providing what customers want, where and when they want it, through services such as chat-enabled quick Configure-Price-Quote (CPQ), which can be enabled by CloudSmartz’s AI-powered Acumen CPQ. Acumen CPQ can be leveraged as a standalone product, as well as a module within Acumen360. This functionality can better serve the growing group of external customers who are looking for a native digital experience, with online buying options and a digital marketplace. It can also serve internal customers and CSRs themselves looking for a quick quote without going through the historically complex configuration process. This can enable always-on sales with real-time data to streamline CPQ and provide zero-touch fulfillment. However, the purchasing process is just the first step in the customer journey and experience.

Ray and Dhariwal also touched on the importance of managing service-level agreements in CX. “It’s essential that providers continue to ensure that services work, and that they perform to SLA requirements,” Ray stressed, “and provide the right visibility when they don’t.” Acumen360 showcases uptime for SLA management to help service providers monitor and manage their agreements, even across an ever-more complex ecosystem.

Driving revenue acceleration with CX

Innovation that improves visibility and brings disparate systems together helps service providers gain momentum in digital transformation across functions to speed service delivery and revenue growth—especially through digital marketplaces. CSPs can use digital marketplaces to allow customers to easily browse and order products and services online for 24/7 self-service purchasing. This sales automation can reduce reliance on human CSRs, improving customer satisfaction both through enablement of self-service as well as by focusing customer service on higher-order tasks like problem resolution. CSPs can also create service bundles and packages—including partner offerings—via a digital marketplace, enhancing convenience and customer satisfaction.

Digital marketplaces also open the door to additional opportunities and revenue streams. Integration with third-party companies ranging from device manufacturers to content providers offers customers more value and a wider range of products and services. “We provide the mechanism for providers to build their own partner ecosystems,” Ray said, “which represents a huge opportunity to generate and grow new sources of revenue.”  

The Acumen360 platform also enables other levers to drive efficiency, increase sales, and accelerate revenue. Using data and analytics, service providers can personalize product and service recommendations for their customers, improving marketing campaign performance, increasing customer engagement, and growing revenue. CSPs can also enable self-service options that allow customers to pay their bills and manage their accounts online, enhancing convenience for customers and efficiency for the business by reducing reliance on CSRs to perform such tasks.

Transforming CX

It’s one thing to pay lip service to customer service—and another thing entirely to ensure your holistic CX strategy aligns with the changing dynamics of CX and the reality of customer expectations. But it’s a real challenge for CSPs, who face increased complexity created by disparate and disconnected systems and the race to realize new revenue opportunities. Accurate visibility, flexibility, and automation within existing environments are key to CSPs’ success.

Understanding what customers want isn’t the hard part—delivering it is. Empowering customers and those that serve them with the right CX tools is the first step. From there, CSPs can change the data dynamic—opening the door to a wide range of value that accelerates and increases revenue, and simplifies CX complexity.

You can automatically book an exploratory meeting with CloudSmartz through Pipeline’s business introduction service, or visit the CloudSmartz website to learn more about how CloudSmartz is simplifying CX complexity to give CSPs more visibility, control, and the competitive edge.