The world of mobile networks, devices and
services is changing at a rapid pace, driven by a combination of technological
innovation, strong competitive forces and an apparent limitless demand from
consumers.
Digicel is cognizant of that fact and prides itself on innovative products and being
the first to market. Understanding the
need of the customer and being proactive in product offerings suggest that
Digicel as a company is in tune with its customers and anticipates their needs
even before the customer demands it.
At Digicel there is a Products department charged with the
responsibility of developing new products and services. The new-product
development process is based on customer demand and business continuity. Product ideas will be supported by a business case to gauge viability and
profitability. The products team will
conceptualize, design and test and launch new products. Though the customer focus is essential, any
new product to be launched has to pass an acceptable profitability margin. There are some auxiliary products which are
not expensive to develop and implement, e.g. online bill view and online bill
payment; and for which the level of "red tape" is not required. This product was born out of the increasing
demand from customers, for a faster more convenient way to manage and pay their
bills. The products team endeavours to
develop flexible product ranges which can be amended and built on as the need
of the customer and market trends evolve.
Value to Customers
Digicel understands that as it attempts to establish marketplace
differentiation, the company must offer products that are tailored to the needs
of its customers. New products must add
value for the customer.
As the company brings to market an increasingly diverse portfolio
of products and services, all these are driven by the type of overall customer
experience Digicel is built on.
Analytics play an
increasingly important role in creating a more consistently satisfying customer
experience that can drive profitability. Analytics capabilities support new
customer value product propositions in several ways:
- Analytics
enables Digicel to sift through a wide range of network performance
metrics and then define and measure network quality and the associated
customer experience.
- Gives
the company a better view of customer activity and manage the customer
lifetime value. Allows for the development of products that customers will
actually want to buy, and can also identify and manage churn risks much
more proactively.
- Through
analytics, Digicel obtains an accurate view of the various contexts
applicable to a customer and, on that basis, provide them with better
tailored services and offerings.
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Focus groups are also used to determine how the customer will
perceive the new product idea. It allows
Digicel to develop products and
services in a user-centered way by putting customers and users in the center of
development, to assist with testing, gain buy in, etc.
Innovation
Digicel clearly understands that Innovation is another important
opportunity for competitive differentiation in the mobile marketplace . As aforementioned being the first to market
with new technologies and products is what Digicel aims to do at all junctures.
Digicel is now focused on developing vertical solutions tailored
to the needs of a specific industry or market. Digicel Business was formed as a
result of that need. Cloud computing ,
for example is a recently offered product, that not only improve traffic
volumes but also drives higher average revenue per user (ARPU) by moving up the
value chain and selling integrated packages of connectivity, infrastructure and
software-as-a-service. These kinds of packages can create longer-term loyalty
with customers; and creates considerable lock-in both to the device and
platform, and ultimately betters the overall customer experience
