Looking over Sprint's shoulder, IXC rolls out nontraditional tools for two customer groups >BY CHRIS BUCHOLTZ, West Coast Bureau Chief

Sprint last week unveiled two nontraditional network management solutions-one for its business wireline customers and another for its future personal communication services customers.

The interexchange carrier's business customers can use a now-common tool-the World Wide Web-to collaborate on managing their networks. Sprint InTouch allows customers to log on to Sprint's Web site for a customized real-time view of their companies' networks from Sprint's Service Management Center. Customers may also electronically view and track trouble tickets and see operational messages about network traffic.

Trial users have found that the ability to look over the network technicians' shoulders saved time and increased productivity. "We as customers can clearly identify where the difficulty is located," said Wendy Kaminsky, communications analyst for Unisys Corp. "In many cases, we're even able to solve the problems ourselves."

Users of Sprint Spectrum's PCS service will be supported by an integrated, rules-based network management and customer support system when the service rolls out later this year. The system, ClearSupport CommCenter from San Jose-based Clarify Inc., will provide a single point of contact for customer inquiries, service requests and problem reporting, helping to speed response time for the carrier.

"What it boils down to is that good, old-fashioned trouble management will make or break you in the new market," said Charles Janik, operational support systems implementations manager for Sprint Spectrum.

The Clarify system enables customer support representatives to use a single application to create orders, route requests and open trouble tickets. At the other end of the system, the network management center can create trouble tickets, receive tickets from the customer service center and update their status. The system automatically manages the work flow between the two units and escalates events according to the rules designated for each customer.