Telecom

The Many Woes of Customer Service Delivery in Telecom

Published

14 years ago

November 30, 2009

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It is a popular saying that a customer in every service driven business such as telecom is king and therefore should be treated as such. The subscriber in the business of telecommunications is the reason for the business because, if services are provided and nobody subscribe to it, there is no business, as the provider of such service will not have returns to sustain such service. More so, the business of telecom is driven by the number of subscribers to the services being rendered by the operators, this accounts for the intensity of promotions that operators run, which are geared towards retaining loyalty of their subscriber as well woo new ones to the network.
Consumers of Telecommunications products and services in Nigeria today are varied and their tastes, needs and expectations are also varied. They number over 70 million today and are spread across the vast geographical area of the country, and have become more aware of the usefulness and potentials of ICT products and services.
There are corporate, communal, institutional, individual and many other categories of users of telecom and ICT products and services. Conceptually, the consumer includes the high political office holders, the movers and shakers of the society, the youths, the entrepreneur, the artisans, the military rank and file, the fishermen in the Delta, the Fulani pastoralists on Gembu hills, and the rural women who sell crayfish at Zonkwa market, among others.
Today, Consumers of telecoms services in Nigeria are no longer the few who were endowed with the economic power to own a phone in those days when only very few Nigerians could afford the few lines that were available. The reasons of inability to own a phone is no longer much about inability to afford a phone because of very high cost or that locations of business or residence are not covered by any telephone network as, apart from very remote areas, most urban and semi-urban parts of the country is covered today.
Some people have said those who could afford phone services in the era being referred above, were victims, rather than being described as the privileged few when compared with the present day consumers of telecommunications services.
To all intents and purposes, it is easy to agree with this assertion because deregulation of the telecoms industry, with the attendant availability of many networks, providing multifarious products and services, covering far more geographical areas, with millions of Nigerians privileged to own phones services at far lower costs, supports that position. The fact that Nigerians can also sit down today to discuss the place of the consumer in the national telecom equation, provides an insight into the elevated position of the Nigerian telecoms consumer in the scheme of things.
The consumers of telecom products and services, as have indicated, have many desires expected to be met. He wants services available at all times and at every place. The consumer wants the services to be of a good quality and affordable. The consumer wants the operator to respond at all times when he or she needs attention, and to provide explanations whenever anything goes wrong. The consumer wants to be protected at all times from being taken advantage of by service providers. Just like consumers of any services, the consumer of telecom services wants to be well treated.
The important aspect of all these rest on how prepared the staff of network operators saddle to take care of these customers as well as the extent to which customers are being cared for.
The telecom industry no longer talks only about customer service — instead, it is addressing the broader topic of the customer experience, which includes not just the conversations between customer service representatives and customers when something goes wrong, but the full range of customer contact from when a service is ordered to when it is delivered.
Service providers of all types are investing heavily in this customer experience. A recent survey, conducted by Frost & Sullivan and commissioned by Amdocs, found that two-thirds of service providers responding expected to increase their spending on customer service enhancements next year.
And increased investment is what will be required, for many reasons. Chief among them is the reality that, as service providers tries to offer more services and more complex services, like they are doing today, customer service requirements increase exponentially. It is easier for customers to get confused, there are more things that can break and it is harder for customers to decipher competitive offers and determine what they want.
Telecommunications operators have two basic ways to attend to subscribers’ complaint on its network. They establish customer care shops, which are centre designated for solving subscribers complaint that require them to bring either their phone or computer as the case may be in internet service physically to the shop for the problem to be resolved. Products of such network operator are also sold at customer care centres. Another way through which complaints of subscribers are addressed by operators is through customer service contact centres. A customer service contact centre, is a department in the operations of the network that addresses complaints through voice or email to a toll free line of the network.
Challenges in addressing Complaints
Having a functional customer care shops and contact centre are one leg of effort by operators to take care of their subscribers, while training and monitoring of those working in these departments are another leg which to many is the most important is customer service delivery.
A visit to some telecommunications operators’ customer care shops will explain the need for those working at such centres who act as interface between the company and their subscribers to be well trained both in understanding of the services being rendered by the operating company as well as manner of treating customers. Some of the ‘so called’ trained staff at most customer care centres of greater percentage of operators lack the required technical knowledge of some products at offer to talk of solving some problems that are brought to them. This writer had issues with his data service of one of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators, he called the customer service centre and the attendant that spoke to him after holding him on for 25 minutes could not resolve the issue but directed him to any customer care centre around his area. When I got to the customer care shop, behold the issue was resolved through recharging the phone with any amount of airtime above N100.
Deolu Ogunbanjo, president, National Association Telecommunications Subscriber of Nigeria (Natcomms) narrated how he was unruly treated at customer care shop of a telecommunications operator, when he went for a welcome back pack at the shop. He was meant to stay two and half hours at the shop because he vehemently condemned the way the attendant treated another customer at the shop. These are few instances of pains that subscribers are meant to go through in the hands of unqualified customer care attendants at customer service centres of telecommunications operators.
In some situations, subscribers have been asked to take their complaints to another customer care shop where more experience people will address their problems, this goes to show that those working in the shop lack the prerequisite knowledge to support services.
Although, there are situations where customers exhibit unwholesome behavour at either customer care shop or when talking to customer service attendant at contact centres, but, during training these staff attendants, they are taught the best way to handle such situation in order not to create bad impression about the network.
Customer service contact centre operators have severally decried the high number of hoax calls- where subscribers call the centre only to start asking the female attendant for an outing appointment.
Some call the contact centres only to listen to the ring back music and the company’s advert jingles, and when attendants pick the call to inquire what the issues are such caller will quarry with the attendant on why he or she stop the music that he is enjoying.
It is against these backdrops that operators introduce Interactive Voice Response (IVR). This is interaction between a human and a computer in which the human caller inputs commands and requests to the computer, which responds in either pre-recorded or synthesized speech form. The human input can be the form of spoken words or as tones sent via the telephone keypad. If the input is speech, IVR is much like having a frustrating conversation with a dimwitted and highly inflexible human call center agent. In a database access application, a voice processing system with IVR capability is positioned as a front end to a general-purpose computer and multiple databases. Through speech recognition technology, and text-to-speech (TTS) capability, and perhaps voice print matching for security, a complete transaction can be accomplished on a voice basis without human involvement and except for the caller, of course. Reservations centers and financial institutions make heavy use of such capabilities in support of routine transactions, thereby reducing staffing levels and providing customer service on a 24 hour basis.
Even as operators have started outsourcing customer care job to others companies believed to be suited for it, as well as reducing ever growing cost, there is need for effectively monitoring especially those that physically interface with subscribers and also equip them with the relevant technical training to support the company’s services and products.

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Telecom

ALTON, ATCON Urge FG to Address Telecoms Industry Challenges

Published

12 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), representing Mobile Network Operators and telecommunication companies in Nigeria, are calling upon the government to take decisive action in addressing the numerous challenges confronting the telecommunications industry.

In a statement jointly signed by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON and Engr. Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, ATCON President, the associations underscored the urgent need for collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors to overcome obstacles hindering the sector’s growth and development.

Infrastructure Deficits: ALTON & ATCON members still lack access to essential telecommunication services due to a myriad of challenges, including multiple taxation and regulations and prohibitive Right of Way (RoW) charges, inadequate electric power supply and vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure.

Protection of Assets and Network Infrastructure: Advocating for legislation that

designates telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure (“CNI”): Both Associations expressed deep concern over the escalating security threats facing telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria.

Telecommunications infrastructure undisputedly plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s national security and socioeconomic growth, especially as the country currently contends with multiple security challenges that require urgent and immediate actions in response to these threats.

Attacks on cell towers, fibre optic cables, and other critical assets disrupt telecommunications services and result in significant financial losses for operators.

The associations urge the government to prioritize the security of telecommunications infrastructure and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to enhance protection measures and combat vandalism and sabotage effectively.

Cost-Reflective Tariff of Services: ALTON and ATCON respectfully reiterate that telecommunications infrastructure development requires substantial investments in network expansion, maintenance, and technology upgrades.

Despite the adverse economic headwinds, the telecommunications industry remains the only industry yet to review its general service pricing framework upward in the last (11) years, primarily due to regulatory constraints.

For a fully liberalized and deregulated sector, the current price control mechanism, which is not aligned with economic realities, threatens the industry’s sustainability and can erode investors’ confidence.

ATCON and ALTON call upon the government to facilitate a constructive dialogue with industry stakeholders to address pricing challenges and establish a framework that balances consumers’ affordability with operators’ financial viability.

Regulatory Independence: ALTON & ATCON advocates for the sustenance of a culture of independence in the regulatory landscape to safeguard against undue influence and unwholesome incursion into the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) or (Commission) domain, which will inspire trust in the telecommunications sector and encourage investment.

Regulatory neutrality and independence are crucial to ensuring a thriving telecommunications sector. Statutory provisions lend credence to this notion, as a lack of an impartial regulator will lead to a failure to maintain public confidence in the objectivity and independence of its decisions.

ALTON and ATCON reaffirms its commitment to working collaboratively with the government to address the challenges facing the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.

By fostering a conducive regulatory environment, prioritizing infrastructure development, enhancing security measures, and facilitating pricing adjustments, the government can unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, driving economic growth and societal development.

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Telecom

Qualcomm Shortlists Startups for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024 and Awards 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund

Published

12 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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Qualcomm Incorporated today announced the shortlisted startups for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024, as well as the winner of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund.

The Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform, now in its second year, aims to work with and support the development of Africa’s emerging technology ecosystem by providing mentorship, education, and training programs with a focus on 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT. This year, Qualcomm received an overwhelming response, with approximately 250 applications from 30 countries.

Highlights: 

Startup cohort announced for 2024 Qualcomm Make in Africa startup incubation program featuring technologies.
Announcement of the awardee of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund, supporting startups in scaling their societal and market impact.
Development of L2Pro Africa website content nears completion, providing free online training on intellectual property protection.

As the first initiative of its kind in Africa, Qualcomm Make in Africa is an equity-free mentorship program that identifies promising early-stage startups keen on applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies such as 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT to innovative end-to-end systems solutions, including hardware.

These startups have demonstrated exceptional potential in applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies to innovative end-to-end systems solutions.

The selected startups will receive free mentorship, business coaching, access to engineering consultation for product development, and guidance on protecting intellectual property. The 2024 cohort includes the following startups (listed in alphabetical order):

Aurora Health from Kenya provides AI-based cardiovascular health care tools
CropScan from Kenya uses solar-powered smart farming IoT devices
Cure Bionics from Tunisia makes smart 3D printed prosthetic arms
DevisionX from Egypt provides AI-based low-code computer vision tools
Kalio from Cameroon is building AI tools for Agricultural IoT
Kitovu from Nigeria provides tools and software for smart agricultural warehouse management
NextAI Studios from Kenya builds AI-based emotion detection into toys for children’s mental healthcare
RIM Nextgen from Kenya, uses smart tools for monitoring propane consumption
Sparcx from South Africa uses AI for enhancing radar signal processing
Vizmerald from Tunisia, is working on AI-based textile industry inspection

Qualcomm is also proud to announce the awardee of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund. This fund, provided by Qualcomm through its Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ Initiative, aims to support startups in scaling their societal and market impact.

Ecorich Solutions Limited, a female-founded organization based in Nairobi, Kenya, will be awarded funding to help scale the impact of their smart organic food composter.

Wireless Reach funding will support Ecorich to address the dual challenge of organic waste management and the need for sustainable agricultural practices, with the goal of reducing environmental pollution, improving crop yields for farmers, and mitigating waste-related health risks for communities.

The other nine startups from the 2023 cohort will also receive valuable stipends to continue fueling their growth. These startups have showcased innovative uses of wireless technology to address pressing needs in their communities.

In addition, Qualcomm is excited to highlight the progress of the L2Pro Africa IP e-learning Platform, a free online training program designed to empower startups, SMEs, and researchers in Africa to protect, secure, and maximize their innovations. This program has been created in collaboration with Adams and Adams, Africa’s leading intellectual property (IP) law firm.

The education content has been updated with individual filing procedures for patents, industrial designs, and trademarks in the countries of Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda and within the two African patent organizations, ARIPO and OAPI.

These step-by-step descriptions of per-country filing requirements empower inventors to interact effectively with IP professionals such as an IP attorney and their respective IP offices.

“I am thrilled with the overwhelming response to the Africa Innovation Platform this year,” said Alex Rogers, President, QTL & Global Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated.

“The quality and diversity of the applications received reflect the immense talent and potential within Africa’s technology ecosystem.

“We are excited to work with the shortlisted startups and provide them with the necessary resources and support to drive innovation and create a positive impact in their communities.”

“We applaud Qualcomm for launching the second year of its Innovate in Africa Platform, which not only equips the upcoming generation of African entrepreneurs with expertise in pivotal areas like AI/ML, healthcare, agri-tech, smart cities, and communications but also empowers them to safeguard their intellectual property through the complimentary L2ProAfrica program.”, said John Omo, secretary general, African Telecommunications Union (ATU).

Mr. Omo also emphasized that the ATU remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the continent. “Our youth innovation program, among other initiatives, plays a crucial role in cultivating the talents and aspirations of Africa’s young visionaries,” he affirmed. “We are ready to collaborate with additional partners to realize this objective.”

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Telecom

Mastercard and CEBIH join forces to bolster cybersecurity in Nigeria

Published

12 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Ugo Onwuaso

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Mastercard, in collaboration with the Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads for Nigeria (CeBIH), recently hosted the second edition of its annual Fraud Forum in Lagos, Nigeria. Building on the success of the inaugural edition in 2023, this year’s forum convened key industry players ranging from financial institutions, payment service banks, and fintech companies, to discuss critical issues such as threats and vulnerability, intel-sharing, and best practices in combating industry risks.

The cybersecurity event, attended by key public and private sector actors, also covered the regional threat landscape based on Mastercard’s strategic threat intelligence data. This timely intervention is crucial in a region where cyberattacks remain prevalent, especially amidst Nigeria’s rapid economic expansion and widespread adoption of digital financial services.

Recent data from the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) revealed a staggering 276% increase in fraud-related losses within Nigeria’s deposit banks, underscoring the need for continuous vigilance and proactive cybersecurity strategies within the financial sector. In response to the escalating threats amid Nigeria’s bourgeoning financial landscape, key government bodies have called for enhanced collaboration within the payment systems’ ecosystem to curtail the rise in E-Fraud in the country.

“We are excited to continue the Fraud Forum in Nigeria,” said Kari Tukur, Vice President, Customer and Solutions Center, West & East Africa, Mastercard. “With cyberattacks posing serious challenges within the Nigerian financial ecosystem, we take pride in establishing a platform where key stakeholders can convene, network, and exchange best practices to safeguard against potential vulnerabilities. Mastercard remains committed to creating unique and essential solutions to help business owners protect themselves and their customers against vulnerabilities, and this platform provides us with an opportunity to drive knowledge regarding these solutions as we aim to elevate cybersecurity standards and ensure the resilience of the Nigerian financial ecosystem.”

The forum delved into various aspects of cybersecurity, including common attack methods used by cyber criminals, their motivations, the assets they target, and the best practices to safeguard against attacks. Attendees gained valuable insights into the regional cyber threat landscape, with a focus on the financial services sector, which has become a prime target for cybercriminals in recent years. It also presented an avenue for Mastercard to showcase its latest fraud prevention techniques and tools, including the Mastercard Decision Intelligence, a real-time authorization decisioning solution that empowers issuers to approve more genuine transactions while effectively managing risk.

“We are delighted to partner with Mastercard on another edition of the Mastercard Fraud Forum in Nigeria. This event continues to serve as a pivotal platform for industry leaders, stakeholders, and experts to convene and address the evolving landscape of fraud and cybersecurity challenges, especially in a period marked by increased sophistication. With this year’s edition, we continue to deepen our commitment to fostering collaboration and implementing effective strategies to combat fraud and safeguard the integrity of the financial ecosystem.” Temitope Onibaniyi, Secretary, Emerging Payments of CeBIH, representing Celestina Appeal, the CeBIH Chairman, added.

The forum aligns with Mastercard’s goal of providing clarity to the complex cybersecurity landscape, in a bid to foster an ecosystem where digital transactions are built on trust. As part of its commitment to combating fraud, Mastercard also announced that it will be sponsoring the CeBIH Quarterly Sessions for the second consecutive year, bringing together industry experts to discuss the latest trends in fraud prevention and share best practices for protecting customers.

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