Name of your website?PL Group Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Your name?
Joun Lichti
Your Location (city, etc)
Lodi, California
Please give us a short summary of your website?
PL Group is a nation wide marketing firm for two manufactures. MeterMesh uses the newest system, termed Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) provide much more information such as, real time meter reads, tampering, voltage reading, outage reporting, and the ability to disconnect and reconnect the service just to mention a few. Advanced AMR uses an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) systems for electric meters. It actually has some the feathers of the newer AMI systems in that it also reads meters in real time. AMR was the name given to early systems which provided just that; a meter read.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
The main reason is to get more exposure in the market place. PL Group is a nation wide reseller for two AMI companies and it is a nitch market. In today’s world the web is the best way to reach people. But the important thing is to make it easy for people to find the products that they need.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
My first web site was for similar business that also involved electric metering. We started in 1997 and introduced the web side in early 1998. Energy Management Enterprises certified generation metering for the California Independent Systems Operators under the electric deregulation started in 1997.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
We used the name as the company name.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
All the other sites only offer one make or brand of AMR or AMI systems. PL Group is unique in that we offer products from two different manufactures.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
Our plan is to sell the company in about two years. The web site would be sold along with the company
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
It is too early to tell but the projection is very favorable. It is especially for the military which has a mandate to monitor and conserve energy by 2012. PL Group presently has an installation at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii with anticipation for installation at other Pacific Air Command Bases in the pacific. We hope to have opening with the branches of the military in the near future.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
Possibility buy AdWords
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Yes we have a very good IT tech to take care of any additional demands.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
None so far it has been a easy begining.
What has been your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was to try to get the web page correct the first time. by this I mean the verbiage, correct amount of key words per page, and of course the over all presentation.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
So far it has been word by email and getting links on other sites refering back to PL Group.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
After a month our site was 224th out for 888,000 on Google search. This is not too bad but it needs to be on the first page as people seldom view page pass the first one. The thing that has changed sense the last web site it the way search engines search and we are trying to meet that goal.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
It has been on line sense mid September. We expect to keep it as long as the company is doing business.
What is PL Groupsd customer base?
Our customers are Utilities, Muni´s, REA, Military complexes, malls, universities and college campuses, mobile home parks, and basically any entity that has multiple meters that need to have information gathered from.
What is your website address?
PL Group Advanced Metering Infrastructure
