On Thursday, October 29th, Anguilla’s first telecommunications provider, FLOW/Cable and Wireless, marked its 49th anniversary of operating in Anguilla by hosting an in-house customer appreciation breakfast.
The organization has seen many changes throughout the years, as its operations have been conducted under different brands: from Cable & Wireless Ltd., to LIME and now FLOW. FLOW was originally established by Columbus Communications as its service brand. Following the acquisition of Columbus by Cable and Wireless, it was announced that the FLOW brand would replace LIME brands beginning in July 2015.
FLOW’s Country Manager, Mr. Desron Bynoe, spoke with The Anguillian during the celebrative brunch: “Through this get- together here this morning, we want to say thanks to all our customers, and by extension, to Anguilla. As we celebrate our 49th anniversary, we look forward to many more years. In fact we really anticipate our 50th anniversary next year.”
Mr. Bynoe continued: “FLOW’s beginning in Anguilla was very humble. We started from the back of a military truck on the 29th of October 1971. Since then, we have evolved to Anguilla’s leading telecommunications provider. We were first for a lot of things, including the first to bring mobile phones to the island; and first in LTE.
In reflecting, Mr. Bynoe noted: “We have been through thick and thin. We have navigated successfully through Hurricane Louis and through Hurricane Irma. FLOW continues to constantly invest in and network, and our people, to ensure that we serve our satisfied customers with pride and passion moving forward. We value our customers’ experiences through the service we provide, and we look forward to continually serving them.”
When asked what was the nature of FLOW’s response to its customers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Bynoe answered: “COVID-19 does present challenges in terms of the way we operate. Fortunately, we are an island that has had only three cases thus far. We have adapted our operations accordingly, and we encourage customers as much as possible to take advantage of our digital space by paying their bills online, so that they do not necessarily need to get out to come to our facility each time they need to pay their bills. In addition, we have provided query services online where customers can have their questions and concerns addressed via our digital platform.”
He was asked what comments he had to make about FLOW’s staff with regard to the day’s events. He replied: “Well, today was really organized by our staff. They took the lead in arranging for the food service. The overall initiative was actually driven by them. They stayed in the night decorating the scene and making sure that the local vendors would deliver the meals on time. We have a staff which usually goes above and beyond to ensure that our customers are well served in every way.”
Asked what was the significance of the floating balloons in the roof, Mr. Bynoe responded: “It was not just about treating our customers with food, but it was also about making today’s experience fun. So, in the balloons our customers could discover hidden coupon prizes for free top-ups, discounts, etc.”
