1. Customer Care Applications
Analyst support query for:
Telecom Italia
Julio Puschel
Principal Analyst
Head of Telco Strategy
Twitter
September 25, 2013

2. Customer Journey Management: Different segments, different tasks, various channels
Aware
Query
Purchase
Support
Complain
Check usage
Upgrade/ Renew
Smartphone applications will be part of a mix of channels . Their relevance will depend on the customer segment and the task he/she is performing

3. Consolidated customer database
Independent of the channel, the customer experience should be seamless and consistent
Source: Informa Telecoms & Media
Consolidated customer database
Call centre
Self-care
App
Web portal
Retail stores
Benefits of a centralized customer database:
Offers consistent information across different customer-care channels
Allows customer care to be faster and more efficient
Reduces errors
Provides a better end-to-end understanding of customer behavior and needs
Offers improved intelligence to promote up-selling and customized services
The Smartphone application is an important part of the channel mix and should be integrated with the other channels
17/09/2018
© Informa UK Limited All rights reserved

4. Key Success Factors for self-care applications
They need to provide relevant features and be easy to use:
the channel needs to be appealing for the customer to use. If it is not, the call centre will still be the first option
Bringing more applications into the self-care one helps customers to adopt and use it more frequently. More services will turn the application in the main channel for that customer
Self-care applications are all about providing transparency. But operators need to go beyond bill information and add other customer care functionalities
Pre-installing the application on will eliminate a significant adoption barriers.

5. Operators results with self-care applications
Operators’ initiatives are still in the very early stages, which makes it difficult to find any consistent results. But it is argued that:
Self-care applications are still not being capable to reduce call centre costs;
The adoption will be limited for some segments of Smartphone customers. A more mass adoption will still take time and operators need to evolve those applications to make them more appealing, relevant and easy to use;
For some segments, these applications will help driving loyalty due to the transparency it provides to the customer (i.e. Roaming or data usage);
The possibility to offer add-ons in these applications can also help up-selling additional services to clients and increasing ARPU (i.e. Additional data allowance, roaming plan, etc);
With an increasing penetration of Smartphone devices, these applications will become more popular and they will become a key interaction channel with the customer. Those operators that start early, will be better position in the future due to the experience achieved;

6. Examples

7. Self-care Smartphone applications
Operator
OS available
Download ranges (Google Play)
Customer type
Check usage/Bill
Pay bill /top up
Home screen usage widget
Additional customer support
Additional features
Telecom Italia
Android, iOS and Windows
1,000, ,000,000
Prepaid/ post-paid
Yes No
Yes. Incl. integration w/ Twitter
Application pre-installed in TI smartphones
Verizon (USA)
Android, iOS and BB
10,000, ,000,000
Post-paid
Application pre-installed in some devices
AT&T (USA)
10,000, ,000,000
FAQs
Mobile & fixed accounts
Vodafone UK
Check loyalty program

8. Self-care Smartphone applications (Cont.)
Operator
OS available
Download ranges (Google Play)
Customer type
Check usage/Bill
Pay bill /top up
Home screen usage widget
Additional customer support
Additional features
Three (UK)
Android and iOS
1,000, ,000,000
Prepaid/ post-paid
Yes No
FAQs
Tutorial to help using the device
Wind (Italy)
Top-up
Additional service (tickets) O2
Support videos
N/A
Telstra (Australia)
Android, iOS, BB and Windows
100,000 – 500,000
FAQs and SMS interaction
Check loyalty program

9. Telecom Italia 119 & 187 applications description
Telecom Italia has 2 main self-care applications:
119 (mobile users)
187 (fixed users)
With the application, customers can:
check account details
Access bill history and bill payment
Help solving connectivity problems and WiFi connectivity management
Online troubleshooting help, including functionality to speak with a customer agent;
Integration with Twitter;
TIM smartphones have the application installed;
Available for pre and post-paid;
The application comes pre-installed on most Android devices
Number of downloads on Android:
1,000,000 and 5,000,000
OS availability:

10. Telecom Italia 119 & 187 applications description
Strengths
The application provides a comprehensive number of features and services
Customer care functionalities integrate different areas (i.e. Troubleshooting Wi-Fi connection);
Integration with Twitter provides an alternative interactive channel with TI customer support
Pre-installing the application on TI smartphones helps reducing the customer effort to download the application
Challenges
Although the applications have a link at TI website, they were relatively hard to find at Apple store and Google play
The application does not integrate the fixed and mobile account;
There is opportunity to allow customer do perform more changes and services activations via the application;
Upsell opportunities were still untouched, such as offering roaming bundles or additional data allowance;

11. Verizon application description
Verizon has a very comprehensive application which allows clients to perform many customer care activities:
View and update account info
Monitor usage of data, minutes and messages
Pay bills, view past payments, and set up paperless billing
Change plan or features
The application comes pre-installed on most Android devices
Number of downloads on Android:
10,000,000 and 50,000,000
OS availability:

12. Additional Verizon applications available
Verizon security
Verizon Cloud
Media store
Verizon has a number of other applications available, but are not focused on customer care;
However, as they are not integrated with “my Verizon” application, there might be less opportunity for up selling new services and content
Security services including viruses, malware and risky web site
Secure Cloud Storage services for photos, videos, music, documents, text messages
Content store

13. Verizon application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
The application functionality is quite comprehensive;
The experience is consistent to the other Verizon’s customer channels;
The possibility to perform changes in the plan demonstrates a good level of integration of the application with the operator’s BSS/OSS;
By pre-installing the applications on Android devices, Verizon increases the usage take up

14. My AT&T application description
AT&T offer an application that integrates fixed and mobile services customer care. The functionalities are:
View and pay your bill
View wireless voice, text, and data usage
View U-verse® voice and television usage
Add or remove wireless account services
Review wireless rate plan details
Enrol and manage paperless billing
Set up and manage AutoPay
Reset your wireless voic password
Manage bill ready notifications
Manage stored payment profiles
Account and usage alerts for wireless accounts
Find AT&T store locations and schedule appointments
FAQs
Number of downloads on Android:
10,000,000 and 50,000,000
OS availability:

15. Additional AT&T applications available
AT&T Global Network
Client
AT&T Messages
AT&T Connect
AT&T Security
Centre
AT&T has a number of applications focused on enterprise users including IP VPN, Messaging and Unified Communications (all part of enterprises plans and services);
The operator has also a security service that is sold as a value added one using an application;
AT&T mobile security application
Enables highly secured mobile access to corporate networks through AT&T Mobile Remote Access VPN Services
Messaging application
Conference application

16. AT&T application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
Challenges
The application functionality is quite comprehensive;
The strong differentiator is the fact that AT&T integrates fixed and mobile services customer care in the same application;
The application does not allow the customer to do any change or add any services to his./her account via the application;

17. My Vodafone application description
My Vodafone application allow customers to:
See the minutes, texts and internet usage for post-paid customers
Check credit and Vodafone Freebees allowance for prepaid customers
See plan details
Check plan and handset upgrades
Opt in functionality to Vodafone EuroTraveller to help reduce roaming costs
Pay as you go customers can check their Vodafone Freebee Rewardz Pointz (loyalty program)
Find and connect to BT Wi-Fi hotspots
Get answers to the most frequently asked questions
Number of downloads on Android:
1,000, ,000,000
OS availability:

18. Additional Vodafone (UK) applications available
Vodafone Wi-Fi
monitor
Vodafone VIP
Vodafone does not offer a lot of different applications as integrates many functionalities in its “my Vodafone” one
There are a number of Smartphone applications for enterprise customers, including security and content blocker ones
The operator offers “my Vodafone” application for different operations and countries
Application that offers hotspot finder and connection information
Application that provide information regarding Vodafone loyalty program

19. Vodafone application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
Challenges
The application functionality is quite comprehensive;
The same application is offered to both prepaid and post-paid customers;
There is a roaming bundle “add in” functionality;
There is a consistent across different Vodafone operations, which offer very similar functionalities;
Wi-Fi functionalities are integrated in the same application;
The application does not allow the customer to perform any change on his/her account (apart from add in roaming bundle);

20. EE application description
My EE application allow customers to:
Check usage and remaining allowance details
Keep track of billing date and amounts, plus any charges outside the plan allowance.
Buy data, photo messaging, calling abroad and roaming add-ons
Switch between multiple accounts that you have set up with My EE online to help manage different accounts within a plan.
Help and FAQs
Integrate contacts into the application
The number of downloads is still relatively low as the application was launched in September 2013
Number of downloads on Android:
100, ,000
OS availability:

21. Additional EE (UK) applications available
EE Wi-Fi
EE Films
EE Cash
Clone Phone
EE Film app that lets customers to rent and play the latest and best films while you’re on the go. 4GEE customers can get their 2 for 1 cinema vouchers on a Wednesday
Payment services based on NFC
Application that offers hotspot finder and connection information

22. EE application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
Challenges
The application functionality is quite comprehensive;
The same application is offered to both prepaid and post-paid customers;
The application is available on all Oss (including Windows phone);
There is no additional customer care interaction beyond FAQs
EE should integrate some of its other applications (i.e. Wi-Fi, loyalty program, etc)

23. Three UK application description
Three UK application allows to:
Check balance and pay bill, top-ups or Add-ons
Find help information specific to the customer phone., including support on getting started, billing, upgrades, using the internet and apps
Find some quick guides to help you get started in your first few weeks of using your device
On the iPhone and iPad versions of the app, there's also a fun free game where you need to clear all the bubbles from the play area.
Number of downloads on Android:
1,000, ,000,000
OS availability:

24. Additional Three (UK) applications available
Three offers specific applications for customer to access some OTT and social network services;
However, there is no other branded three application available

25. Three UK application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
Challenges
FAQs and features to help customers to use specific Smartphone models
Include some additional feature (i.e. Game) to motivate the application use
There is no customer support available beyond checking information and FAQs
Does not allow customers to perform any change in their plans
Three offers a series of OTT application (not using Three brand), it should integrate some of these functionalities into the main self-care applications

26. O2 UK application description
O2 application allows to:
Check recent charges to your account since your last bill
View bill summary, including bill amount and next bill date
Additional data Bolt Ons
View the next upgrade date
Buy top ups
Pay bills
View “O2 Guru” videos
Number of downloads on Android:
1,000, ,000,000
OS availability:

27. Additional O2 (UK) applications available
O2 Priority Moments
O2 TU GO
O2 Wi-Fi
O2 train
travel
O2 Wallet
O2 tracks

28. O2 (UK) application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
Challenges
Allow customers to acquire additional data allowance
Available for both pre and post-paid customers
O2 has many different applications available. It should integrate some of them in the main application to increase take up and usage
Very limited functionalities available;
No additional customer care support interaction apart from FAQs and O2 “Guru” videos;

29. Wind Italy application description
Application main features:
Billing, plan and usage information – including an option to keep a windows open at the device home page;
Personal data, payment data and management of for the account by subscription
Top up
Map of Wind stores closest to the customer location
FAQs
News Section with special offers and the integration of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
Section MyTicket to buy transport tickets on the move
Number of downloads on Android:
1,000, ,000,000
OS availability:

30. Wind Italy application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
Challenges
Integrates additional services such as news and transport tickets to increase the application take up and use
Application available for both pre and post-paid customers
There is no customer support available beyond checking information and FAQs
Does not allow customers to perform any change in their plans

31. Telstra 24x7 application description
Application main features:
Get 24x7 support via Telstra social media teams and live chat
View estimated usage for your Pre-Paid and post-paid mobile services directly from the home screen with the Widget
Check account balance
Top up
Add additional services
Change services and plan
View detailed usage and recharge history
Loyalty program “Thanks” – access to cinema tickets
Number of downloads on Android:
100,000 – 500,000
OS availability:

32. Telstra application – challenges & opportunities
Strengths
The application functionalities are very comprehensive and allow customers to not only check, but add and change new services
Service usage monitor as a widget in the home screen;
Integrates customer care services via social networking and live chat;
Application available for both pre and post-paid customers
Offer access to its loyalty program;

33. Next steps ITM can help Telecom Italia by:
Providing a workshop which will be based on more in-depth research in the topic;
The workshop structure would have the proposed structure:
Intro – Operators multi-channel and CEM approach
Integrating Smartphone in the multichannel strategy
Key success factors for self-care applications
Case studies (5 in-depth best practice examples)
Conclusions
Recommendations for Telecom Italia
Q&A and additional discussion