New ISP Trends & their Impact on Customer Experience

Posted On: May 19, 2018

With technologies like FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) getting increasingly used in many parts of the world, fixed broadband market is constantly growing along with ever-changing ISP trends. According to Statista, there are over 4 billion active internet users worldwide. In another study, the researchers linked the internet activity to the growing number of fixed broadband subscriptions enabling easy usage of digital platforms and seamless live streaming.

Simply put, internet service providers are growing at a never ending pace today and the trends are forever evolving. Here are some of the ISP trends of 2018:

1. The Convergence of ISP, Telecom, and Media

Massive deployment of airwaves and optic-fiber based networks have brought dramatic changes in internet usage. With online TV streaming and other usage trends leading to huge volumes of data consumption; providing access to digital content will generate more revenue than ads or paid content for businesses. Thus, mobile internet service providers are merging with fixed broadband providers and media, in order to feed consumers with content and fulfill their huge data requirements.

2. FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) Broadband Connections

Over 10 million homes worldwide have FTTH broadband connections. It greatly enhances the internet bandwidth for users. While this technology currently facilitates IPTV, VOIP, and WiFi requirements all at the same time; experts envision that it will fulfill even 1 Gbps data requirements in future. Such a future-ready technology is likely to get more adoption across the world.

3. WiFi Bundling

In this digital era, there’s nothing without WiFi. ISPs understand that and therefore propose it as an add-on to move subscribers to volume-based plans. For example, Vodafone’s in-house apps detect WiFi hotspots and automatically switch the users from 3G to WiFi as soon as he enters the hotspot area.

With the transition being completely seamless, it is improving the internet experience for its users who are on the go.

4. Dynamic Data Pricing

After studying their customers’ internet usage patterns, companies like Globacom, Airtel and others are now offering more data to those who tend to use the web late at night or early in the morning. The package also comes with an added benefit of more speed during the late hours. This scheme doesn’t just optimise traffic congestion, but is also nudging subscribers to use the internet more frequently – on both, desktop and mobile.

Dynamic data pricing is also an emerging trend in countries like Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia where people are price sensitive.

5. Flexible Data Plans

In many countries, people don’t want to make long-term commitments to any data plans. That’s where the pay-as-you-go schemes work best.

NTT Docomo offers this capability to its users who exceed a certain data limit. Even Airtel fixed broadband plans have the flexibility to scale as you use, to let users pick their plans based on their usage. This has further improved customer experience with their brand.

Upgrading CX Tech in Congruence with ISP Trends

Did you know 89% of businesses are expected to compete solely on the basis of customer experience? Infact, 63% of marketers are already implementing technology to fit experience expectations of multi-service customers. Let us identify areas where technology is set to revolutionize customer experience:

• Self-service will become an Absolute Necessity

Absolutely! Look at technologically-sophisticated businesses like Amazon, Facebook, Google and Walmart. Their websites are not only navigation-friendly but they seem to have an answer to every user-generated query on their website.

Speak to one of their customer care reps on chat, and they would have an answer for everything. A strong knowledge management solution enables them empower their CX teams.

• Chatbots are Here to Stay

In the next two years, a customer will drive 85% of the relationship with a brand sans any interaction with a human. Since most people use messaging apps to communicate with a business, chatbots seem to be the right platform to integrate big data and AI for a favourable customer experience.

As of today, you can already see businesses using chatbots on their social profiles. They make use of the technology to answer specific queries that come in from customers frequently. But that’s just the beginning.

Instead of limiting chatbots to address only a few scenarios or interactions, you can train them to engage your customers better. Advanced technologies like AI & machine learning can further enhance the conversational scope of the chatbots. This enables your bot to have a human-like conversation with your users, building better relationships.

• Augmented Reality for Broadband Tech Support

The number one reason for people to not like calling customer support, are the long hold times. But if your company receives thousands of calls in a day, it is obvious that some will have to be put on hold. And the moment you do that, these customers resort to channels like social media to raise their concerns. That’s where the whole customer experience goes downhill.

With interactive how-to’s and instructional scenarios, AR can reduce the number of calls you receive in a day.

For example, a customer is having trouble with the fixed broadband connection they just installed. Instead of calling the company’s customer service, they can just point their phone at the broadband device to see an AR overlay that walks them through the solution – even if it just asking them questions like ‘have you tried restarting the device?

Using the Right Knowledge Management Solution

Since the need for mobility and self-service in customer support on all channels has increased, there is a need for a knowledge base that supports access to real-time information on any platform.

That’s where solutions like KnowMax come into play. With a rich knowledge base and intelligent solutions for connected devices, it enables businesses to create customized knowledge bases for their customers.

This knowledge management solution goes beyond the usual FAQs and includes features like picture guides, and decision trees. Reducing complex interactions into an easy step-by-step guide, they enhance the customer experience by offering instant solutions to their concerns.

But that’s not it. It also helps keep up with the changing ISP trends. It integrates easily into existing IT infrastructures such as CRM, cloud telephony, chatbots and other platforms. This gives you a holistic tool that takes care of it all, and lets you focus on growing your business.

Over to You

If you strive for a CX strategy that is compatible with evolving technologies, then a sound KMS is what going’s to help. Luckily, KocharTech can help you set up a system so that your customer care reps always have real-time information in their hands.

Want to know more? Get in touch!