|
|
By
Gabriel Matsliach
Convergence Considerations
In today’s evolving telecom landscape - new networks, new market entrants, new services and new subscriber expectations - the ability to quickly create and drive usage of multi-service offerings, while providing a personalized and consistent next generation user experience, in an efficient and cost-effective way are paramount to future-success.
The term ‘convergence’ and the associated supporting technologies are irrelevant to consumers. However if one looks at some consumer demands: payment flexibility and seamless access to multiple services across various devices (mobile, PC/laptop etc.), these need to be supported by the different aspects of convergence (e.g. network, device, payment, service). Add into the mix consumers’ increasing expectations for always-on access to advanced services; account choice and control; and the convenience of personalized customer care, and it is very clear that convergence now more than ever is a necessity.
These issues are driving many operators to address BSS/OSS limitations, with more and more operators acknowledging that BSS/OSS convergence needs to be at the core of their strategy. Many BSS/OSS limitations exist due to the existence of service-specific or function-specific silos, each with their own way of describing the customer. Customer Care, sales, marketing and BSS/OSS systems have traditionally been discrete ‘point solutions’. They all speak different ‘languages’. When you have so many disparate systems, each with their own language – even if they have been integrated or connected onto a bus – disconnects are almost unavoidable, and these disconnects will lead to gaps in customer management capabilities. Obviously, this complexity will lead to a sub-par customer experience, while full service monetization will be difficult and expensive.
To ensure a high-quality and seamless user experience, BSS/OSS capabilities – from marketing, sales and customer management through to charging and billing – need to be provided as a unified whole. This means a single code base, with all functionality built around a single data model, supported by a single product catalog and with a single operations, maintenance and security approach across the whole solution. In a world requiring real-time usage monitoring, real-time marketing and real-time policy management, clearly this unified approach to BSS must also sit firmly in the network – to the level of call/session control. Only this approach delivers the keys to future-proof success:
- One complete real-time subscriber view
- Multi-dimensional policy management
- Financial control
- Marketing agility
|
|
…convergence now more than ever is a necessity. |
|
One complete real-time subscriber view
A single, complete real-time subscriber view is the foundation for delivery of a consistent customer experience. Such a view can be accomplished only if there is unification of all customer, product and order information across an operator’s ecosystem. All pieces must speak the ‘same language’ and describe the customer in the same manner. Customers expect consistency regardless of access point: IVR, Web, call center or device. Operators might miss sales opportunities if all packages and services are not available for sale through all channels.
In addition, operators must genuinely empower customers, putting full control of the customer relationship in their hands and actively encouraging them to take charge, and providing them with total transparency that will prevent those surprises that too often negatively impact the customer’s perception of the operator. Building a sense of community among customers by enabling them to help each other with advice, techniques, former experiences, and the like can be a real differentiator. Again, a single real-time view of the customer is the only foundation on which this customer-centric approach can be built.
Multi-dimensional policy management
Policy management is a hot discussion topic these days and rightfully so. However, it is a broad topic that can be looked at too narrowly – just quality of service or network resource allocation, for example. Policy management is a multi-dimensional topic covering not only network and allocation, but also authorization, rating and charging, identity (enterprise and personal) management, and financial liability management. All of these should ideally blend network information with subscriber information for maximum effectiveness.
article page
| 1
| 2 | 3 |
|
|
|
|
