It feels like just yesterday that the Edwards team was having cake and raising a glass to celebrate its 65th year.
In some ways, it also feels like it’s been an eternity, given current, stressful circumstances and friends, family, and loved ones stuck at home.
During these challenging times, it’s maybe more important than ever to remember the importance of a strong connection.
My mom and dad, Betty and Fred Edwards, started this company on April 1, 1954 with just nine Bell System rotary phones, like the one pictured above.
Some younger people may not even recognize – or have even ever seen – such a device in an era of smartphones and Instagram. But at one time, the Bell System dominated the telephone services industry in North America, until its ultimate breakup in 1984.
Seeing this “relic” made us consider some of the other greatest hits from the year Edwards Answering Service was founded. Did you know? In 1954:
- “The Tonight Show” first aired on NBC – but not hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Jay Leno, or even Carson, himself – but Steve Allen.
- R.R. Tolkein’s “The Lord of the Rings” debuted… the book, not the movie!
- RCA’s first, all-color electronic TV goes on sale, with a price tag of $1,000
- Fittingly, the first TV dinner, from Swanson, follows suit (for considerably less).
- Elvis Presley launches his music career, long before Graceland and gaudy sequins and jumpsuits.
Of course, a lot of not so happy things occurred back then, too. The point, though, is that times change. Fashions change. Music fads, entertainment options, food, and technology – it all changes.
But one thing that hasn’t changed in 66 years is Edwards Answering Service’s dedication to its customers. In more than six decades, that has never faltered. And never will.
Mom and dad started our business with an “all for one” mentality, and it’s that sense of connectivity that continues to fuel our purpose today.
Times are changing. We’re in the midst of an unprecedented worldwide crisis and tensions are at an all time high.
In more than 40 years of driving into my business’s parking lot, I have never seen it so empty. But our team is hard at work!
I am hesitant to use the word “celebrate” right now, with so many of us small business owners and fellow humans struggling. These last few weeks have been incomparable to anything our business has lived through. But “celebrate” is the only word I can think of to commemorate our 66 years.
In my more than 40 years in the answering service business, these last few weeks have been the most trying – but also the most rewarding.
I want to thank my employees for their incredible dedication and determination. We are truly making a difference in our clients’ lives and the lives of their callers.
To our loyal clients, thank you for the trust you have put in me and my company. We are very thankful to all of you and to be of assistance, especially during these unprecedented times.
If we can help you in any way, please call us at 860-646-5080. Let’s stay connected – and we’ll all get through this together.
– Gary Edwards, President, Edwards Answering Service Enterprises
