Telcos invest in self-service

Telecom service providers are investing heavily in self-service programmes that enable consumers to place orders, pay bills, troubleshoot basic problems, and comment or complain, according to Light Reading.

An example is Verizon Communications, which completed a major overhaul of its self-service tools for residential customers earlier this year.

It unveiled five tools, including a support section on Verizon.com, online ordering for existing and new customers, a FiOS TV Interactive Media Guide, in-home agent software, and a telephone line response system.

Mobile coupon company Yowza has unveiled a self-service option that allows retailers and restaurants to more easily offer discounts and special deals via the start-up's free iPhone app, writes MediaPost Communications.

Yowza's service works by presenting mobile consumers with coupons available at nearby stores within a radius of their choosing.

The self-service offering is aimed at small to medium-size enterprises with only one or two locations, and allows them to upload coupons online to Yowza's system without having to go through any human intermediaries.

Avis car rentals has introduced an offering at Sydney Airport which sees clients able to collect details for their rental cars through a self-service kiosk option, says E-Travel Blackboard.

Unveiled last week at Sydney Domestic Airport, the service is available to all customers with an Avis Wizard number, regardless of whether or not they have an existing reservation.

"Avis clients can bypass the terminal counter and go straight to the kiosks located in the ground floor Avis section of the domestic terminal car park," says Avis.