Digital Operator Observatory: How Telco Operators are responding to customer needs by creating 100% digital experiences

Fredrik Gunnarsson

February 26, 2020

Over the last three years, a wealth of new digital telco brands has been launched, mostly in greenfield mode, as traditional operators reshape their B2C value propositions worldwide. Their aim is to create wholly digital experiences that will satisfy the needs of diverse and demanding customer groups, all motivated by the latest innovations in technology.

Every continent has experienced the arrival of new, disruptive, digital operators, all sharing common differentiators. Each puts their customers’ specific preferences first, delivering a 100% digital telco experience but also true mobile freedom.

Delivering mobile freedom

Among recent launches, Eir released Ireland’s newest digital mobile service provider in October 2019. GoMo is an entirely digital brand, operated by a dedicated web team in Limerick open 7/7, with no bricks-and-mortar store locations. Customers sign up online via the brand’s new website and SIMs are sent out via a courier. GoMo undercuts the market, offering the competitive price of €9.99 per month for life, for first 100,000 customers. This includes free unlimited texts and calls, 80GB a month and no long-term contract required. If they exceed the 80GB monthly data limit, then data speeds are slowed down.

“GoMo is a distinct brand. There was a gap in the market for customers’ needs that weren’t being met. We believe that GoMo, being modern, being simple, being flexible is going to address those needs for consumers”

Another significant launch is Win by Inwi, a full digital telco – 100% app + web-based operator – commercialized by Inwi in Morocco under the B-brand name Win since April 2019. With Win, customers can fully personalize their plans and change it each month if needed;it’s neither a prepaid nor a postpaid plan but a fully digital & flexible plan. Customers can pause their plans and restart it when they feel like it, making them benefit from a real mobile freedom. Innovation is a key component for Win; its chatbot & chat being additional proves of it as they assist 24/7 its clients fully replacing traditional customer service number. To ensure a best in class customer experience Win is leveraging Salesforce & Vlocity solutions, connecting their APIs to its digital backend to enable digital native frontends. Watch the Webinar with Win by inwi from summer 2020 here (on demand after registration).

Responding to customer needs

Digital telcos are responding to customer needs with personalized, flexible, or even usage-driven offers. Determined to satisfy and surprise customers, operators are creating services that put customer preferences first. Today, customers can often customize their plans. Upgrade and downgrade at any time. Take a break, and then reactivate their account. And enjoy unlimited use of data, streaming music and videos and playing online without worrying about volumes.

For example, in the US, Visible has developed an unusual shared plan with unlimited data starting at just $25 a month. Visible brand’s new Party Pay program allows customers to add up to four people to a single plan with unlimited data. The more people in the plan, the less each person pays. Customers can enlist random strangers from the internet to join their plan, with each person responsible for their share of the bill.

Get Smarty with friends and family

In the UK, Smarty has also recently launched a new groups plan allowing its customers to save 10% on their monthly bill. Here, the group owner manages all payment details and can see every member’s plan, usage and call history. They can edit every member’s plan and purchase add-ons to their plan, as well as remove any member from the group. The group can be extended to up to eight friends and family members.

Customer experience

Many new brands put a determined focus on constant innovation to deliver a superior customer experience. For example, in many cases, customers can access real time account balance information. Online care is often available through chatbot, chat and social networks and vocal assistant is positioned as a key customer service channel. Many customers can benefit from personalized plan recommendations, so they always have the plan that’s best value for them. For some, eSIM enablement means customers just download and activate their new SIM. Often customers enjoy express delivery of new SIMs at home and in app activation, sometimes within an hour.

Effortless e-SIM enablement

For example, in Poland, Orange Flex equips its customers with eSIMs and has confirmed compatibility with Apple Watch on December 2019. The same phone number can work on both the phone and the watch, allowing customer to make and receive calls, SMS and browse the internet from their watch. Flex also developed an Apple Watch application that allows customers to check their usage and buy additional GB.

In Malaysia, Yoodo announced its entry on eSIM market in May 2019, offering a 100% digital telco experience but also a true mobile freedom. Chow Tuck Mun, Head of Yoodo says, “With Yoodo’s eSIM technology, users can scan a QR code sent directly to their email to get started on the service. Users won’t have to visit any retail stores for this and can enjoy the full Yoodo experience from the comfort of their own home or while on the go. No hassles, no wait time and no unnecessary effort. Through the eSIM, we are not only giving users a truly 100% digital telco experience but also true mobile freedom.”

Fully charged customer experience

Meanwhile, in India, Reliance announced the launch of Jio Saarthi on July 2019, a voice-assistant feature that helps users to digitally recharge their phones. The Interactive in-app voice-assisted feature, integrated in the MyJio app, helps users through the full recharge process, from choosing a plan to making payments. The app uses Hindi and English languages and will be gradually made available in 12 regional languages. You can find an overview of selected cases here in our infographic.

Download the infographic

Innovation and inventiveness are key

Innovation and inventiveness are the name of the game and some operators are already going beyond the provision of pure telco services enabled by the digital platform. Some have already launched fully digital new services, with more or less integration between their platforms.

In November 2019, Orange Spain launched Orange Bank, a Spanish digital-only bank, two years after Orange Bank was launched in France. Telefonica Germany had already launched a mobile banking service in July 2016, using white-label technology supplied by Fidor Bank.

In 2017 in Latin America, Telefonica launched Moviestar Play, a streaming service for on demand series, movies, live TV content and exclusive programming. In India, Reliance is working on creating the world’s largest online-to-offline new commerce platform through its digital operator Jio. In a further development of its full ecosystem of application services, Jio will release a new super app, directly inspired by WeChat.

In a world where inventiveness is a critical differentiator, Capgemini Invent offers a unique solution for digital operators, designed to improve our clients’ ability to innovate. Our Telco experts help Telco Operators design market-facing products and services, and new businenss models that support such initiatives.

To access the full observatory please fill the form below and to learn more about our Telco offerings, connect with one of our experts or explore our Inventive Telecoms page.

Capgemini Digital Operator observatory aims to share innovative digital B2C telco initiatives happening around the world. It has been achieved in partnership with Salesforce & Vlocity.

This article is co-authored by:

James Haycock – General Manager, Idean, part of Capgemini Invent

Jean-Marie Pierron – Chief Digital Transformation Officer at Vlocity

For more details please contact Fredrik Gunnarsson, Vice President, Capgemini Invent, or fill the form below to receive a full copy of the Operator Observatory.

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