Transformation and legacy systems: removing the need to rip and replace
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Transformation and legacy systems: removing the need to rip and replace

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Transforming business processes doesn’t always mean ripping and replacing or starting over from scratch.

It can be about understanding existing legacy systems and finding ways to optimise, integrate and accelerate how they operate.

The operational and business support systems (OSS/BSS) market is expected to see a 7% compound annual growth rate to 2024, reaching a $50 billion market opportunity, according to Global Market Insights. This is largely due to the growth of 5G seeing OSS/BSS transformation boom so that companies can keep up with the rapidly changing market. According to TM Forum, 72% of 5G revenue growth is dependent on OSS/BSS.

For telcos to take their first step on their digital transformation journeys, they must first focus on their internal operations for a smoother sales process for the company and customers alike. By transforming OSS/BSS, telcos can consolidate existing systems, create new visibility across operations, and truly accelerate their operations.

With telecom operators often offering mobile, fixed broadband and network services, multiple independent legacy IT systems are usually in place which can cause inefficiencies. In today’s competitive business environment, sales organisation needs to be brought into the future.

Creating cost-efficiencies

OSS/BSS automation can accelerate sales activities end-to-end and provide a cost-efficient solution to deliver new capabilities and simplify the complexity of legacy operations, while reducing the journey from quote to order. It minimises investment while maximising the value of transformation. 

For example, the telco Tele2 Latvia needed to find a solution that would not require a complete redevelopment of its legacy IT systems. Its complex end-to-end carrier sales activities involved an inefficient manual, email-based costing and pricing process. On top of this, product data was spread across multiple systems, causing delays in customers receiving their quotes. It made the decision to invest in an all-in-one OSS/BSS solution in order to utilise and automate its existing systems. This resulted in cost-efficient business transformation that boosted sales.

Replacing existing IT systems is complex and costly, so organisations need to look at different options to transform their operations that maximise efficiency.

OSS/BSS optimisation

Legacy systems alone can result in poor customer experience and insufficient business visibility, so transformation is key. OSS/BSS automation can streamline the whole sales process for better integration and additional features, which legacy systems are often not capable of. Sales and quotation process automation can help to manage complex carrier deals faster and make better business decisions.

When companies utilise a cloud solution to transform their processes, it can be achieved considerably faster than replacing all existing IT systems. It’s important to choose a partner that dedicates time to understanding the challenges at hand, and that has expertise in the world of tech and telecoms. With the right partner, telcos can quickly simplify their operations, provide a seamless experience for internal users, and maximise the value of their investment.

All-in-one sales automation platforms can come with customisations and capabilities tailored to wholesale and telecoms, with seamless integration of business and operational processes. Quote-to-order processes can be fully automated, and a commercial product catalogue can unify pricing and products’ definition into one single data source. Easy to use reporting capabilities provide greater operational visibility with data-driven insights and analytics. On top of this, the integration and simplified system architecture offers cost-efficiency and a seamless experience for customers.

Automation in order management and service assurance ensure telcos can be agile, stay on top of digital transformation and further enhance their competitive advantage. The right BSS platform will provide a foundation for continued transformation into the future.

A foundation for the future

Every organisation is at a different stage of their transformation journey. It’s important for a telco to choose a partner that understands their existing systems and processes so that the best path forward can be taken. There’s always an opportunity to automate sales processes and provide a unified view of products, enabling the sales team to move with agility when serving customers.

The result is a streamlined sales process that enables the organisation to close more deals in a faster time, with a 360-degree customer view to improve customer service and efficiency. Improved operational visibility can be gained through easily configurable reports and dashboards, providing the telco with the insights it needs to make smarter business decisions.

Carrier products and customers are growing rapidly, and telcos need to refine their processes to keep up with demand. With the right partner, OSS/BSS automation can be simple, and easy to manage and adapt over time. It’s a crucial step in the transformation journey that is often overlooked, and one that can scale and grow with changing needs now and into the future.

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