Sikorsky Aircraft and Connecticut Medical Claims Management, Inc. couldn't be more different. One employs thousands of people at multiple sites statewide. The other has 13 employees and one office in Guilford. Both prove any size company can implement telecommuting and benefit greatly.

In the highly competitive mortgage brokerage business, where it's grow or die, Cannondale Financial has found the secret to growth: Hire telecommuters. John Reyes, Managing Director of Cannondale Financial, says he hires people in the states where he wants to do business. They work from home and originate loans in their territories, enabling Cannondale Financial to establish a local presence in multiple states, without the expense of opening and maintaining brick-and-mortar offices. This strategy has helped Wilton, Connecticut-based Cannondale cost-effectively expand into New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The strategy is paying off. "My volume has increased 50%," says Reyes. "These are loans we would not have originated if I didn't have these [telecommuters] working for me."

If a company's initial experience with telecommuting doesn't work out, that company rarely tries again. However, CRN -- the Hamden-based producer of radio promotions and programming for advertisers such as Campbell Soup, Hormel, M&M Mars and Lipton -- did try telecommuting again, after an early stumble, and it's working just fine.

Stamford-based LeadMasters helps client companies -- such as American Express and MetLife -- generate sales appointments with qualified prospects. LeadMasters is NOT a telemarketer. They don't hire entry level people to read from scripts and make phone calls to unsuspecting consumers. They hire seasoned professionals with substantial business experience to make exploratory phone calls and communicate with high level executives in the prospects' organizations. By making such contacts LeadMasters can determine if there's a good fit between what their clients offer and what their prospects need. If so, LeadMasters then sets up sales appointments for their clients.

If you would like to share the success your company has had with telecommuting, please contact Telecommute CT!

Phone: 800-255-7433
Fax: 203-773-5014
e-mail: [email protected]