eDispatch begins executive search following departure of president, VP head

The board of directors and other senior managers at eDispatch.com Wireless Data Inc are stepping in to fill the vacancies left by the sudden resignations of two senior executives at the company in December. The departures of president/CEO Brian Ellis and VP sales and marketing Michael Beards, within three days of each other before the Christmas holidays, has left a big hole to fill at the Internet dispatch company, but officials say it hasn’t deterred them from pursuing a new marketing strategy to significantly increase their customer base and stock price. "The board has formed a management committee to work with the senior management team that is already in place," says Pamela Ferguson, director of business development at the Burnaby BC-based firm. Directors of marketing and business development will help with some of the workload, she adds. "Of course, there’s going to be holes, but we’re very much forging ahead with both the carrier relationships and internally." EDISPATCH NOT WORRIED ABOUT DROP IN DEMAND FOR DATA-ONLY DEVICESThe number of data-only devices is predicted to decline over the next few years while sales of voice-data integrated devices are poised to increase, according to a recent International Data Corp study. eDispatch executives say, that while any decline in devices is worrisome, the company’s system shouldn’t be too affected. "We’ll continue to develop the product so that it is device-agnostic and doesn’t rely on devices at all," says Pamela Ferguson, eDispatch’s director of business development.Ferguson says both Ellis and Beards left on good terms and are still in contact with the company. Ellis, who also resigned his seat on the board of directors, will continue to advise the board until a new chief executive and marketing head are found. He will also help "fill in any holes along the way, providing detailed information about anything that happened in the past," she says. The search to fill the two senior positions is in full swing, and the company expects to announce the new appointments soon, says Ferguson. Marketing strategy hinges on close ties to carriers The company first hinted of its new marketing strategy with the release of its third quarter results last fall, but it has yet to provide any details. Officials did tell Report on Wireless that it will work closely with its carrier partners Nextel Communications and Southern Link in the United States to significantly increase the number of subscribers to its mobile workforce management system. A deal with Telus Mobility is still a possibility, following its year-long trial in 1999 of eDispatch’s system. Ferguson says the strategy’s focus is to continue supporting the carriers through sales and training assistance and in the backend technical aspects. "So (we’ll) continue to support those relationships more and more, create more collateral support and marketing background," she explains. Despite paltry revenue of about $40,000 annually, eDispatch has been reassuring investors that with more than $40 million in the bank, it has the resources to implement an aggressive marketing campaign. Ferguson says the company is currently building customer profiles which will make it easier to sign on other accounts. "As soon as you have a multitude, or even, a few solid reference accounts, it’s always easier to then go ahead," she explains. "For sales people, it’s always a nice tool to have." The company’s wireless systems – described as the first Internet-hosted dispatch service of its kind – are licensed to wireless carriers which offer the service to their subscribers. They’re aimed at business customers who are often on the move, and need to remain in touch with the central office. The system promises to reduce customer service response times, improve operating costs and provide a better management of a company’s mobile workforce.

eDispatch begins executive search following departure of president, VP head

News | 01/22/2001 5:00 am EST

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