Matt Tietz is no stranger to global trade. His company, McDonough Manufacturing, has been building and shipping custom sawmill machinery worldwide for more than 135 years and he relies on TSI for global communications.
Founded in 1888 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with satellite facilities in New Brunswick, Canada, McDonough Manufacturing builds large-scale edgers, resaws, carriages and bandmills up to 20 feet tall for sawmills throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Though McDonough Manufacturing works with major customers across the globe, Matt trusts his company’s mission-critical communications to Eau-Claire-based TSI. Here are five reasons why.
1. Personalized Solutions
For more than 30 years, TSI has provided personalized telecom solutions that help McDonough Manufacturing cater to its customers’ unique needs. For example, TSI installed and supports the company’s on-premise business phone system, including all hardware and unified communications software.
TSI also provides McDonough Manufacturing’s landline phone service. Matt says his company previously used a national carrier for landline service but switched to TSI after finding the national carrier difficult to work with. TSI offered clear, easy-to-understand billing and exceptional support.
“The national carrier was huge, so you never knew who to call about issues and you would get different, random people calling you, and you didn’t know why,” Matt says. “We would get three invoices for different services, and it was a struggle to understand what we were paying for. The national carrier was cumbersome, so it was a no-brainer to switch to TSI.”
McDonough Manufacturing currently uses VoIP phones, but before switching to VoIP, TSI helped the company keep its previous phone system operational for as long as possible.
“We had an outdated system for our phones and TSI kept it running until we made the change to VoIP. They weren’t one of those providers who said it’s obsolete and won’t work,” he says. “We had challenges with the aging system, and in this day and age, having someone who can still work on a system that’s 30 years old and keep it going is a feather in their cap. It made it an easy decision for who to go with for our next phone system.”
2. Expert Guidance, Support and Reliability
VoIP promised to expand McDonough Manufacturing’s capabilities and improve reliability, but after decades of traditional copper service, the company was understandably apprehensive about making the switch. Would the new system be high quality? Would it drop calls or lose Internet?
“There was a little hesitation around switching to VoIP because it was new to us and because of how important a phone system is for a company like ours. We didn’t want to screw anything up,” he says.
TSI offered expert guidance, support and training before, during and after the cutover.
“TSI provided us with various options. We had a very good salesperson who was not pushy and did not oversell us,” Matt says. “They asked all the pertinent questions and pre-set up the system. It was clear they had done this before and had a good process, and I was very impressed with their thorough planning and their implementation to go live.”
Reliability is crucial to success, and Matt says he appreciates that his company can depend on TSI: “We don’t want to worry about our phone system, and with TSI, it has been very reliable.”
3. Remote Communications
McDonough Manufacturing’s reps routinely travel the country, attending conferences and trade shows to maintain personal relationships that drive business success. Telecom plays a crucial role in fostering relationships when their reps are on the road.
For example, the company can instantly forward incoming calls to their reps, whether they’re in the office or in California, so customers don’t have to wait to speak with their preferred contacts. Matt says this feature enables McDonough Manufacturing to have many traveling salespeople dispersed around the country while still providing personalized service – a huge benefit for their team.
“Our customers absolutely demand being able to communicate whenever they want,” Matt says. “There is no automated system here to press ‘1’ to talk to sales. A human being answers all our phone calls and that’s intentional. It’s important to our customers to have that connection, whether it’s face-to-face or a human being that picks up the telephone.”
4. Enhanced Communications and Adaptability
McDonough Manufacturing’s customers value face-to-face communications, but that became challenging – and even impossible – during the COVID-19 pandemic. TSI helped McDonough Manufacturing with video conferencing that allowed them to have remote face-to-face conversations with customers.
“Our industry is an old industry, and face-to-face communications are paramount. Our customers invest hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars in sawmill machinery. When someone makes that commitment, it’s a several month process, and our customers prefer face-to-face visits,” Matt says. “TSI enabled us to do video conferences when we couldn’t meet customers in person.”

5. Shared Values and Relationships
McDonough Manufacturing has been in Matt’s family for four generations and was previously owned by his mother, Sue Tietz, who currently serves as President and CEO. Matt says his company partners with TSI not only for its reliable service and quick, expert support, but also for its shared values and commitment to long-term relationships.
“The fact that TSI is local is a big deal to us. We’re a family business, so the things that we think our customers appreciate, TSI has those same qualities,” he says. “Being local, they’re able to come to our facility. If we really need something, they’re just minutes away, and that’s tremendous.”
Matt adds that working with TSI offers distinct advantages over national carriers.
“It’s nice to work with a local company and know who you’re calling,” he says. “Good old-fashioned service still hasn’t lost its value.”
Reliable communications and expert service are vital to business success. TSI is proud to partner with McDonough Manufacturing and ensure communications remain a strength for their team and their business.

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