People around the world have been making them move towards increasingly digital lifestyles over the past few years – a trend that has been fast-tracked by the pandemic. More countries are swiftly adopting digitalization, even those that have previously been less inclined to make the shift. The global telecommunications industry has witnessed a drastic change in the way customers interact, demanding digital-first customer experience (CX). Plus, there’s been an unprecedented increase in demand for digital services. In this scenario, telcos need to modernize their network infrastructure to remain competitive and relevant. The next revolutionary step in network transformation: zero-touch networks. 

All-digital or zero-touch networks enable operators to take all customer interactions online, through a website or mobile app. It digitizes the entire customer lifecycle:

Digital onboarding: subscribers self-register, select from a list of personalized services and plans, upload their identification documents for verification through eKYC, make payment, have the SIM delivered to their chosen postal address, and activate their account online. In fact, some operators are even eliminating the need for a physical SIM by implementing eSIM technology. The entire process is conveniently completed in a fraction of the time taken for traditional network offerings.

Automated and secured customer journeys: dynamic, personalized, and intelligent customer journeys can be made available on various platforms, such as chat apps, social media platforms, community forums, and more. Operators get a 360-degree view of the customer, enabling them to provide contextual recommendations. The journeys are further enhanced with guided searches, continuity across platforms, and more. As more international and regional compliances come into effect, operators are provided a full security framework to tackle threats like identity fraud.

Advanced BI insights: since all touchpoints are digital, operators can gather and analyze data at every touchpoint. Advanced analytics and custom reports help operators understand the individual and preferences of different customer segments, enabling them to gauge and meet customer expectations.   

Operators can automate CX by enabling chatbots, community forums, and other self-help tools; implement end-to-end process automation; and enable advanced upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

Zero-touch networks let customers access all sales and support services from any connected device. They can explore and purchase new plans and services, get instant support to resolve their issues through AI chatbot integrations that are available 24x7x365, and more.

And it’s not just frontend processes; zero-touch networks also implement automation in the backend. The network infrastructure runs in the cloud, meaning operators no longer need to rely on physical resources.

Zero-touch networks cater to customers who prefer to manage their own accounts and services, limiting their interaction with human agents. Subscribers can control their accounts through the service provider’s self-care app or website. They can also interact with the service provider through various social media platforms with the help of automated chatbot integrations. Using the platform/s of their choosing, they can build their own plans, set contract terms, choose what notifications they receive and when, and more. The chatbot integrations escalate issues to human agents only when they cannot be resolved by automated responses.

Operators can improve the quality of customer engagement through more meaningful interactions. They can enrich customer value management with contextual and personalized campaigns, promotions, and loyalty programs.

Operators can optimize lead generation and management, attracting younger and more digitally savvy subscribers, onboarding them and activating their accounts without any physical touchpoints or customer-facing agents.

Operators who implement zero-touch networks today can compete with other telcos and OTT players. They can accelerate sales and support activities, leveraging advanced data insights to swiftly introduce relevant new services to meet evolving customer needs. This data can also help them create personalized and contextual new services for customers. 

With a small physical resource footprint, operators can launch an all-digital brand with low initial investment and continue to keep operational costs low. The network operates in the cloud, reducing the need to manage elaborate IT infrastructure, in-bound call centers, and stores. Since all services and operations are digital, they can swiftly test, modify, launch, and monetize new services.

Operators can improve customer segmentation and run marketing campaigns targeting specific segments.