4G Package Change
Learn how one of our clients achieved the following:
Introduction:
Our client, a leading telecom and broadband provider in South Asia, is a well-established company offering a comprehensive range of telecommunications services. With a rich history dating back to its inception as the premier telephone and telegraph service in 1947, the company has evolved to become a major player in the telecom sector, providing broadband and wireless internet services, Smart TV, satellite services, and more. While the company has undergone privatization measures, it still maintains close ties with government-owned agencies, solidifying its position in the market.
Problem Statement
The telco’s contact center has been aiming to streamline the 4G package switchover process, with a specific focus on reducing processing times. When agents interacted with customers, they experienced processing delays on both ends owing to the complex nature of the changeover method. The hope was that agents would eventually be able to bypass the several complex portals and interfaces required to authorize the change. The telco also hoped that they would be able to maximize efficiency by reducing technical training times needed for employees to be able to operate package change applications.
On average, the telco processes around 110 requests a day, with an average FTE of 135 for various requests. The average handling time was 138-150 seconds, with the entire procedure being done manually, further opening it up to human error.
Therefore, the telco endeavored to create a more efficient process for handling customer requests, thus improving overall customer experience and reducing wait times drastically. They engaged M.M.’s services to come up with an innovative and cost-effective solution to their problems.
Solution:
M.M was able to create a swift automated process in order to tackle the technical issues being faced by employees and customers. The deployment of a BOT has greatly improved the process of addressing customer requests and complaints. The average handling time (AHT) has been cut in half, creating much faster turnaround times. M.M’s approach has also managed to bring down the average number of clicks by agents from 20-25 to only 6-10 clicks, making it easier for agents to complete requests. The automation process has significantly aided error reduction, reducing error rates by nearly 90%. In this way, requests can be fulfilled more accurately, resulting in higher customer satisfaction rates. The BOT is able to successfully navigate different portals to aid request registration and on-call troubleshooting, further reducing the burden on employees.
M.M Approach:
M.M’s unique digital transformation philosophy focuses on greatly simplifying repetitive procedures, resulting in tangible results such as cost reduction and increased efficiency. The following steps were taken to ensure a seamless, user-friendly approach to help the telco achieve a faster package change process:
- Reducing the number of interfaces and portals that agents need to interact with to change packages.
- Implementing a system to monitor and track the status of package change requests to ensure prompt and efficient handling.
- Providing training to the agents to ensure they have the necessary skills to operate the simplified process.
- Regular review and optimization of the process to continuously improve efficiency and customer experience.
The process has been automated so the bot can change the package or explain to the agent why it shouldn’t be changed based on the user’s package, balance, and request. In this way, the agent can clarify the cause and what further action is needed to fulfill the user’s request. This line of action allowed M.M to provide substantial value by contributing five measurable advantages to the telco’s 4G package change procedure:
- Reduced complexity: By simplifying the package change process from start to finish, agents are able to fulfill customer requests with more ease, using a less complicated operating system.
- Decreased AHT: The average handling time of each request drops significantly, as many of the previous portals and interfaces have now been removed.
- Improved customer experience: As wait times and errors are reduced, customer satisfaction improves dramatically.
- Reduced training time: Process simplification means that agents spend less time on training and are able to effectively navigate and operate applications with less technical knowledge.
- Increased efficiency: By continuously monitoring processes and leveraging customer feedback, the system is routinely updated, making it faster and more streamlined over time.
Lessons Learnt:
There were several valuable lessons to be learnt during this automation process that can be applied to other such cases in the future.
- Detailed descriptions of the AS-IS process can be omitted: In order to focus fully on the desired outcome and improvements, it is important to not include excessive details about the current process.
- API integration is crucial: Incorporating APIs for fast responses is essential in achieving desired results in terms of efficiency and automation.
- Client education is important: It is necessary for the client to have a clear understanding of IA and its capabilities in order to make informed decisions.
- Testing is necessary: Proper testing, including creating test cases and utilizing a staging environment, is pivotal in avoiding any potential crashes when implementing changes.
- Go-Live preparation: Adequate preparation should be done before Go-Live to minimize the risk of any technical mishaps.
Outcomes:
By leveraging automation in the telco’s 4G Package Change process, call center agents reported significant improvements in ease of use, average handling time and request accuracy. M.M greatly streamlined the changeover process, reducing the number of clicks required, as well as decreasing the reliance on manual input. The new tracking and monitoring system ensures that customer requests are handled promptly, and that an effective and fast-responding grievance redressal mechanism is in place if customers wish to file complaints. Overall, by making the process more efficacious, customer satisfaction has also increased drastically. The lessons learnt in this project emphasize the importance of API integration, client education, and proper testing and preparation.