Leadership Q&A

What strengths serve Cox Communications best in difficult times and position the company well for the future?

At Cox Communications, we consider our people to be our greatest strength; they are the backbone of our company and the reason for our success. We are proud of our diverse workforce that reflects the make-up of the communities where we do business. This, in turn, helps us to deliver the right products and services to our unique customer base. In tough economic times, it is critical that we are listening closely to our customers, as well as our employees who are closest to those customers.

Mae Douglas — Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer, Cox Communications

What innovations are under way at Cox Communications?

Although there are quite a few things that come to mind, I'll start with our foray into wireless.  We announced last year that we are bringing mobile services to the market in 2009.  More than two-thirds of our customers take a bundle of services from Cox, and adding wireless to the mix of high-speed Internet, telephone, and video will provide our customers with the full complement of communications products.  It's an exciting time for our business, and our employees are looking forward to adding wireless to our product mix.

Another demonstration of innovation is our ability to offer customers some of the most popular broadcast TV shows whenever they want them with MyPrimetime^SM in our On DEMAND library. Episodes from ABC, NBC, Fox and more are offered for free to digital cable customers, starting the day after they air on the network. With MyPrimetime, customers can watch hits like Lost, Grey's Anatomy, The Office and more, all with the convenience and usability of On DEMAND.

Finally, it's important to highlight our Cox Business segment. Cox Business works with what we consider to be the underserved small and medium-sized business segment, providing reliable business solutions for all of their communications needs. Cox Business currently offers a complete portfolio of robust voice, data, video, and local area network services to more than 240,000 business customers across the United States.  We're committed to continuing to invest in this growing segment, which represents 27% of Cox's revenue growth over the next 3 years.

Pat Esser — President, Cox Communications

What are some of the ways in which customer service is a part of the Cox Communications culture?

Cox's vision is to be the most trusted provider of entertainment and communication services in America. Our dedicated employees have embraced this vision and have been recognized with multiple J.D. Power awards — three in 2008 alone. Employees differentiate Cox by providing the best customer experience, and we're the only cable company to be recognized by J.D. Power with top customer satisfaction honors across all of our product lines. Cox devotes a significant amount of training annually to our customer-facing employees and invests in both tools and technology. These initiatives better enable our associates to provide customers with an excellent experience.

Scott Wise — Vice President, Customer Care, Cox Communications

With Cox's national reach, how does the company support the individual communities it serves?

We're deeply committed to connecting with the communities we serve, and our in-kind and cash giving exceeds $100 million annually. Youth and education are two cornerstones of our social responsibility efforts. Our Take Charge! Initiative, for example, helps parents and caregivers keep kids safe on the Internet and with other digital media.

Cox is also a national technology partner of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. We provide many local clubs with free or discounted high-speed Internet and cable services, valued yearly in the millions of dollars. Since 2003, Cox has given more than $1 million in cash and an additional $20 million in in-kind services to clubs in Cox markets across the country.

Leo Brennan — Chief Operations Officer, Cox Communications

What initiatives are under way at Cox Communications to support Cox Conserves, the company's environmental commitment?

Cox employees are putting forth innovative projects like the composting program launched in New England, using ice to cool critical broadband equipment in San Diego, leveraging solar energy to partially power our facilities in Orange County, CA, and Phoenix, as well as eliminating personal printers in favor of shared printing in Hampton Roads.  And on a company-wide basis, we are installing GPS technology throughout our fleet that will significantly shrink our carbon footprint by reducing idling times and providing more efficient routing.  At Cox Communications, we are committed to achieving the goals of Cox Conserves and will continue to find new and greener ways to run our business.

Pat Esser — President, Cox Communications 

Our cable systems are actively implementing local Cox Conserves initiatives to support the company's goals to reduce energy use and promote sustainability. Two great examples: e-waste recycling programs, which have collected hundreds of thousands of tons of recyclable materials like TVs and computers, and virtual call center programs, which harness the power of Cox's broadband network to reduce the carbon footprint created by commuting and facilities construction.

Leo Brennan — Chief Operations Officer, Cox Communications