Thanks to mobile broadband, an ever-increasing number of people and devices are connected. This phenomenon provides more opportunities for operators, but also means they must seek new ways to differentiate themselves and build loyalty with their users by providing a higher quality and more personalized customer experience. To meet this need, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has launched a new product called Ericsson Telecom CRM, which integrates customer relationship management (CRM) and billing.
The launch is the result of the strategic alliance between Ericsson and Microsoft that was announced at Mobile World Congress 2011.
Ericsson Telecom CRM will help operators increase customer satisfaction - particularly in the areas of sales and customer care - by reducing the number and length of customer interactions. The product seamlessly renders valuable billing and subscriber data and functionality in an intuitive user environment. This helps operators to more efficiently address the needs of customers who place support calls, thereby reducing opex.
Ralf Guckert, Head of Solution Area BSS at Ericsson, says: "Integrating billing and CRM systems is a common IT objective for many operators. But it is also clear that chief information officers are under pressure to reduce systems integration costs. I am really excited about the launch of Telecom CRM because it meets the need that so many operators have for a highly intuitive, telecoms-specific CRM system that is integrated with billing."
Dennis Michalis, General Manager, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, says: "Operators are facing unprecedented change in how their customers want to do business, and the ability to provide outstanding customer service can make all the difference in attracting and keeping customers. "By combining their deep industry expertise with the flexibility and value offered by the familiar, intelligent and connected experiences of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Ericsson can now provide a better solution to help operators stay competitive in today's economy."
Ericsson Telecom CRM 1.0 is a customer relationship management product tailored to meet the needs of the telecom industry, based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and integrated with Ericsson's BSCS Ix convergent billing solution. This product is one of the ways that Ericsson and Microsoft are realizing their goal of integrating customer relationship management and business support systems, an objective that was mentioned when the companies announced their alliance in February 2011.
