The 21st Time is a Charm

Amy Oldham
October 15, 2019

Our customers rock, and we love getting together with them in Nashville! We recently had the pleasure of doing just that as we gathered for the 2019 Protector User Group Meeting (PUGM). This year marked the 21st time we’ve hosted this annual conference, and it was another rousing success. You’ve no doubt heard the saying “third time’s a charm”, which is usually said when someone wants to succeed at a task or event on the third or successive try. Well, thanks to our customers’ participation and input before, during, and after the event, every user group is a success, including the 21st one!

We kicked things off mid-day September 30, with representatives from every sector of telecommunications. As usual, a large percentage of attendees had previously attended Equinox user groups. Conference veterans tell us they return year after year due to the event’s impact and benefit on their fraud mitigation efforts. We were also honored to have nine first-time attendees, which included two companies who joined the Protector community earlier this year. We enjoyed getting acquainted with the new folks, but even more thrilling was watching the experienced attendees welcome and acclimate newcomers to the Equinox community.

As tradition dictates, we took a group photo during the event. We also captured the event’s highlights, which you can view by clicking the photo.

While the 2019 PUGM was filled with crowd favorites, the agenda had an entirely new format that integrated training, customer examples, and new system features across multiple sessions this year. The new lineup was well received, sparked a lot of discussion, and bolstered participation. Another addition came from guest speaker Heather Davis who reminded all carriers to “Fight Big Regardless of Size”. Later, Equinox Vice President, Software Engineering David Bastin gave everyone a look at Protector’s past, present, and future. Of course, the event included many familiar topics by request, including an expert fraud panel, best practice tips by Equinox support department, an interactive dashboard session, and the ever-popular WISH LIST. Interface Director Derek Drake also explained Protector’s robust blocking abilities and how to implement them.

Aside from education and training sessions, we hosted our traditional networking dinner on Tuesday evening. This year’s outing took us to the rooftop of the Nashville Underground! The gorgeous weather made a wonderful backdrop for a magical evening of conversation and networking. Afterward, a several folks headed downtown to check out the honky-tonk scene.

We planned every PUGM detail to help our customers protect and optimize their revenue. Thanks to feedback gathered during the event, we’ll soon announce new support and training services that further back that mission. We also can’t wait to host the 22nd Protector User Group Meeting. We’ll send an official ‘Save the Date’ announcement in January, with complete details and registration site posted 6 months before the event. In the meantime, we’d love to see you in the spring for the TeleLink User Group Meeting (April 21-22, 2020).

About the Author

Amy Oldham is in Corporate Communications at Equinox Information Systems, where she creates and maintains the company’s technical documentation and all other customer-facing publications. Amy is also responsible for the company’s newsletter, email campaigns, press releases, and social media presence. When not writing, Amy enjoys spending time with her family, playing tennis, attending Dave Matthews Band concerts, and swimming.
To learn more about Equinox, its products, and staff, visit www.equinoxis.com or call (615) 612-1200.