In today’s as a service world, one of the biggest differentiators a business can offer is effective and efficient customer service. After all, customer loyalty is far less guaranteed today, compared to in the past, meaning that any failure to provide the kind of service modern customers demand could very easily lead to customer churn.
This is a particular challenge for internet service providers (ISPs) that need to manage thousands, or even millions, of physical devices in their customers’ homes. If, every single time a router needs a simple corrective configuration or software update, the ISP needs to manually, remotely connect to each subscriber device. If the issue cannot be diagnosed, a technician needs to be sent out to physically undertake the task. This becomes extremely expensive for the business, often wiping out months of profit per subscriber for a single issue.
Moreover, it quickly leads to problems such as slow fixes and inconsistent service, both of which directly contribute to bad customer experiences.
Shaun de Kok, CTO of UC Wireless, points out that the answer is to leverage the latest smart technology to directly solve these pain-points, while also enabling the ISP to manage thousands of devices at once, often automatically.
“By implementing a carrier-grade cloud-based Auto Configuration Server (ACS) platform, ISPs will be able to securely control, update and fix hundreds of thousands of devices, without ever having to leave the office. Not only is this much faster than the old manual way, but it is both more cost-effective and far easier to scale up, as required,” he says.
“This platform will help to reduce the need to send out technicians out on truck rolls, saving businesses both time and money, thanks to its remote management functionality. This will, at the same time, lower both costs and customer dissatisfaction, by preventing client downtime.”
He adds that ACS has proven to also assist ISPs in reducing service desk calls, as the platform can be leveraged to optimise WiFi daily, automatically schedule reboots proactively, and even allow end-customers to update certain configurations like SSID (WiFi) name and password.
“Being cloud-based, ACS is a software as a service solution, which also means that ISPs no longer face the expenses on hardware and maintenance that come with on-premises deployments. Instead, they only pay for managing the devices that are actually in their pool.
“However, as enormous as these cost benefits are, the biggest advantage to ISPs comes in the form of the significant customer service improvements enabled by utilising the ACS platform. For one, it offers remote device management, enabling the ISP to resolve issues related to device settings or diagnostics, without the need for physical visits to a customer’s home or premises,” notes De Kok. In short – the smart Cloud ACS solution eliminates many hidden costs ISPs are often not aware of or how much profitability can be improved.
“This means that customers will enjoy faster issue resolution, reduced downtime and minimal disruption to daily life – all of which ensure a positive customer experience, driving higher rates of satisfaction.”
He adds that even on those occasions where customers do call the service desk, the ACS platform ensures that the agent dealing with the query receives the complete ticket information, delivering the full visibility necessary to solve the issue in the shortest time possible.
“Furthermore, it also offers robust diagnostic and monitoring capabilities, making proactive monitoring and management possible, along with real-time network performance assessments. This means ISPs can detect potential issues before they become critical, ensuring they can maintain optimal network health. This, in turn, means they can deliver consistently high levels of service, and customers can rest assured of service reliability.”
Ultimately, for those ISPs that find themselves managing thousands of devices, success is measured by ensuring efficiency on a massive scale.
“Cloud ACS will give ISPs the control, visibility and automation required to deliver exceptional customer service at scale. The platform enables operators to both cut costs and streamline their operations, while at the same time significantly improving the reliability and quality of their services. Therefore, those ISPs seeking to position themselves as leaders, through their exceptional customer service, should certainly consider adopting this solution,” concludes De Kok.
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