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The Challenge
In serving the rural community, providers are consistently asked to deliver reliable broadband connections to those who need them, to provide high quality customer service, and to create teams that can deliver on these initiatives. As companies work towards achieving their goals, they must arm themselves with the necessary equipment and software in their toolboxes to serve the rural community and to serve them well.
To accommodate the needs of their growing customer base, STRATA Networks needed an Operations Support System (OSS) solution that would streamline processes and advance operational efficiency across the company. Since 2012, STRATA Networks has used VertiGIS’s M4 Solutions to do just that, leveraging over 17 modules and integrations with M4 to plan, build, manage and report on their growing service areas in one complete view.
The Solution
The first step to providing top-notch customer service is to arm your customer service representatives (CSRs) with the data they need to accurately relay information to the customer base about their current and potential services. STRATA employs M4 Services Manager to allow CSRs to visualize their service areas and quickly determine which areas are eligible for upsells and qualified for other services. M4 pulls billing and service availability data into one view so CSRs can provide quick and accurate information on customer calls. Before M4, CSRs had to consult with Engineering for all service requests.
While CSRs are working hard to drive efficiencies in the office, the techs and engineers must mirror those efficiencies out in the field. To enhance productivity, STRATA uses M4 technology to assist their field workers.
Today, field technicians can make notes, adjust charges, and assign changes from the field, reducing the amount of time at the ticket site and preventing disruptions back at the office. M4 allows technicians to view their tickets, adjust assignments, and update statuses from a mobile device in order to stay in touch with shifting priorities throughout the day.
The Result
With the correct tools in place, STRATA Networks has been able to drive operational efficiencies both in and outside of the office. Their company-wide adoption of M4 Solutions and services has helped STRATA to grow efficiencies and reduce backlogs of ticket assignments, freeing up time to provide services and upselling opportunities, and to adjust tickets out in the field.
With the implementation of M4, STRATA staff are now able to communicate and schedule changes within just minutes. Using M4, STRATA has created data relationships and automated processes that were not available to them in previous systems. Processes relied on a single administrator to execute and reports were run on a case-by-case basis by the database administrator. Now, the database administrator sets up and runs automated reports that combine all the necessary data for business leaders to track company-wide performance and efficiency. These reports also provide additional data to assist STRATA in strategic planning and applications for funding that will help continue to expand their community outreach and service offerings for years to come.
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