The Single View or Bust

Improving the End-User Experience Is at the Top of the List for Service Providers, but Is That Their Only List?

The Elusive Single View of the Customer

Cornett said any shift in operational databases will not happen overnight, and providers have to see it as a multi-phased approach that includes converged billing and charging systems that allow operators to adjust to their customers’ needs depending on usage, type of customer and preferences.

“Besides shifting to this federated single source of customer data, another key activity is moving from network-based monitoring to subscriber and service-level monitoring,” Cornett noted. “We’re seeing varying degrees of progress in this area, but there is a clear recognition across mature markets of the need to create this view of the network experience.”

He likened it to the wireless provider commercials that highlight network quality. “I don’t think most people worry too much about whether their provider is efficiently utilizing their network resources,” he said. “We just want to make sure our call gets through or we’re able to get our e-mail on our mobile device.”

Rainge said that many service providers are starting to take steps to organize the information they have, which includes increased investments in analytics and information management solutions and strategies. “Subscriber data management is a huge piece of this because it helps solve marketing problems, but it could also solve questions about network capacity based on calling patterns,” she explained. “However, subscriber data management is a small step forward in so many different aspects of the information management overhaul that operators need to do.”

End Game: Improving Customer Service

While providers across the spectrum are undergoing transformational projects of one sort or another in order to improve their efficiencies and business automation with an eye toward improving the overall customer experience, Cornett pointed out that the goal shouldn’t just be to have as much information as possible about customers, but rather to do something with that knowledge to improve customer service and satisfaction. “Our goal is to help our customers turn their subscribers into fans,” Cornett said.

To get to the point where customers are shouting the praises of their service provider won’t be easy, but the results will more than make up for it in the long term. “Customer service will be the key driver for anything providers do,” said Cornett. “By utilizing the same toolsets that operations and marketing departments use, customer service can understand exactly what’s happening to that subscriber, and hopefully prevent a dropped call or resolve a problem the first time.”

Want more? Hear Brad Cornett discuss how to improve the customer experience at the Billing & OSS World Conference & Expo.

The Five Key Drivers of the Customer Experience
Tuesday, April 14
2:00 – 2:45 p.m.

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