At the time when mobile connections are overtaking fixed line connections,
there's some good news from the Bangalore Telecom District of BSNL. In the last
two quarters, the telecom circle has shown increase in the number of landline
connections.
The Bangalore Telecom District comprises Bangalore and six neighboring
districts, covering a population of 8.4 mn. As of now, BSNL has provided 9 lakh
landlines and WLL connections, and has reduced its churn rate significantly.
In September 2007, it added 11,574 new customers (landline and WLL). Compared
to 8,793 new customers added in April 2007, it registered almost 32% growth, all
in six months. This is reverse of the trend last year, when BSNL was adding
lesser subscribers. Compare these statistics to last year's: in April 2006, it
had added 6,476 subscribers (landline and WLL) while in September 2006, it had
added 7,515 subscribers, a mere 16% improvement in performance.
This turnaround is credited mainly to three factors-rapid expansion of the
Bangalore Circle's population, increased demand for broadband connections, and
improvement in the quality of service provided by BSNL.
“The potential always existed as Bangalore is a fast growing city. The
challenge was to cater to the growing demand of landlines efficiently and
quickly. We are proud of the fact that Bangalore BSNL has been able to provide
landline and WLL connections to over 9 lakh subscribers, with 8 lakh coming from
Bangalore alone,” says Shubhendu Ghosh, principal general manager, Bangalore
Telecom District, BSNL.
Out-of-the-box Solutions
With sufficient infrastructure in place, one would assume that it would have
been a cakewalk for BSNL to add landline connections. But, one must not forget
that the number of landline connections have been on the decline for the past
few years. This made it an even more daunting task for the PSU to capture mind
share in a city like Bangalore where the populace is quite IT savvy and quality
conscious.
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Shubhendu Ghosh, prinicipal general manager, Bangalore Telecom District, BSNL |
Ghosh took over the reins as the PGM in April 2007, at a time when BSNL was
in the midst of fierce competition from private players, and was sluggish in
adding new landline subscribers. There was a need to think out of the box in
order to differentiate from the rest. To do so, it relied on both technology and
people skills.
To start with, BSNL's Bangalore Telecom District engineered its own ICT
module to deliver customer services through a single window. Code-named Project
Falcon, this initiative proved to be a successful model to unite all the BSNL
offices and customer service centers (CSCs) under one ICT umbrella, and improve
efficiency of service to customers.
A wide area network (WAN) was established, encompassing all servers, call
centers, and users, covering 2,000 nodes. The in-house web-based “Single Window
Application” served as a unique centralized platform wherein signatures of each
and every customer are scanned and stored. So, when a customer approaches BSNL
for any complaint or request, the “Single Window Application” automatically
fetches the customer details along with the signature in an instant. This
enables quick view of the customer details and completion of the job in a matter
of few minutes.
In recognition of the exemplary usage of ICT by a PSU, the Bangalore Telecom
District of BSNL was awarded the National Award for e-Governance in February
this year, by the Government of India. “This module has improved the staff's
efficiency remarkably. Earlier, it would take days to respond to new bookings or
complaints, now it takes few clicks to take note of any customer request,” says
RK Upadhyay, deputy general manager, IT, Bangalore Telecom District, BSNL.
The web-based booking facility has increased online bookings. “Earlier, it
was a common criticism that getting a BSNL landline connection was a long-drawn
process. But, with on-line booking facility, we get an average of 1,500
web-based bookings per month,” Upadhyay adds.
“Owing to the centralization of information, we are now quicker in tracking
faults and complaints. Faults per 100 lines in a month is now down to 6.71, as
our staff can quickly view faults and track the progress,” says Ghosh. Churn
rate has also reversed, as customers find BSNL's processes customer-friendly.
Customers vouch for the efficiency after processes have been automated. “We
find BSNL's response to our complaint for a dead landline or a faulty line to be
very fast,” says Subbalakshmi, a BSNL customer since 1990. She uses the IVR-based
complaint system to register any complaint and says that it is corrected almost
within 24 hours.
Attention is also paid to small details to make it convenient for customers
to get a new connection. Ghosh explains, “For instance, when a tenant leaves and
surrenders the landline connection, we put a poster outside the house that
informs the next tenant about the availability of a BSNL landline connection.
This way, the new tenant conveniently gets a landline connection in a matter of
hours, rather than days. It has helped us immensely in getting new customers.”
“Although we are short of non-executive staff, the staff has doubled its
effort in resolving customer issues,” says Ghosh, lauding the BSNL staff. BSNL
has 7,000 staff (executive and non-executive) for 9 lakh lines in Bangalore
Telecom District.
People Participation
Ghosh labels his staff as the 'firepower' of BSNL. Besides the aid of
technology, it was important to tap the potential of the BSNL staff to the hilt.
That's where Ghosh's people management skills came to the fore. Under his aegis,
the telegraph offices were doubled into customer service centers. This not only
increased the presence of CSCs, but also brought into the fold the underutilized
staff.
Adding the number of customer points was equally important as the sales point
presence.
“We have also increased the number of direct sales agents (DSA). We have 126
DSAs, seven franchises for 18 locations. What's more, some franchises have
agreed to stay open 24 hours a day for selling pre-paid recharge coupons. Most
of these are medical shops,” says Ghosh.
He also encouraged open forum for discussion involving all units of BSNL
staff, right from top management to the workers' unions. Bringing executive and
non-executive staff on a common thinking ground worked like a catalyst in
improving interaction and motivating people. An award has also been instituted
to reward the good performances of customer service centers and individuals of
BSNL. Individuals are encouraged to take on multiple roles to work toward
fulfilling achievements.
“The staff feels highly motivated to be more proactive in contributing to the
success of the organization,” says Jayantha MK, circle secretary, Karnataka,
National Union of BSNL. He recounts how the top management has become sensitive
to the staff's welfare, creating a compassionate atmosphere.
A complete workaholic, Ghosh works for 12 hours, setting an example for
others to follow. Lauding his people management skills, Upadhyay says, “Ghosh
makes it a point to highlight a staff's contribution, no matter how big or small
it may be. This quality is rare in leaders. And this is what makes staff loyal
to him and want to do their best.”
Boost to PCO Business
With broadband being in high demand, landline connections have gone up
significantly. To further boost the numbers, attractive schemes for PCOs were
also launched.
“PCOs give 25% of our landline connections revenue so we decided to focus on
this segment to improve their basic issues. Most PCO owners are less educated
and find the processes like filing a complaint or making a payment very
complicated. Also they can't afford to lose their business even for half a day,”
says Ghosh. To ensure speedy repair of faulty lines or other complaints, BSNL
has launched mobile customer service vans called “PCO ambulance” and a dedicated
PCO helpline from October 2007.
The Bangalore Telecom District of BSNL is also planning to launch Call Now
cards for very low tariff rates for ISD calls. This will further give a fillip
to the PCO business.
With more schemes and innovative services in the offing, BSNL's Bangalore
Telecom is heading on a positive growth path. Are competitors paying attention?
Malovika Rao
vadmail@cybermedia.co.in