08.31.10
Old & New In Stark Contrast
[Cartoon]
There is no more defining technology for this generation than cell phones. This technology has combined the phone network, the internet, and handheld computers into a massive communications revolution. In no other area have we seen such fantastic innovation.
While all of this innovation brought us, the customers of cell phone companies, great benefit, have you read your billing statement lately? In the history of billing, there has probably never been a more complex presentation of detail to explain why your bill is so high.
Because banks and other financial institutions have always had fairly complex statements, we have all begun to accept the bills as prepared. We know that those that design the billing systems must be smarter than we are. We also know that computers seldom make mistakes. So, if the bottom-line number is reasonable, we just make the payment.
But where is the innovation from our cell phone companies? They seem to be pouring all of their best talent into designing new capabilities to enhance revenue. Why not use some of that innovation to improve the billing system with the intent of retaining their existing customers?
When you do have questions about your bill, you can go to the cell phone company’s web site and get the historic detail. Of course the information you find there is just a web view of the billing statement you already have. So, if you have misplaced your bill this is a good place to go. But, it is not a good place to go if you have a question.
You can, if you are willing to wait a while for the next available service representative, call the company’s help line. There is usually a very helpful person that will take the time to answer questions and make whatever adjustments are needed.
Following most service calls, there is often a follow-up computer call to survey you on how satisfied you are with the service call. Since you more often than not feel good about the individual you spoke with, you will probably give them a good rating. Of course you will not know if they actually made the adjustments requested until the next bill comes. This could be several weeks later. Worst yet, the next day you may have some aspect of your phone service not work at all.
We could blame the customer support people for any problems, but chances are it is the systems that they are using that cause the problems. These systems have been around a long time and have gone through years of upgrades to keep pace with the great new revenue-generating product features. These systems have simply become stagnant.
How about putting some of that fantastic innovation to work making it easier for customers to understand their billing and to have minor adjustments made to their service without service interruptions?
The Enterprise Architects can see what is coming and are already preparing. They know that this will be their time. Corporations will be able to completely focus on their business, and automation will be viewed as an agile enabler. Automation will finally become the self-service contributor that the Corporate Office has always wanted it to be. –Enterprise Architects Masters of the Unseen City
Closing the Business / IT gap.
