Airfoil Public Relations Downsizing & Relocating
About Airfoil Public Relations
Airfoil Public Relations has been downsizing as it recovers from the loss of about 20 percent when Microsoft Enterprise Product Group ceased to be part of the Seattle software giant’s long-term plans. The Microsoft Enterprise was Airfoil’s main client. Airfoil is a Public Relations Firm that originated in Detroit and specializes in technology, planning corporate strategies, and campaigns.
As a result of the Microsoft loss, Airfoil has to move its offices from the Southfield Town Center location to the more urban location in Royal Oaks Detroit. In their Northern California location, their offices were moved over the summer from Sunnyvale to downtown San Jose.
Downsizing and Recuperating at Airfoil PR
Airfoil has six employees in San Jose and also one in New York City to service the new WorkWave account. WorkWave provides integrated services to mobile workforce companies in the field service, transportation and logistics industries.
Airfoil also announced a week ago that it has added four other new clients that will replace some of the lost revenue.
The other new clients include:
Ambassador: a referral marketing platform that helps companies track, manage and analyze referrals.
NH Learning Solutions: a network of 17 Centers across 10 Midwestern and Northeastern states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Automation Alley: a start-up accelerator working to grow the Southeast Michigan economy.
Glance Networks: a personalized customer service experience that caters to 3,000 healthcare, financial services, technology, and SaaS, retail and travel and leisure organizations.
Is that Enough For the PR Company?
Losing the Microsoft account was a huge blow to Airfoil in terms of Silicon Valley. 20% loss from a high priority client is could be detrimental to the company and ultimately show a slow decline from the firm if these four accounts don’t make up for the one big account.
“We won’t realize that new revenue until next year,” founder and CEO Lisa Vallee-Smith said. “Our fiscal year starts in January. Our folks are going for renewals now.”
The other consequence is that Airfoil has to orientate its cultural and clientele differently. One thing is for sure, though, that the company is not be able to expand its staff except perhaps an accounting position in Michigan.
“Other than that we have no plans to do any significant hiring through the first quarter of next year,” Vallee-Smith said.
