Leaders to watch - Company sees sales rise 227 percent over three years

Bobby L. Hickman

August 1, 2008

C ompanies that want to build sales in the expanding U.S./ Hispanic consumer market could learn a few lessons from the success of Atlanta-based Viscom International.

Viscom, which provides prepaid calling calls and related offerings to the Hispanic community, has seen its sales rise 227 percent from 2004 to 2007.

John Wise, Viscom CEO and president, says his company has built its BEST Mexico into "the premium brand for Hispanics to call from the U.S. to Mexico." His keys to success: quality products, brand recognition and acceptance, and respecting customers.

"When we started our BEST Mexico brand eight years ago, we began marketing prepaid phone calls," Wise says. The company began in Georgia and, "over the course of growing our business, we're now in 40 states."

John Wise

The company's total sales have surpassed $100 million. In 2007 alone, Viscom's $26 million in sales represented a 70 percent increase over the previous year. And 2008 is off to a strong start as well, with sales up 20 percent during the first quarter.

Viscom has grown mainly by selling its products to independent Hispanic retailers. However, Viscom is in the midst of a marketing initiative that will accelerate that growth even further across the country through mass general retailers and national prepayment solutions distributors.

In 2007, Viscom won the business of Kroger, the largest U.S. national chain, to distribute BEST Mexico cards through their 2,500 stores. And Kroger is "just the tip of the iceberg," he says, as Viscom works with "general retailers who are looking to serve the Hispanic community directly. We're positioning BEST Mexico as the 'go-to brand' for mass retailers looking to use prepaid phone cards to attract Hispanic customers to their store."

National prepaid product distributors also offer growth opportunities. In recent months, Viscom has signed deals with three of the seven companies that form the "backbone" of the industry - Blackstone, Emida Technologies and PaySpot - and is in talks with the other four.

Viscom is working with retailers who "are looking for attractive, quality brands that have credibility among Hispanics," Wise says. "The key goes back to how we built our brand. When a major chain scrutinizes a brand - particularly in this industry - they look closely to make sure it reflects quality, trust and acceptance by consumers."

The company also has built brand recognition through grassroots marketing, such as sponsoring concerts for Mexican audiences. It also uses outdoor billboards and ads on Univision TV. In Atlanta, they also advertise on MARTA shelter and Spanish language radio.

Beyond the new distribution channels, Wise says, Viscom also plans to grow by introducing such branded products as debit cards. "We can leverage our brand and distribution to assist financial companies with their outreach to the Mexican community and with their debit card programs," he says.