What started as two friends working in a cubicle less than six years ago is now a staff of 28 in two offices. At just 32 years old, COO Eytan Wiener, along with his partners Ari Zoldan and Jonathan Goldman, has created a growing company with $25 million in annual sales. Quantum Networks, LLC, sells niche tech-centric products like network and storage devices and surveillance equipment.
The trio has outpaced the competition to quickly reach dramatic sales figures. The company uses advanced analytics, brilliant marketing tactics, and a driven tech support team to provide domestic and international customers access to innovative products. It was a unique insight into a market trend that provided the opportunity. “We noticed that eCommerce has stripped away much of the human interaction between the buyer and the seller, and the manufacturers and consumers,” Wiener says. “Due to their complex and often detailed nature, tech products suffer the most from this dynamic.”
For this reason, Quantum specializes in customer service by providing a robust technical support team staffed with knowledgeable specialists who are equipped to answer complicated questions with easy to understand answers. Video tutorials, on-line chat, how-to guides, and FAQs compliment the user experience.
Getting to Know
Eytan Wiener
What’s a typical day for you like? As COO, I have my hands in everything. When I get to the office, I go over sales reports from the previous day to see how we’re doing, and then I do some finance work with the CFO. We monitor the progress of new hires, and then I go to the warehouse a couple times a week to check in on logistics. I also handle paperwork for legal components, distribution agreements, and other projects.
How do you stay on top of coming trends? I go to trade shows in Europe and Asia just to see what’s new in the industry, and I use a lot of websites to monitor as much as possible. We look at rankings on Amazon to see what people are buying, and I also get reports from distributors and manufactures. Those reports give me insight as to what’s moving and what’s not.
What makes a good COO in your space? Knowing what’s going on and always being aware of new trends. A good COO has to know where the company is making the most money and where it is efficient. He or she has to work to help people communicate so operations can be as smooth as possible.
Take a customer looking for a cell-phone repeater for example. Quantum Networks was one of the first vendors selling the products. Consumers, however, often don’t know which repeater to buy, what frequency they need, how many square feet it covers, or what an amp even is. Quantum’s developers built a web portal full of information on the product and became one of the biggest niche retailers. “We came along and changed the model for how people shop online for specialty tech products,” Wiener remarks.
Quantum started by selling higher-end wireless products to municipalities and ISPs, but the management team quickly saw great potential on Ebay and Amazon before migrating to a more consistent eCommerce platform—and that’s when things really took off. Wiener, who had no professional experience in wireless sales or technology, applied his knack for marketing. His team utilized online marketing, Google ads, viral videos, social media, and SEO before the tools were common. The company owns and operates multiple websites like Quantum-wireless.com, goingwimax.com, and justgpstracking.com, which potential customers find when researching products and where they ultimately purchase products and drive business to Quantum Networks.
In the last two years, Quantum has expanded into Europe. The large foreign market was a late adaptor for eCommerce, and tech products are now moving at a faster rate than ever before. Europeans are buying online for the first time, and Quantum, facing little competition in the space, doubled annual sales from 2012 to 2013. Today, the growing company is focused on capturing as many verticals as possible. Quantum is starting to develop its own products and frequently enters into exclusive relationships to leverage its marketing and infrastructure for manufacturers who have great products but no reach. The company is also working closely with the General Services Administration to offer products and services to government agencies.
As Wiener takes his company into the future, he looks to building on Quantum’s unique company culture. “We’re energetic, hardworking, and we’re always looking for something new,” he says. “But more importantly, we never take no for an answer.”
