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Why order management is a game changer for next-gen telecom services
Vikram Walecha, chief technology officer for ServiceNow at IBM, co-authored this blog.
5G has opened the door to a wealth of new opportunities for communications service providers (CSPs), from higher speeds to new network technologies. Forward-thinking CSPs will be able to target new customers, new buyers, and new markets with innovative products and offerings that will leverage 5G capabilities to accelerate digital transformation across multiple industries.
This represents a massive shift from the price-based competition CSPs have waged against each other when launching new services to now focusing on better customer experience and business outcomes. But these new possibilities come at a challenging time.
Most telecom companies know how valuable it would be to bring new bundled services to customers. However, to do that, they must navigate a growing ecosystem of partners, each with its own systems and processes. This adds layers of complexity to the operational silos and legacy systems that already exist within CSPs. These old ways of operating stand in stark contrast to the fast-paced changes happening in the industry today.
Reducing fallout and improving customer experience
According to TM Forum, “Many CTOs and CIOs see service fulfillment as a key piece of the 5G-era operational model and are sharpening their focus on service order management.”
That’s easier said than done. Without true digital transformation, a perfect storm is building for CSPs—requiring a new plan of attack in three key areas of pain for telecom companies—and their customers:
- Faster time to market
It can take weeks, or even months, to activate new services. And this occurs against the backdrop of tracked shipping, one-click orders, and other fast, convenient experiences that shape digital customer expectations, whether B2C or B2B, or B2B2X.
The telecom companies that are able to respond to the market quickly and efficiently will have the first opportunity to win the business and loyalty of digital customers embracing the new connected technologies enabled by 5G.
- Improved service delivery
Bringing new service bundles to market quickly is critical, but it’s only part of the transformation CSPs must undertake. Equally important is activating these new services for customers swiftly and effectively.
Too many customers fall out due to poor communications or delayed responses to inquiries—and customer loss at this stage means missing out on a higher-value relationship with more revenue potential.
- Expanded visibility
When employees don’t have full visibility into customer data—or have to spend their time and energy moving information between disparate systems—it makes it hard to smoothly orchestrate and decompose orders. In that situation, it’s difficult to anticipate any issues that could get in the way of assuring service to eager new customers, a situation no CSP can afford to find themselves in.
A holistic approach to order management is required
To better serve customers (and ultimately thrive) in the era of 5G, CSPs need a holistic approach to order management that goes beyond “ordering” and encompasses service assurance. As offerings become more connected, so must operations. Otherwise, telecom companies will find themselves falling behind the competition—fast.
The Order Management solution from ServiceNow and IBM gives CSPs a more connected approach from beginning to end, making it easier for:
Different teams and parties to collaborate internally on a single system of action
Digital workflows to automatically advance work from one person to the next
With service delivery and assurance on a single platform—uniting systems, processes, and people—customers get the updates and services they need. This pushes the entire telecom industry forward.
Learn more about how ServiceNow and IBM are helping CSPs remove the order management barriers that lead to poor customer experiences.
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