Page 3 - Texas811

from the desk of
Chris Stovall
Thank you for taking the time to read through our magazine. I am grateful to be a part of an industry that embraces continuous improvement through learning and innovation. I hope you are learning and growing from reading our magazine. I have been thinking a lot this year about growth and innovation in our industry and where it might matter most. Our volume in the 811 center is up every month this year except for March. February was up 14% over last year and April was up nearly 20% over 2023. Growth like this is begging for innovation. I recently re-read the story of the transition from manual switch boards to automated switch boards and I couldn’t help but consider how this could apply to our own industry. During the 20th century, as more people and businesses began relying on telephones, the manual switchboard system, which required operators to manually connect calls became overwhelmed. When a call was received, the operator would respond by inserting the answering plug (one
end of a patch cord) into the subscriber’s jack, establishing a connection to that line. The operator would then speak through a headset to ask whom the caller wished to reach. Once the desired recipient was identified, the operator would insert the calling plug (the other end of the patch cord) into the jack associated with the recipient’s phone line. If the line was free, the operator would ring the recipient’s phone by sending an electrical current to signal the incoming call.
The system was labor-intensive and could not efficiently handle the growing volume of calls. Operators were unable to keep up with the volume, leading to delays and errors in call handling. Moreover, the system required a significant and increasing number of operators, leading to high labor costs.
The development and implementation of automatic telephone switching systems replaced manual switchboards and eventually, rotary dial allowed the user to directly input the number they wished to reach. The question I would love for you to consider as you read this magazine is: What is the innovation our industry is waiting for and where do we need it most?
Chris Stovall
President and CEO
2024, Issue 3
Texas811 • 1