Customer care for Telecom operators: from management headache to source of competitive advantage

As fixed and mobile markets mature and approach saturation, telecom operators’ strategies are rapidly evolving. Revenue growth is increasingly sought by maximizing the value of the existing customer base, complementing (or even substituting) gross addition strategies. At the same time, continuous improvements in operating efficiency underpin bottom line enhancements (and shareholder returns). In this context, customer care – traditionally perceived as a “necessary cost” – is rapidly becoming a key success factor. On the one hand, customer satisfaction is the critical enabler for upselling, cross-selling and retention strategies, and customer service their key sales channel. On the other hand, effective channel shifting strategies and continuous productivity improvements in call center operations are essential building blocks of efficiency programs.