MTN, the GSM operator in Swaziland, has chosen Protek to provide a fully convergent customer care and billing system to help support its growing customer base.
After winning an exclusive 10-year licence and launching operations in November 1998, MTN Swaziland quickly achieved 50 000 subscribers to serve in excess of 5% of the total population.
The introduction of prepaid has revolutionised mobile services markets and Swaziland was no different with 95% of subscribers opting for this method of service. To offer its customers a high degree of flexibility in service options and to manage the service packages, MTN Swaziland knew that integration and management of its prepaid and post-paid subscribers was vital to ensure on-going success.
"The convergence of pre- and post-paid is a top priority for us, and we knew that our current billing system would not be able to manage this region`s requirements once its mobile market evolves. We looked at a number of options but chose Protek for the excellent performance and support of MTN`s billing requirements in three other markets. The system integrates pre- and post-paid and is cost-effective," commented Noel Meier, CEO of MTN Swaziland. "When we analysed the five-year cost of ownership with Protek, we recognised the value that their solution brought to the table."
In addition to integrating MTN Swaziland`s existing billing systems to assign charges for both pre- and post-paid, the open structure of Protek`s system will empower the operator to offer enhanced services to its existing customers and manage the customers for which it had no previous account information (prepaid). Hence, MTN Swaziland can now assume `ownership` of the entire subscriber base and increase it through pricing incentives and enhanced customer service.
"Though MTN now dominates the market in Swaziland, the carrier strives to continually understand its customers` needs and the market in order to provide the highest quality and most relevant services. Our fully integrated solution helps MTN meet its goals by providing valuable customer information for reporting analysis and effective marketing of new products and services to all customers," said Dave Cardell, MTN Account Manager for Protek South Africa.
MTN Swaziland chose Protek, not only on the basis of system functionality and scalable architecture, but also for Protek`s high level of customer service. "Protek has built a reputation with our organisation by proactively acting to address customer concerns and resolve issues quickly and effectively. In the selection process for a new system, we wanted to be sure that the vendor had both the ability and the commitment to meet our expectations in this regard," said Meier.
To date, Protek has delivered customer care and billing solutions to 10 operators and service providers in Africa. Protek began working with the MTN Africa operations in November 2000, and has since successfully completed customer care and billing system installations in Uganda, Cameroon and Nigeria.
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