Edge Serves up Success for the Tennis Industry Association

About the Tennis Industry Association  

The Tennis Industry Association (TIA) promotes the economic vitality of tennis through game-growing activities designed to increase participation. Through its high-profile tennis websites that include CardioTennis.com, GrowingTennis.com and TennisWelcomeCenter.com, as well as the customer service and marketing application TennisConnect, the TIA is able to reach customers across the country and help tennis providers grow their businesses. Today, more than 600 tennis providers serve more than 250,000 end users through TIA websites and applications.

The Challenge – Not Double Faulting before a National Audience

Prior to the national launch for each of its online properties, the TIA’s IT Director, Matt Allen, knew the association would need a quality hosting provider that could guarantee 100 percent uptime.

Because the TIA’s operation is centered on offering exceptional service to its members, it didn’t want to drop the ball, so to speak, when selecting the very best hosting partner to handle its job.

The TIA wanted a reliable hosting provider that could grow with its needs, as it was adding new members to its online properties daily. Specifically, the TIA needed a provider that could offer unmatched scalability and could always think one step ahead to accommodate future growth.  

After an exhaustive search, the TIA found what it was looking for in Edge Web Hosting.

The Solution – Reliable Managed Hosting and Scalability that Exceeded Expectations

With the game plan laid out, the TIA’s relationship with Edge began on a managed dedicated server and has grown in recent years to require a highly available cluster of ColdFusion Web servers with F5 load balancers.

“Edge has been there at every turn,” says Charlie Ruddy, Product Manager for the TIA’s TennisConnect application. “Instead of being up-sold solutions we were advised to proactively take advantage of the load balancers and the industrial strength network Edge has in place.”

Edge came on board already equipped with the talent and resources necessary to handle the association’s steady growth, according to Allen and Ruddy. Edge also took the time to learn the TIA’s business and worked closely with its IT staff to find sensible and cost-effective solutions for problems.

According to Allen, “Edge provided the scalability, security and technical support we were seeking. As our needs have increased, Edge has been three steps ahead of us.”

Ruddy cites one example of Edge Web Hosting’s reliable service, “Many years ago before starting with Edge, the TIA would have to call its hosting provider to explore new releases and OS updates. Now it’s the other way around.  Edge proactively reaches out with support notifications including ample time to explore the implications of each OS or ColdFusion update”.

Results – Efficient Use of Resources and Satisfied Members

The TIA wouldn’t be where it is today without Edge’s proactive customer service and deep understanding of its mission-critical technology infrastructure, according to Allen and Ruddy. With Edge by its side, the TIA has experienced tremendous growth. In fact, its websites handle more than 3 million inquires each month with the help of Edge’s behind-the-scenes technical support.

Above everything, Edge knows protecting TIA’s image has always been its highest concern, especially in front of a membership base comprised of influential players in the tennis industry.

“From a managerial perspective, it’s reassuring to know our IT folks aren’t spending unnecessary time working through hosting problems that shouldn’t exist in the first place,” says Jolyn deBoer, Executive Director of the TIA.

She adds, “The TIA greatly cares about the stability of its technology infrastructure, as it reflects on the entire tennis industry as a whole. Edge has helped our organization maintain an elite standing and has instilled absolute confidence in the eyes of our members, which is priceless to us.”