to explore the outdoors, paddle board, kayaking or anything like that. We have two girls, Makena (16) and Emily (7) and our dog Zoey. We’ve always been very active in Kansas and can’t wait to explore our new home in California.

Let’s give Maggie a warm welcome and be sure to watch for her at any of the upcoming industry events!

If you want to get in touch with Maggie, check her out on LinkedIn, reach her via email or phone 785-625-7070!

[1] Maggie’s Dad, Ron Ellis was recently recognized as Industry “Excellence Award” Winner by NTCA; read the story HERE.