November 05, 2025
Plus: The unexpected perks of a cloud-based phone system
When Ginni Matern took over her family's 60-year-old staffing company in 2015, she thought running the business would be straightforward. What she didn't anticipate was how much the right technology partner would accelerate their growth from a regional staffing firm to a multi-state powerhouse placing over 1,000 employees annually.
"Little did I know how much work and dedication on the backend had to go into it," reflects Matern, CEO of the third-generation women-owned business. But sometimes the most powerful solutions are the simplest ones—a lesson Matern Staffing learned when they switched to Cox Business.
The Challenge: Growth Held Back by Complexity
For a company that specializes in making the right connections between talent and opportunity, Matern Staffing was ironically disconnected. With their previous internet provider, getting help meant dealing with 1-800 numbers and half-day waits for support. Slow internet caused application systems to glitch, losing candidate data mid-process.
"We had to find a different solution," explains Kelly Roth, COO, who brought 30 years of staffing industry experience to Matern. "If we're not keeping up with our current technology, we're going to get outpaced."
The breaking point? When internet outages forced employees to go home and use their personal connections just to keep operations running. For a business built on speed and reliability—where missing one call could mean losing a crucial placement—this wasn't just inconvenient, it was unsustainable.
The Solution: Simplicity That Scales
Here's what transformed Matern Staffing: two straightforward solutions from Cox Business. Fiber internet and a cloud-based phone system. No complex IT infrastructure. No dedicated technical team required. Just reliable connectivity that works.
"I was able to call Cox Business and get service within days," Matern says. The difference was clear right away. Rather than getting lost in call center queues, they were assigned a local account manager who truly understood their business and could resolve issues quickly.
The implementation was refreshingly simple:
- Fiber internet that eliminated connection drops and application glitches
- Cloud-based phones with a mobile app that routes calls anywhere
- Professional training that got the entire team up to speed quickly
- 24/7 voicemail with transcription that captures every opportunity
"Cox came in; they basically set everything up for us," Matern recalls. Even when they needed fiber lines to run to their new building—typically a complex months-long process—Cox delivered full installation in a matter of weeks.
The Unexpected Perks: More Than Just Reliability
While Matern Staffing expected better internet speed, what they didn't anticipate were the operational transformations that followed.
Professional Boundaries, Personal Freedom
"Ten years ago, we were using cell phones if it was after hours or on the weekends," Matern explains. "But once you call from a cell phone, they have that number. People would call throughout the night, throughout the weekends—even when it wasn't an emergency."
Now, the Cox voice solution mobile app routes business calls through the main line. Staff can toggle "do not disturb" during family time. They're accessible when they choose to be, professional always.
"I never miss a call," says Roth. "My staff can reach me without even calling my cell number. They're hitting my extension and it rings to my mobile phone." The voicemail transcription means she can quickly scan messages during meetings and prioritize responses.
Hybrid Work That Actually Works
When COVID hit, Matern Staffing didn't skip a beat. Their cloud-based phone system seamlessly transitioned to remote work through a computer app. No hardware to transport. No complicated VPN setups. Just log in and work.
"We never got interrupted because we were able to access the phone system on our computers," Matern notes. Today, they maintain hybrid schedules with A and B teams, keeping everyone connected through video calls and shared phone systems.
Even Virginia's notorious snow days don't slow them down. "Everybody knows—take your computers home," says Matern. "We're able to get a jumpstart first thing in the morning. Nobody's getting out on the road. Everybody's staying safely at home."
The Results: Growth Engineered Through Simplicity
The impact of these simple solutions has been anything but simple:
- Zero dropped applications during candidate intake
- 100% call connectivity with automatic mobile routing
- Multi-state expansion from Maryland to South Carolina
- 43% growth in employee placements (from 700 in 2022 to about 1,000 currently)
- Instant support replacing half-day wait times
"Our fiber internet enables us to access virtual tools and platforms with no interruption in a secure manner," Roth confirms. This reliability has become a competitive advantage, allowing Matern Staffing to guarantee responsiveness that larger competitors can't match.
Why Simple Solutions Drive Complex Growth
The Matern Staffing story reveals an important truth: businesses don't need complicated technology to achieve sophisticated results. They need the right foundational tools that work every time.
"Technology is huge, and I think we all learned that from COVID," Matern observes. "If we're not ahead of it now, our business will never get ahead."
But being ahead doesn't mean being complex. With Cox Business, Matern Staffing employs:
- One internet connection (fiber)
- One phone system (cloud-based)
- One local contact (their dedicated account manager)
- Zero internal IT staff
This simplicity frees them to focus on what they do best—connecting talent with opportunity. The technology just works, which means they can too.
Looking Forward: Built for What's Next
Today, Matern Staffing runs AI-powered automation for email campaigns and text messaging. They're exploring expansion into new states and implementing new software systems that demand reliable, high-speed connectivity.
"Cox is able to help us grow," Matern says. "They're always bringing up something new, something different for businesses to utilize no matter what size—small, medium or large."
The lesson for other growing businesses? You don't need a complex IT department to compete in a digital economy. You need a partner who makes powerful technology simple—whether you have in-house support or not.
As Roth puts it: "If there was a business owner out there thinking about switching to Cox, I would highly recommend they make that switch. Cox has been amazing from their customer service to their responsiveness."
For Matern Staffing, that switch didn't just improve their technology. It transformed their business.
Ready to engineer your own growth with simple, powerful connectivity? Learn how Cox Business can power your productivity—without the complexity. Get Started
