Integrating Mobile Customer Care
Mobile self-care empowers customers to pay their bills, access account information and even upgrade services with their smartphones. This new functionality creates dynamic and effective channels for customer interaction. Providers must think of the mobile phone as an extension of their brands, delivering a whole host of services and customer support options.
For example, a provider has created a mobile app that allows its subscribers to access features of their service, as well as options to pay their bills, ask for support or find account information. From the bill payment screen, mobile subscribers should be able to view their last payment, see the current balance and due date, and have the option to immediately make a payment. Should they need to, they can easily connect with a call center agent right from their current screen.
These customer care features are directly connected to the provider's existing billing and customer care systems, creating a real-time interaction. In addition, the mobile care platform is integrated with ordering and provisioning applications to support service upgrades and new connects as new service offerings are delivered to market.
With this type of integration, providers are assured that all changes subscribers make to their accounts via a mobile device are reflected immediately in their back office systems—just as when a subscriber pays a bill via the call center, through email, at kiosk locations or online.
As they consider systems that support mobile customer care, CSPs also need to consider the other types of integrations necessary to deliver the same kind of real-time customer care information that is available in the call center to the mobile phone, as customers expect seamless service, regardless of communication channel. These integrations include:
- Customer care functions into their existing mobile applications. To further enhance the customer experience, providers should consider integrating customer preferences for paying their bill, accessing account information and even upgrading service all through their mobile device—just as they do on the PC.
- Mobile eCare functions with critical back office systems—including CRM, OSS and BSS systems. This integration is key in providing an enriched mobile customer care experience and maintaining a 360-degree view of the customer regardless of how they interact with you.
- Communication channels like QR Codes on printed statements and links on outbound email systems that link the print and electronic worlds in a more dynamic fashion–this strategy will also help drive adoption through 'scan to download' marketing campaigns.
- Any other mobile application initiatives underway so it becomes part of a larger ecosystem that your consumers are comfortable leveraging. Creating customer care channels in existing Manage My DVR apps, or other mobile strategies further strengthens brand presence on the mobile app ecosystem.
From there, providers will be in a good position to see very real results. For example, they can leverage new mobile interactions with customers to drive new product sales, and present special promotions online to help drive adoption. Or, they can cross-sell advertising on their mobile platforms that are relevant and can generate revenue (HBO would likely pay for advertising, especially if providers could offer a fulfillment strategy.) Finally, providers can use the mobile communication channel as a means to create stickier relationships by tying in with other social media strategies to stay up-to-date on the tone of their customer base.
As renowned medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk once said, "The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more." In this case, CSPs have significant work ahead to manage and respond to the massive changes that will be brought about by a converging network. But by creating a smart strategy and deploying the right technologies to manage this change, the reward will be increased loyalty, new revenue streams, and the opportunity to do more with customers.
