For many years, telecommunications companies have been under pressure to digitize their field operations to remain competitive and offer the customer experience demanded of them. For too long, the typical operational model revolved around separate business areas operating in silos and using disparate solutions to manage their field workforce and operations across each division. However, according to Boston Consulting Group, only 22% of telecom companies have been able to successfully execute against this transformative need. Disjointed processes, a significant volume of planned and unplanned work, duplicate data views, and rising customer expectations have provided challenging ecosystems to integrate and digitize. The years following COVID-19 have proven that even these operations need to be streamlined and digitized utilizing the proper technologies available.
The efficiency gains and cost savings derived from digitization are too great to ignore, not to mention how it addresses the need to meet rising customer expectations. This is especially true for field operations. To overcome internal and external barriers, it’s critical for telecoms to have a comprehensive project plan that addresses the varied elements needed for successful digitization. Preparing to transition field operations to a digital model is a process that should include a set of measurable milestones and goals from the outset. Telecom executives also need to engage with their teams to understand field workers’ challenges and work with them to find solutions that make sense for all stakeholders.
If you’re looking to transform your field operations into the next phase of digitization, here’s a checklist your team can use to ensure the transition to digital management is smooth and effective:
- Understand the business case for upgrading to digital tools. Lay out the short- and long-term goals and align digitization plans to them to ensure priority work is completed first.
- Assess your current state and identify areas of improvement. Conduct a thorough audit to identify the most pressing challenges that digitization will address and develop a roadmap accordingly.
- Design a plan to implement digitization in a way that makes sense for your organization. Form a task force for the transition and include team staff members who will be working directly within the digital systems; comprehensive involvement gets everyone engaged and focused on the same goals from the start.
- Train and equip your field workers with the tools they need to be successful. Identifying early adopters to champion training, celebrate learning steps, and acknowledge change management wins will help keep teams motivated.
- Monitor and optimize your digitization efforts over time. Schedule regular evaluations aligned to planning, implementation, and execution milestones to course-correct or leverage successes throughout the system.
- Work with an implementation partner that can help you assess your telecom’s needs and ensure the best roadmap ahead. Make sure your partner offers configurable solutions that solve the unique challenges your teams face each day, from the back office to the frontline. Also, ensure you’re getting increased visibility and productivity in every aspect of the process
Each of these steps is important in achieving success with digitization in field operations, but it’s also important to keep in mind that every telecommunications company is different and will have its own unique challenges and needs. You know it’s time to update your process, but where do you start?
Learn more about how to get your operations ready – schedule an EpochField demonstration today.
