Making Enhanced Services Work

When choosing an enhanced services platform, it is critical that the system be integrated seamlessly so that the customer does not know an extra step is involved in completing his call. Once a platform is in place, however, the challenge is finding innovative ways to entice subscribers to buy the services.

DO YOUR HOMEWORKMarket research is the best way to determine which enhanced services to offer. One effective method is to survey both current and potential subscribers about what services they want. The majority of Cellular One South Mississippi's surveys were random samples of the business market base. They were conducted in a formal setting, usually on a 1-on-1 basis or in its offices. Cellular One South Mississippi evaluated services that current subscribers were using and what enhancements they would like.

Cellular One South Mississippi primarily is a cellular provider but is moving into the CLEC market. It is easing this transition by offering landline services such as voice mail and auto-attendant features; however, these services only are a precursor to full landline and Internet service offerings.

One of the primary goals when approaching potential or existing customers is to show them how enhanced services can make their everyday lives more productive. The Cellular One South Mississippi marketplace is not a high-tech area compared to large metropolitan cities.

Because of the largely rural setting, the carrier has found that some of the most popular services are 1-number, landline-based voice-mail systems that integrate both landline and cellular and customizable auto-attendant applications for small business. 1-number service is a hit because the service area is centrally located between two major metropolitan cities. Cellular One South Mississippi subscribers are in their cars one minute and in their offices the next. One-number service provides the flexibility they need to work within this environment successfully.

Most marketing efforts are spread evenly across the product base. To determine if there is a direct correlation between its marketing efforts and the success of enhanced services, the direct sales force talks to customers. Information-gathering does not stop with the marketing department. Everyone is involved in collecting information, from the salespeople to the executives.

EDUCATIONYou must educate both employees and subscribers to ease the transition to enhanced services. What may seem like heavy time investment in employee training actually could pay off by minimizing customer confusion. A key aspect of training subscribers is through literature. Because Cellular One South Mississippi customizes packages for subscribers, it is the salesperson's responsibility to offer literature and train subscribers on how to use their enhanced services.

Cellular One South Mississippi tells its employees to put themselves in the subscribers' shoes to determine what services will work to meet their needs. New services will succeed only if they are as easy to use as the old service. The carrier offers simple solutions to subscribers by having employees help piece together a variety of packages and options. People want to pick up the phone and push a button to dial their neighbors down the street. They are not aware of what services will do that for them; they just know which results they seek. Many subscribers are unaware of available technology; therefore, sometimes, just explaining and recommending the services that will meet their requirements is successful.

Another effective tactic is to provide a business case for the subscriber by looking at his current services and bills and then calculating the benefits of receiving those same services bundled from one source.

In addition, use your help lines and customer service to promote enhanced services. Cellular One encourages customer service and salespeople to make follow-up calls to all customers. The goal is to make customers comfortable with their new services and to be available to answer any questions that arise.

INCENTIVESCreative marketing is key in growing a customer base with enhanced services. Cellular One South Mississippi takes services that have worked in the past and bundles them with new services. In many cases, Cellular One South Mississippi subscribers can receive a discount on optional enhanced services. For example, subscribers with 1-number service can elect to receive voice mail free with their cellular service, or subscribers also can receive discounts on pagers.

Subscribers receive incentives to select more than one service and are able to pick and choose the services they want. This way they can customize their own packages of services from Cellular One South Mississippi, and it is all on one bill. Because the carrier offers packages or bundles of different enhanced services, customer acquisition no longer is based on price alone but also on a bundle of products.