Accenture Communications Feed

Zhejiang Telecom: Customer Relationship Management and Billing

Mon, 18 May 2009 05:43:50 GMT

Zhejiang Telecom is one of the largest subsidiaries of the China Telecom Group and a leading provider of telecommunications services to Zhejiang province. In the midst of its transformation from a large, state-owned operator to a customer-focused provider, Zhejiang Telecom engaged Accenture to establish a customer relationship management and billing platform that would improve service quality.

Zhejiang Telecom: Customer Relationship Management and Billing

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:38:00 GMT

Leading European Telecommunications Provider: Customer Care and Billing Solution

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:39:00 GMT

A leading European telecommunications provider needed a robust and highly flexible customer care and billing system that would enable it to integrate its legacy systems. With Accenture’s help, the company got a billing system that not only supported multiple brands on a single platform but also expanded with the company’s growing customer base and portfolio of products and services.

Network Outsourcing

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:04:00 GMT

Accenture helps service providers achieve cost reduction and operational excellence through a range of solutions, including the outsourcing of selected network operating functions and processes. By moving to a network outsourcing model, companies can support investments in service areas that have potential to provide long-term growth opportunities.

Interactive Channel Services

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Digital performance optimization and an intelligent digital platform help providers improve the digital experience they offer to customers and build deeper, multi-channel and integrated capabilities.

Sales Force Transformation

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:35:00 GMT

Consulting and outsourcing services to help providers drive more growth from their existing sales force, penetrate new markets more effectively and sell increasingly complex solutions at lower cost.

Customer Contact Transformation

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:03:00 GMT

Consulting and industrialized outsourcing solutions that can reduce a carrier's customer care costs by 20 percent or more while improving the overall customer experience.

Marketing Operations Transformation

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:38:00 GMT

Accenture’s Marketing Operations Transformation solution supports optimization of marketing channels, and the standardization and centralization of marketing processes and execution to improve marketing productivity and efficiency.

Customer Lifecycle Management

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:12:00 GMT

Comprehensive solution suite to help improve customer loyalty, increase revenue growth opportunities and retain the most profitable customer relationships while reducing retention spend.

Customer Acquisition and Retention: Using the Customer Experience for Competitive Advantage in Uncertain Times

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:40:14 GMT

Accenture High Performance Business research has shown that the ability to deliver a customer experience consistently aligned around customer needs and intentions has a significant impact on a company’s ability to create customer loyalty. In turn, loyal customers have a demonstrable impact on the top line, by buying more or buying more frequently and referring other customers to the company. In a time of economic uncertainty—when customer confidence is low and customer behavior increasingly difficult to predict—mastering this ability is more important than ever.

Customer Acquisition and Retention: Using the Customer Experience for Competitive Advantage in Uncertain Times

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:14:16 GMT

Broadband Deployment

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Driven by consumer demand, increased competition, and government interests, telecom operators are investing more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years in IP-based broadband network deployments. As they contemplate these staggering investments, industry players must give careful consideration to areas such as technology and regulatory challenges, flexible revenue models, an optimal service portfolio that will drive revenue growth, and potential obstacles to deployment.

Network Operations

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:15:00 GMT

Global economic, market and business pressures make cost reduction an urgent requirement for the communications industry. In response, companies are turning to new operating models, by streamlining operations and outsourcing functions, as a way of reducing costs and enabling them to focus on revenue generation and customer interaction.

It's a Networked World, After All

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:07:15 GMT

Consumers everywhere are waiting for the communications, high-tech, and media and entertainment industries to make good on three promises: a seamless experience, a common platform and superior service.

Trendsetters in the Networked World? Look to Consumers in the Emerging Economies

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:00:13 GMT

Outlook Point of View February 2009, No. 1

Managing New-Product Development and Innovation in Challenging Times

Tue, 05 May 2009 05:23:09 GMT

Outlook Point of View February 2009, No. 2

Finding the Mobile Competitive Edge: Winning the Race to High Performance in the Wireless Technology and Services Industries

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:30:06 GMT

Outlook Point of View March 2009, No. 1

Staying Ahead of the Changing Marketplace for Consumer Technology Devices and Services

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:16:00 GMT

Outlook Point of View June 2009, No. 1

Premium Customer Support as a Key to High Performance in a Networked World

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:30:57 GMT

Outlook Point of View January 2009, No. 2

Accenture Network Testing Services

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:30:00 GMT

The number of wireless devices—and the range of types and complexity—is increasing rapidly. The situation is causing operational and resource constraints for service providers, device manufacturers and content and application developers.

Service Provisioning and Management

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:21:00 GMT

Accenture offers capabilities to help providers provision and manage broadband and legacy networks and services, including order management, network inventory management, provisioning and service assurance.

Network Cost Reduction

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:01:00 GMT

Never before has it been so critical to cut costs from the network, given that infrastructure alone accounts for between a third and a half of operating costs. We are seeing many companies struggling to balance the speed of cost reduction with the retention of critical business capabilities and future sources of value.

Accenture Solutions for Communications Service Providers

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:28:00 GMT

Driven by increased competition, consumer demand and regulatory developments, the communications industry is undergoing a transformational change. As the economy turns around and companies begin to pursue a growth strategy, they are poised to accelerate deployment of wireless and wireline broadband networks.

Behind the Screens: Keys to High Performance in a Convergent World

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:46:00 GMT

New-product development in the communications and high-tech industries is still essential, even in a challenging economy. The world will continue to see a proliferation of services and "screens"—the types and numbers of networked devices. So behind those screens there needs to be considerable work done to make the experience of using products both powerful and simple.

Managing New Product Development and Innovation in Challenging Times

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:11:33 GMT

According to recent Accenture analysis, the communications industry has suffered a $200 billion loss in future value just over the past couple of years. At its heart, such a loss points to serious problems with the innovative capability of the industry.

Accenture Solutions for Network Operations—Asia Pacific

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:00:00 GMT

The migration to high-speed broadband networks is a comprehensive transformation that has a major impact on every facet of the organization. Operators must give careful consideration to many issues, amongst them technology and regulatory challenges, revenue models that can predict levels and schedules of payback, the types of services that will drive value and potential obstacles to deployment.

BT: Social Learning Solution

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:32:00 GMT

BT and Accenture worked together to create an environment for continuous, networked learning, enabling BT to achieve its workforce transformation goals in support of its 21st century network rollout. Based on Microsoft SharePoint, the solution uses existing technologies and investments and resulted in a strong cost saving to BT that can be redirected to other transformational learning initiatives.

Global Communications Solutions Provider: Workplace Computing Platform Transformation

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:58:00 GMT

This leader in networking technology helps organizations worldwide communicate with customers via voice, data and video. Eager to lower costs, simplify maintenance and raise employee performance and productivity, the client turned to Accenture for help.

KPN: Oracle Solutions

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:27:00 GMT

In 2008, the €12.6 billion (US$19.9 billion) company launched a new "Back to Growth" strategy to address increasing competition and determine how to become a top performer among European telecom operators. The strategy includes significant cost reductions achieved through a radical simplification of KPN’s business, both at the front end in retail segments and at the back end in network operations.

Italian Mobile Phone Company: Real-Time Convergent Billing

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:08:00 GMT

An Italian mobile phone company teamed with Accenture to develop a real-time convergent rating and charging billing system that would support both prepaid and postpaid customers. With the deployment of its 3G network the company sought a billing system that would enable the company to be highly flexible in its product and service offerings, and thus, differentiate itself from the competition.

Capture the Next-Generation Customer with Information Management

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:07:00 GMT

Many communications, entertainment and high-tech companies have lost sight of what customers want. Even though the Internet has granted customers unprecedented power and choice, obsolete views of customer behavior persist.

Comcast: Integrated HR Platform

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:09:14 GMT

Comcast Corp. operates in a highly-competitive marketplace where offerings and customer service are crucial differentiating factors. Creating, introducing and supporting its complex offerings is heavily dependent on its ability to attract and retain talent. The integrated HR platform Accenture helped Comcast implement has improved its talent management, prepared it for growth and enabled it to become a high-performance business.

KPN Business Process Outsourcing

Tue, 19 May 2009 02:50:00 GMT

KPN is the leading telecommunications and information and communication technology (ICT) service provider in the Netherlands, offering wireline and wireless telephony, Internet and TV to consumers, as well as end-to-end telecom and ICT services to business customers. KPN serves more than 35 million customers, has18 000 employees in the Netherlands and 9 000 internationally.

Carbon Connections: Quantifying Mobile’s Role in Tackling Climate Change

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:44:58 GMT

The information and communications technologies industry (ICT) can make a major contribution to tackling climate change by eliminating the need for physical products or activities through the effective use of ICT products or services, and enabling "smart" applications that improve energy efficiency through real-time monitoring and control of processes.

Integrating Billing Systems: Realizing Economies of Scale in Telecommunications Industry Mergers and Acquisitions

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:02:00 GMT

When one company merges with or acquires another, several things can happen: value can be created, opportunities can emerge or value can be destroyed. The latter, unfortunately, occurs more often than not.

Integrating Billing Systems: Realizing Economies of Scale in Telecommunications Industry Mergers and Acquisitions

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:52:01 GMT

2008/2009 Accenture US Consumer Technology Research Findings

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:10:56 GMT

For the past two years, Accenture has been conducting in-depth research about the usage patterns of various types of consumer technology products and services among United States consumers—comparing research results from 2008-09 to those compiled in 2007-08.

New, Easy, Connected!

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:27:04 GMT

Convergence is entering a new phase where the technical ingredients of the convergence mix are becoming mature enough to allow services to be guided by customer demand. And at a time when economic conditions are at their most challenging, the momentum of convergence continues to reshape customer interactions; digital products and services; and industry player strategies.

Mobile Operator: Outsourced Handset Capabilities

Tue, 19 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

The mobile handset market has experienced a huge increase in demand for customization, coupled with a surge in the number of handset models and more complex functionality incorporated into each handset. There is a growing need for handset testing to maintain the quality of services and products.

HanseNet: IT & Business Solutions

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:15:00 GMT

HanseNet, a telecommunications company that previously operated only in Hamburg, Germany, was acquired by Telecom Italia in 2003. In 2003, HanseNet had 80,000 clients and by the end of 2007, this figure had grown to 2,35 million broadband subscribers, making HanseNet the fourth-largest broadband player. The company had a 13 percent market share with revenues €1,074 billion as of December 31, 2007.

WIND: Cost Transformation

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:45:23 GMT

WIND is a leading Italian telecommunications operator, one of the few European telecoms providers to offer customers integrated/convergent wireline, wireless and Internet solutions. Founded in 1997 and now owned by Orascom Telecom Holdings, WIND has a long history of innovation.

Create a Superior Customer Experience through Billing

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:19:29 GMT

Billing is a critical factor in customer loyalty and new-service launches. As today’s communications networks have evolved to offer greater bandwidth capacity, telecommunications operators increasingly are pursuing their markets with a strategy that involves providing comprehensive bundles of products and services, as well as developing ongoing content-rich niche services for myriad customer segments. The goal of these efforts is to encourage greater customer usage, increase loyalty to the operator’s brand and a craft a distinct point of difference in the marketplace.

Create a Superior Customer Experience through Billing

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:06:00 GMT

Developing Indirect Sales Channels: A Structured Approach to Reaching New Customers and Growing Revenues

Wed, 27 May 2009 06:36:48 GMT

Overall, indirect sales channels entail lower total costs compared to direct channels. In challenging economic times, when deal size tends to get smaller, making effective use of indirect channels can become a prerequisite for high performance by helping to boost revenue and maintain profitability.

Mobile Payments: A Promising New Opportunity for Communications Companies

Mon, 25 May 2009 07:25:59 GMT

Hundreds of millions of people, mainly in the developing world, have no access to banks because of remoteness and poor infrastructure. Yet many of these people have mobile phones. In developed economies, consumers largely are fully served by banks yet seek increasingly convenient ways of managing, spending and transferring their money. Together, these two scenarios spell opportunity for telcos in the form of mobile payments.

Mobile Payments: A Promising New Opportunity for Communications Companies

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:24:00 GMT

Managing Through Challenging Times

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:51:48 GMT

This Point of View focuses on industry issues communications companies. It explores in detail the strategic options our clients should consider as they navigate through economic uncertainty and how companies can use the economic downturn as an opportunity to strengthen their marketplace position and outperform competitors.

Integrating Billing Systems: Realizing Economies of Scale in Telecommunications Industry Mergers and Acquisitions

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:51:39 GMT

Various studies have shown the success rate of mergers or acquisitions is discouragingly low. In many, if not all, of these cases, the culprit generally is a lack of sufficient integration required for the new entity to achieve the economies of scale on which the business combination was based. In the telecommunications industry, such integration is especially critical when it comes to the business support systems infrastructure of the merging entities. If the companies struggle to integrate these systems effectively, it’s immediately apparent to customers—a fact that could make it all the more difficult for the new company to achieve its post-merger financial targets. In this paper, we explore the key elements of a BSS consolidation strategy that can help telecommunications companies avoid one of the biggest pitfalls that can trip up a merger or acquisition.

Billing for High Performance: Transforming Telcos' Billing Operations through Business Process Outsourcing

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:27:00 GMT

As Accenture’s ongoing research on the characteristics of high-performance businesses has found, a key building block of high performance is distinctive capabilities—capabilities that high performers create that enable them to consistently out-execute the competition. In the case of telcos, a superior billing function is one such distinctive capability, as it helps telcos not only create and sustain a more positive customer experience but also flexibly and quickly respond to marketplace demands. Business process outsourcing can help telcos make major strides toward overall high performance.

Billing for High Performance: Transforming Telcos' Billing Operations through Business Process Outsourcing

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:18:00 GMT

As telecommunications companies increasingly are pressured to substantially improve their billing function to respond to changing market and customer dynamics, many leading companies are turning to outsourcing to transform their billing operations by quickly and cost effectively gaining access to new billing skills, capabilities, practices and resources.

Strategic Cost Reduction for Network Operators

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:02:00 GMT

For carriers, this is a time of huge opportunity, with the chance to exploit developments in the exploding digital world. But doing so involves new costs and investments at a time when the economic environment is tougher than ever before. A clear requirement, therefore, is to reduce current and emerging costs.

Hard Demand for a Soft Panel: Winning the Race to a Plug-and-Play World

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:41:00 GMT

Outlook Point of View December 2008, No. 1

Communications Industry Trajectory: On Track for TextHigh Performance?

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:01:36 GMT

The boundaries of the telecommunications industry continue to blur and blend as technology, business and consumer trends redefine the digital services marketplace. Long talked about, convergence is now an accurate description of the current business model of the communications services industry. Carriers, software companies, high-tech firms, media enterprises, entertainment conglomerates—all may find themselves collaborating and partnering one day and competing against each other the next.

Mobile Advertising and the Future of the Communications Industry

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:11:06 GMT

Outlook Point of View November 2008, No. 4

Maximizing Contact Center Vendor Performance

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:03:39 GMT

Outsourcing contact centers is both a desirable and in many cases necessary step for companies wishing to control their costs and improve performance. However, making outsourcing relationships work can be challenging and requires an investment in management infrastructure to maintain quality and independence while continuing to innovate and drive down costs.

Seven Moves Consumer Electronics Companies Should Make to Manage through Challenging Times

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:25:03 GMT

In the consumer electronics industry, these challenging economic times are tough on many levels. We continue to hear about the many challenges these companies face. What we’ve heard very little about are the genuine opportunities that exist for consumer electronics companies to improve their competitive positions now and prepare for future success.

Innovation Strategy Solution

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:28:00 GMT

If communications, electronics and high tech, and media and entertainment companies are to meet today's new-product development challenges, they must improve the speed and rigor by which they manage innovation. New Accenture research, conducted in collaboration with the Economist Intelligence Unit, has found that companies are struggling to effectively execute innovation initiatives.

Network Expense Management Services

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:05:00 GMT

The network already accounts for between 30 and 45 percent of a typical communication provider’s operational spend, and competitive pressures to provide increased services threaten to push these costs higher. For enterprise, this cost can account for between 5 and 10 percent of revenues.

Unified Communications and Collaboration Solution

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 06:59:00 GMT

The Accenture Unified Communications and Collaboration Solution can accelerate collaboration-intensive business processes and enable more cost-effective work among team members, partners and suppliers. This ability to streamline business processes produces cost savings through greater efficiency, and revenue growth through faster speed to delivery of revenue-generating services.

Consumers Are Ready for the Networked World. Are You?

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:46:35 GMT

Outlook Point of View November 2008, No. 1

Eight Trends to Watch in Mobile Computing

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:06:48 GMT

Outlook Point of View June 2008, No. 2

Big Changes in Indirect Channels Bring New Opportunities to Achieve High Performance

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:43:14 GMT

A major storm is brewing in high-tech sales. Customers are interested in complete business solutions rather than product features. This new focus is forcing vendors in many industries to become more reliant on the indirect channel to generate their future growth. Meanwhile, distributors and resellers are turning to services solutions to enhance their margin potential. What's needed now is a new approach that allows vendors to not only ride out the storm but outrun their competitors.

Successfully Expanding Outsourcing and Offshoring Strategies in the Publishing Industry

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:37:01 GMT

Outlook Point of View March 2008, No. 2

Living in a Device-Centric World

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:25:53 GMT

Outlook Point of View February 2008, No. 1

From Quality Monitoring to Quality Insight

Tue, 08 May 2007 20:00:18 GMT

Listening to the "voice of the customer" has never been more important in the communications and electronics & high tech industries. The current environment of mergers of traditional providers coupled with competition from new entrants means that the customer is up for grabs.

Driving Service Innovation in Communications, High Tech and Media:TextThe Impact of Google's Android Platform

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:40:09 GMT

Outlook Point of View February 2008, No. 2

3 Italia: Mobile TV (DVB-H)

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:43:07 GMT

3 Italia asked Accenture to help it differentiate itself in a saturated Italian market, and take advantage of the approaching FIFA World Cup 2006, by providing its customers with compelling new services in the form of DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld). In just five months, and exploiting a jointly-developed Wireless Delivery Center, Accenture helped 3 Italia make high-quality, high-speed, multi-access mobile TV a reality.

Euskaltel: Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:02:45 GMT

Euskaltel teamed with Accenture to integrate systems capabilities across the full range of the company's convergent services and thereby to enable its MVNO launch. Accenture helped reengineer existing business support systems (BSS) and operations support systems (OSS) prior to the launch. Migration to the new BSS and OSS systems has positioned Euskaltel to provide excellent customer service even during periods of rapid growth.

Communications & High Tech: Mastering Social Ecosystem Marketing

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 18:51:21 GMT

Outlook Point of View March 2007, No. 2

Cell Tower Optimization Lessons from the Field

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 18:51:06 GMT

To achieve high performance by growing profitable revenues, and to support new services, wireless executives are increasingly looking for greater cost efficiencies and additional revenues by consolidating and optimizing their cell tower sites. New tools for analysis and modeling, and several emerging technologies, are necessary to optimize efficiency and coverage effectiveness.