Billing Transformation Programme – Part 1: Key Challenges
Billing transformation is not just an organization wide initiative to streamline and reduce operational cost, but has multi dimensions and challenges like business continuity, customer experience, technology, business process fitments, regulatory requirements and competitive market
Though billing systems are often perceived as business back end operations, billing plays a vital role in the communication service providers’ (CSP) marketing & sales strategy. Billing is an integral part of customer experience. Hence it is very crucial for a CSP’s billing transformation programme to ensure business continuity and error free bills to customer.
Foremost task before embarking on a transformation journey is building up right business case to identify current and imminent billing requirements. This is followed by selecting the right billing vendor and software package, identifying integration technology and business processes refinements. Once these are identified, the focus needs to be shifted on drawing out a transformation strategy, implementation and roll out plans. The billing transformation strategy should keep in consideration, the holistic future billing requirements catering to customer needs, marketing plans, competitive market segments and industry best practices.
Another key challenge is selecting the right solutions and product vendors capable of providing the next generation billing system which are highly scalable, flexible, and easy to integrate and meets future business requirements. Vendor selection needs rigorous selection process through score card analysis on each billing parameter demonstrating capabilities through Proof of Concepts.
Agile Transformation plans have to be decided through early integration strategy. End users’ involvement can be achieved via implementation strategies such as big bang approach or phased roll out, depending on the transformation journey.
Success of Billing Data Migration is a core aspect of transformation journey - how, where & what billing data to be migrated ensuring data integrity. Customer profiling and data transformation are central part to Migration programme.
A successful Transformation programme requires strong business case, committed business leadership, Right Solutions, Customer Centric focus, Strong Programme & Change Management Mechanism.
Watch out in next blog: ‘Billing Transformation Programme – Part 2: Implementation Strategies’
Comments
Thanks vignesh for comments. Reason carrier decides to go for new platform is that existing one is not able to fulfil his business needs. irrespective of customer base or complexity or market segment, its preferred to migrate customers from existing platform to new one and close legacy stack.
Commented by: shivakumar | March 15, 2010 2:39 PM