The Rx for Transformation is simple! It’s CX 

A panel at TLF 2023 dissected many new-age factors like creating the foundation of secure, agile, and adaptable networks; adoption of multi-access edge computing; use of automation and AI, analytics, and programmable software capabilities; and providing immersive experience.

Moderator Anil Chopra, VP and Head, CyberMedia Research set the ball rolling on a lot of these issues. He asked the most important question first – What does the customer really want?’ Specially after the changes in the last 2-3 years, explosion of data volume, and new possibilities with 5G.

Speed of Retail- Class of Enterprise

Arun Karna, Managing Director & CEO, AT&T India answered that first by painting a picture- thanks to rapid adoption of digital technologies, enterprises have got more distributed and expanded to the edge. “The WFH environments have also increased the need to provide secure and reliable access for enterprise applications. And these applications reside mostly in the Cloud. So there is a push towards multi-Cloud environment and SaaS-based apps- which is creating a new complexity and dynamic scenario. This is the perfect storm with some fall-out effects like rampant security concerns, a vast threat surface, rising customer expectations, and need for instant access in enterprise scenario. To top that Cloud providers, collaborative providers and hyper-scalers are new competition for Telcos. So Telcos have to frame their strategies differently- as a network-centric technology solutions provider.”

He explained how Telcos need to come up with a different set of product and service mix, and rethink customer and supplier relationships, invest more and more in innovation, upskill technology function, invest in platform-centric businesses – and make customer experience better, simpler and more intuitive.

This could call for opening of APIs, while making services and networks are compliant and secure. This could also mean adding more value-addition and integrated services, he opined.

In the reckoning of Himanshu Gupta, Country Manager - Telecom, Media & Entertainment (CME), HPE, digital transformation in the Telco space can be explained better with what HPE did. “Our CEO in 2018 announced ‘as a service’ paradigm for our solutions. We moved towards a hybrid world with a lot of confidence and vision. Today, we can offer everything on a well-executed model. We have been making many acquisitions at a great pace in the last few years. We saw 3 big waves coming- edge, data and Cloud. We have tried to build the right data fabric and Green Lake journey in light of the new imperatives. Telcos are good at providing connectivity, security, cost optimisation etc. but they need a simplified Cloud experience to empower them - you need a good platform. There is a huge wave coming up on data, cloud and Edge- and every element has to be very smartly managed with that mindset.”

New World, New Problems, New Horizons

Just the sheer availability of data is so vast that a lot of solutions can be built just on data- offering insights to customers in a strong way, as Sheena Joseph, National Head-Customer, Enterprise Business, Vi pointed out. “Like proactive solutions with analytics on networks, optimising network, building products and solutions for weekend-rollover data. You can also use ‘mean time before failures’ to suggest better options. From a solution and product proposition also, Cloud has become very intrinsic and analytics can help in making on-demand solutions. Customising solutions as per a client’s requirements- that’s a key difference now.” She cited that there are enormous number of solutions available in a huge variety – from SIM-card-based traffic tracking to Cloud-based answers to various mining solutions– it all depends on how we build use-cases for different needs.

Customer segmentation can help a company decide on what solutions will work. “Data points can help a lot in engaging and retaining customers- specially with usage patterns and analytics, seconded Dharmender Khajuria, National head, Network Partnership, Airtel. He also outlined how the company is partnering with hyper-scalers and new technologies to create integrated solutions.

Khajuria also addressed the issue of rising network complexity in this panel. “Enterprises today are of different kinds- a bank branch to a mining firm - and this adds to the complexity becoming more complex. Connectivity – whether in 4G or 5G or 6G- has to be reliable. Then comes the question of cost. In this dynamic world, no one wants to see costs rise. This adds to the challenges of a Telco. At the same time, security and have to be kept intact. Also being able to scale as per demands – that’s important. Getting a fibre to new locations is a huge challenge- specially with rules and regulations. It’s not easy for Telcos to serve enterprise customers- with high expectations and support needs. In case of an enterprise, any small flip can mean a lot for the business of the enterprise. It’s a very complex situation for sure. Giving integrated solutions- instead of piecemeal answer- can be complex but a positive opportunity- if a Telco can partner with the right experts.”

Chopra then also spurred the panel to dwell on new trends like multi-access edge computing.

“Multi-access Edge computing is a subset of edge computing and is a specific standard framework- so it should not be loosely used. It’s a very robust framework. For the last 8 years there are new phases being developing to make it all easy and lucid for the industry.” Explained Gupta. “This model can be deployed as a local model or as a hybrid model or with Hyperscalers. If Telcos put their act together and address technology and operational challenges as well as privacy/data concerns and monetisation de-risking – they can get strong here. A lot of good examples are seen in North America and South Korea. It’s an evolving field. Not every Telco has taken it as a key step. There are roadblocks to be crossed but also a great opportunity.”

Karna added how integration with 5G and ecosystem-play can work wonders here. Should 5G be the chicken or the egg here with the MEC opportunity- that’s a good debate – but for some other day, the panel concurred.

Customer-Centricity – The Litmus Test

Tilak Raj Dua, Director General, DIPA zoomed the lens on customer experience as the discussion segued well to the big picture. “It takes 20 years to build a customer and five minutes to shake it all up. That’s why it is important to constantly monitor what the customer wants. Also end-to-end – from front desk to billing- has to be alert about what a customer’s needs and feedback are. AI or any other technology- should work backward towards that ultimate goal- of customer experience. To continue to engage customers with new technologies- like low latency services and edge computing- is required as technologies evolve continuously.”

Dua encouraged everyone to look back at where we are before Covid and where we are – just look at how fast-track everything has been.

As Karna weighed it all in – a successful transformation journey has to be an ecosystem play. “No one is closer to the customer than the Telco. I opine that Telco should be the leading point for co-ordinating the transformation.”

Gupta averred with that and explained how they have all the understanding and real estate for that proximity with the customer. “Unless they monetise these strengths quickly, it will be wasted.

Overall- We need to remember that ‘customer is king’. We should not take feedback for granted- specially negative feedback- because that will help a company improve and move ahead, underlined Dua very well.