Challenge: Digital Teleport, a regional fiber optic transport carrier wanted to use Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as a financial mechanism to shed debt and emerge a stronger, more formidable competitor. Digital Teleport was concerned about its ability to maintain confidence among current and potential customers, key suppliers, and employees. Before filing its bankruptcy petition, the company had only a two-week window to develop a communications plan and execute all of its components. Digital Teleport turned to SpinCom.

Approach: SpinCom developed an integrated communications plan that included recommended positioning, key messages, talking points, letters, telephone and voice mail scripts for use with all audience groups.

Results: Digital Teleport customers, employees, and suppliers learned about the company's action and rationale directly from the company, boosting their confidence level. Sales in the first two months after the bankruptcy filing were ahead of results for the full previous quarter. Open and proactive communications also made it easier for the company to settle agreements with key suppliers and vendors.

Digital Teleport was acquired by CenturyTel Corp and later changed its name to LightCore.