How Xplore Fibre changed the game for this Manitoba business – SteinbachOnline.com

Winter is tough for everyone, but inclement weather isn’t stopping Swift Underground — one of Xplore’s local merchants and contractors — from connecting residents and businesses to 100% pure fiber optic internet in rural Manitoba.

The Country Perogy Shop, a rural Manitoban business committed to providing quality products and exceptional customer service, was the first customer in Kleefeld, Manitoba to be connected to Xplore’s new fiber optic network by Swift Underground.

“The installation was absolutely problem-free,” says Don Penner. “We weren’t without internet for a minute.”

Don and his wife Dorothy have owned Country Perogy Shop for eight years. Dorothy explains that the payment terminal often didn’t work with her previous DSL Internet provider. As a result, customers would have to leave their contact information so they could send an e-transfer, come back later with a check, or return when the machine is working again.

“We’ve never been stiffened by anyone, but a company should never have to operate like that,” she says.

Since the connection with Xplore fiber optics, this problem is a thing of the past. Adds Dorothy, “The speeds are fantastic and our point of sale device has been working ever since!”

With a fast and reliable internet connection, Dorothy can now work and make changes to the company website directly from her in-store office. She used to have to go back home five miles away where she has Xplore landline WiFi to upload and download large files from suppliers or make changes to the website.

“Now I can work right here in the shop,” she says. “If something happens, I can address it immediately. I don’t have to wait to get home.”

Although the Penner’s Store has only been “in-town” in Kleefeld for two years, it feels like it has always been there. Although in a way it’s been part of the community fabric for decades.

Country Perogy Shop has been owned by the Penner family for 35 years. And it had humble beginnings. Ripped from the family’s home kitchen, it struggled to stay open after a major customer, The 8 Stove (‘Eating Room’ in German), closed in the early 1990s. But through perseverance and “pounding the pavement,” the company’s customer base steadily grew into what it is today.

Dorothy laughs when asked how they came to the decision to buy the business and says her family joked about the purchase for years since she was already the store manager. After purchasing the Country Perogy Shop, the Penners decided to move to Kleefeld.

Dorothy points out that her new location has sentimental value to her. It was once a restaurant owned by a family friend. The decision has also paid off as retail sales are up 10-20% since then and they feel a lot more present in the community.

Quality and customer service are top priorities for Don and Dorothy when it comes to their business.

For example, they once experimented with a machine to get away from making hand-pinched perogies. It seemed to work well – until they tried the product.

“The only thing we didn’t check before getting the machine was actually cooking and tasting the perogie,” says Dorothy, recalling the changed taste and texture. “We couldn’t stand behind the product, so we stopped using the machine.”

Don says he expects the same level of quality and service from other companies.

“It doesn’t matter how tall you are,” he says. “If my business depends on the product you offer and I need support, I now feel better as the most important person to you. Swift (Xplore) has been great with it so far.”

Xplore fiber optic internet is now available in Kleefeld, Grunthal, Mitchell South, La Broquerie, New Bothwell, Dufresne, Linden, Greenland and Otterburne. And soon there will be construction in Landmark and Blumenort.

Visit xplore.ca/fibre to see if your home is covered. You can also contact your local Swift Underground dealer directly by visiting www.swiftunderground.com/internet. Call (204) 846-7984 to register today!