Digital transformation remains the driving force behind changing business models as organisations, both large and small, adapt to new market realities. As more consumers join the 22 million smartphone users in South Africa, Dyon Mhlanga, Managing Director at Red October Tech, a mobile technology solutions business, says delivering value-added services together with an exceptional customer experience is more crucial than ever.
“Consumers expect quality, relevant content anywhere, anytime and in the format and device of their choosing. To keep up with always-connected customers, organisations must embrace technology that ensures an unmatched customer experience,” explains Mhlanga. According to research from GMSA mobile networks across the globe saw a 50 to 100% spike in traffic driven by home entertainment, streaming services, and work from home communications, such as video and voice calls. While demand for quality content services shows no sign of slowing, rogue automatic content subscription services and airtime theft continue to make headlines and draw the ire of customers of some of South Africa’s largest and most trusted mobile networks.
According to global market intelligence firm IDC, close to 70% of CEOs from over 2,000 companies worldwide plan to shift their focus from traditional, offline strategies to modern digital solutions to improve the customer experience within the coming year. “Putting the customer first is already at the core of many organisations’ strategy. The most resilient and innovative organisations also understand the significant role technology can play in effectively resolving customer pain points while also mitigating against the risks of reputational harm as a result.”
A sister company to Red October Tech has created a cloud-based platform that manages content providers, content subscriptions, as well as all related legal and regulatory compliance matters. “The platform sits between the network’s billing solutions, its messaging solutions (such as SMS and USSD), and the content provider. Our digital engagement platform manages the relevant business rules and security to ensure customers are protected. In the South African context, the platform ensures that content providers, who are already required to comply with Wireless Application Service Providers Association (WASPA) regulations, are also compliant with individual network business rules so that customers are protected from any unscrupulous practices by third parties.”
In addition to empowering consumers with fair and transparent value-added services, the technology also gives providers unprecedented control over and insight into services delivered via the platform. This in turn, notes Dyon, improves billing ability in order to increase network revenues from content and other services. “Some of the many benefits of cloud-based platform technology include decreased customer queries, improved customer engagement, and decreased complaints to external regulatory bodies.”
Research from Hootsuite and We Are Social suggests the current internet penetration rate in South Africa sits at 62%, equating to 36 million internet users at the start of 2020, indicating a 3.1% year-on-year increase. Dyon says it is against this backdrop that demand for digital content is burgeoning. “Winning over today’s consumers in a content-rich environment requires delivering new levels of efficiency and products that are tailored to business outcomes and individual customer preferences.”