Another PUGM in the Books!

By Amy Oldham
November 28, 2017

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Food, fraud education, and fun are words that spring to mind when I think of the Protector User Group Meeting. However, the one word that stands above them all is FAMILY. We have the absolute best customers in the world, and we love to get together with them! And by all accounts, they enjoy being with us. That's one main reason we've been hosting a Protector Users Group Meeting (PUGM) for the past 19 consecutive years.

This annual event is the cornerstone of Equinox's mission to help telecom carriers protect and optimize revenue via effective fraud management. The PUGM not only delves into the hot fraud topics of the day, but every detail is constructed to benefit those in the daily fight against fraud. It's also designed for maximal interaction between everyone involved. It's a great time for Equinox to get better acquainted with new customers, catch up with existing customers on what's happened in their lives this past year, it allows customers to put a face with the Support person on the other end of the phone, and it provides ample networking time for carriers who represent every segment of the telecom industry.

This year's event (11/13-11/15) drew multiple representatives from 19 different companies spanning the telecom marketspace. We are certainly proud when attendees return year after year, as our goal is to host an event where the customer is not only the honored guest but also gets real value from it. The majority of people at this year's event are conference veterans, but we also had eleven first-time attendees. True to form, the veterans quickly welcomed newcomers into the PUGM family. While it's true that the companies represented at the event are in competition with each other, they are all united in the fight against fraud, each looking for the most reliable, cost-effective methods for detecting and stopping fraud to avoid loss. Based on the numerous comments from newbies and veterans alike, it's clear that the PUGM is a very special and loyal community. Look at the event photo gallery for a glimpse of the entire event!

Beyond the education and training sessions, we hosted a traditional group dinner one evening. This year's networking event was held at Martin's Barbeque Joint downtown. Everyone loved it! The food was delicious, but we also enjoyed challenging each other at the ping-pong table, dart boards, and shuffleboard. Per tradition, many folks headed to Tootsie's to continue the festivities after our time at Martin's ended. We concluded our time together the next day with several carrier-led case studies, a guest speaker from Technology Research Institute, and a new Equinox Support panel. Judging by the comments and conference evaluation metrics, the PUGM 2017 was a rousing success! Attendees gave high marks for both the content and value of the conference.

This year marks my 8th time to participate in the PUGM. In recent years, I have also had the honor of helping with transportation. That means I ride in the official Equinox shuttle, making runs between the airport, the event venue, and the host hotel. It's great to be the first Equinox face the customer sees upon landing at the Nashville airport. Not only do these van rides allow more personal interaction outside the scheduled agenda, they provide further evidence that we have THE best customers in all of telecom.

We've already started planning the Protector User Group Meeting for 2018. Look for an official 'Save the Date' announcement in January, with complete details and registration site available 6 months before the event. We eagerly anticipate seeing everyone again next year!

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