Openserve boosts fibre strategy through digital transformation

In October 2023, Openserve switched off the last of its 30-year-old, home-grown business support system (BSS) applications in South Africa.

The new BSS platform, implemented over two years, has transformed operations across the organization. "It has an impact on every customer and every person [and] every department within the value chain," says Pushkar Gokhale, Chief Digital & Strategy Officer at Openserve, the wholesale subsidiary of South Africa's Telkom Group.

The breadth of Gokhale’s role has helped broaden the impact of the new BSS. Alongside Openserve’s digital strategy, he runs the company’s business and technology strategy, as well as the technical side of product development and process reengineering. Coupled with these portfolios he is also responsible for implementing the digital and technology transformation programs.

Gokhale says “I don’t view technology as a separate, siloed division instead we positioned ourselves as the engine and innovation arm of the business and this remains central in our approach towards adoption and execution of key business imperatives”.

As part of its strategic evolution, Openserve has invested heavily in energy-efficient fibre-to-the-home networks (FTTH) over the past few years. By June 2024, the company had extended fibre coverage to approximately 1.29 million homes, while simultaneously modernizing its digital support systems. The focus on customer experience through digital enablement has been one of the major catalysts of driving a connectivity rate of nearly 50%.

Meanwhile the company implemented CSG's Singleview BSS to enhance both direct customer experience and end-user satisfaction. Despite being a wholesale provider, Openserve prioritizes the end-user experience: "Although the services are wholesale, our mindset has to be retail centric thereby enabling our clients and customers " Gokhale explains.

Innovation in customer experience and communication

Openserve has also taken an innovative approach to customer engagement through its Openserve Connect App, with the aim of better serving ISPs’ end-customers, who benefit from a smoother, faster fiber installation by Openserve’s technicians. This comprehensive solution enables customers to view network faults in their area, track fiber orders and ticket status, perform line tests, manage technician appointments, and access self-help resources. The app has achieved approximately one million downloads and contributed to “a high net promoter score in the 70s,” according to Gokhale.

“Once we completed the successful implementation of the Customer facing app, we moved our focus on creating a more digitally led and holistic experience for our clients,” he explains."We consolidated approximately 15 or 16 applications to streamline how our clients which include enterprise, carrier, international and the Internet service providers interact with us.” Meanwhile, the implementation of a Single Sign-On Unified Partner Platform (UPP) using Microsoft Azure has enabled Openserve’s clients to interact, track and manage their current portfolios.

Enhanced field operations

The transformation has significantly improved field operations through better data utilization from both BSS and operational support systems. Openserve’s recently launched a progressive web application called Technician (Tech) App focused on transforming the Technicians experience, which Gokhale describes as an important facet of the ‘Total Experience’ which covers, customers, clients, and employees. Technicians now arrive on-site with comprehensive historical connectivity data, enabling more informed customer interactions. Gokhale adds that “such capabilities were underpinned by the utilisation of APIs exposed through the BSS enabling interaction across both northbound digital interfaces and southbound operational applications”.

This app gives the technician the information and control they need to make rapid decisions while onsite with customers. As a result, average installation times have fallen from 45 minutes to just seven. Once installation is completed, customers receive an automated note through the app, asking them to confirm they are happy with the service; only then is the installation logged as complete. “So, we have now connected a technician viewpoint with a customer viewpoint,” says Gokhale.

In addition to benefiting customers, this internal application provides an opportunity for technicians to earn more, since they are paid per installation, explains Gokhale. The system incorporates customer feedback by requiring confirmation through the app before marking installations as complete ensuring high level and quality of service delivery. “It's about being able to see the benefits that we bring to both our clients, their customers, and our technicians in the field,” says Gokhale.

Product innovation and cost management

The new BSS has enabled faster product development, particularly in areas such as white-label prepaid services and its ability to drive innovative pricing models. The system features automated billing verification, which has proven especially valuable for value added services, along with enhanced CRM capabilities for ISP service personalization.

The focus on operational efficiency has yielded positive results. "You need a very clear understanding of your fixed costs versus variable costs," notes Gokhale. This focus has paid off: "Our connectivity rate is now touching around 50% [of homes passed] and through our transformation of our BSS and Digital landscape, we are improving our cost to serve there by driving business value.”