What are the prospective upsell techniques? How can an operator effectively launch subscriber surveys and process their results? We share valuable cases aimed at increasing ARPU and LTV that were discussed during the training for Kcell.

We regularly provide training on our products for the customers. In July 2024, the Eastwind and Kcell teams gathered for the second time in Yekaterinburg for an intensive course on our CVM solution for telecom operators, the EW Mobile Marketing Platform (MMP). During the training, we exchanged experiences, addressed the operator team's questions, and demonstrated the hidden features of the platform to enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

This year, Kcell was represented by members of both technical and commercial departments. Together with CVM specialists, we reviewed over 25 cases aimed at increasing profitability that can be implemented using the EW MMP. In this article, we share the most successful and promising ones.

For more details on our previous operator training: How to Empower Your Team’s ML Skills: Training Program for Kcell

Kcell is a major mobile operator in Kazakhstan, serving a subscriber base of approximately 8 million users. Since 2014, Eastwind has provided Kcell with a comprehensive CVM solution, the EW Mobile Marketing Platform. This platform enables the operator to work with big data and build effective marketing communications.
 

Use Case 1. Offering Discounts to Encourage the Purchase of Daily Service Packages

The essence of this scenario is to ensure that subscribers stay connected even if they lack sufficient funds to pay their monthly tariff. They can continue to pay for the operator's services on a daily basis. To encourage them to switch to a new payment format, an operator can offer discounts and bonuses. 

This approach increases subscriber satisfaction by keeping them connected. Instead of being temporarily blocked due to insufficient funds, subscribers continue to pay for services, albeit in smaller amounts. It also boosts the operator's revenue.
 

Task: Retain Subscribers and Support Them During a Balance Shortage

This scenario involves certain challenges. First, daily charges can cause psychological discomfort, especially for subscribers accustomed to larger but less frequent payments. Second, it's crucial to set up the marketing campaign correctly, particularly the triggers that notify clients about the switch to the new payment format. Third, it's essential to carefully consider every word in written communication to avoid triggering a negative response from the subscriber.
 

Solution: Select a Relevant Target Group and Properly Configure the Campaign

To set up a daily payment campaign using EW AdTarget, a campaign manager in EW Mobile Marketing Platform, follow these steps:
 

• Select a target group to focus on subscribers who are scheduled to be charged for their current tariff plan within a certain number of days.
• Establish preemptive communications to notify subscribers about the potential switch to daily payments. This communication helps set expectations and reduces potential dissatisfaction.
• Allow subscribers to opt out of the promotion at any time by dialing a specific USSD code.
• Setup a real-time balance check to ensure subscribers truly lack the funds for the full tariff.

 

Results and Prospects

According to one of Eastwind’s customers, 92% of subscribers agreed to switch to daily payments. These results highlight the effectiveness of the chosen strategy and the accurate segmentation of the target group.

In the future, data on subscribers who opted in can be leveraged to promote additional services, such as more flexible tariff plans and extra data packages. In the long term, this data will enable personalized interactions with clients based on their preferences and financial behavior, ultimately increasing audience loyalty.


Example campaign in EW AdTarget for switching subscribers to daily payments

Learn More About EW MMP's Capabilities

Use Case 2. Monetizing Data Through Partnerships with Other Services

Collaboration between telecom operators and third parties, particularly lead generation services, creates new opportunities for revenue growth. Operators can provide partners with access to anonymized data, enabling subscribers to receive relevant offers while allowing services to promote their products effectively.

The data sets obtained by an operator attract companies from various sectors, including banking, insurance, and retail. Such integrations not only enhance the customer experience but also expand the range of services that telcos offer in the B2B segment.
 

Task: Monetize Subscriber Data by Providing It to a Lead Generation Service

One way to monetize data is to set up messaging on behalf of a partner. For this, a CVM solution can be used, but potential challenges in counting sent messages should be considered.

Data synchronization issues between the CVM solution and the switch can result in discrepancies in the recorded SMS count. For instance, if a promotional message contains 120 characters but the switch has a 60-character limit, the CVM solution may count this as one SMS, while the switch counts it as two. This discrepancy can lead to reporting inconsistencies and complicate billing for the third party.

Solution: Set Up a Campaign for Partner-Initiated Message Distribution

EW AdTarget allows you to launch a campaign without a third-party interface where the partner can independently set the campaign parameters. To organize the messaging, the operator’s team needs to:
 

• Set up integration via Event API so that partners can transmit subscriber IDs and message texts.
• Enable the reception of dynamic parameters to personalize content and improve communication effectiveness. 
• Agree on message templates with the partner considering the character-based pricing specifics to prevent discrepancies in calculations between the CVM solution and the switch.

Results and Prospects

A pilot project with one of Eastwind's customers demonstrated that the lead generation service sent 50,000 messages in 10 days. This directly increases the operator's revenue, as the partner pays for an SMS package. This case shows that even without a fully developed interface for third parties, it is possible to work effectively with them.

Use Case 3. NPS Surveys and Questionnaires as Data Sources for More Precise Targeting

NPS surveys are a tool that helps determine the level of customer loyalty (NPS, Net Promoter Score). In these surveys, customers are asked questions like, "How likely are you to recommend our company to a friend?" They are asked to respond on a 5 or 10 point scale, where 0 means "would not recommend" and 5 or 10 means "would definitely recommend." Based on these ratings, operators identify their strengths and weaknesses in customer service to develop a relevant business development plan.

Task: Reduce the Load on Voice Channels and Expenses on Paid Services, and Reach the Entire Subscriber Base with Surveys

NPS surveys and questionnaires are typically conducted by call center operators, but this approach has several drawbacks. Each operator can handle only a limited number of clients per shift, and clients themselves are not always willing to spend time on phone conversations, which reduces response rates and the accuracy of the data collected. Additionally, conducting surveys adds extra pressure on the call center, diverting operators from handling more complex inquiries.

Another method involves using separate services that allow for the design and distribution of surveys. However, large-scale distributions usually require a paid subscription, leading to additional expenses for the company.

Solution: Automate the Distribution of Surveys and NPS Questionnaires via SMS and Digital Channels

This approach allows you to reach a large number of subscribers in a short period, improve customer convenience, and speed up data collection. As a result, the load on operators is reduced, and the quality of feedback processing is improved, enabling more accurate and timely responses to customer requests.

Additionally, surveys provide precise data about subscribers, as the telephone number is not always registered to the person using it. This information helps offer more relevant services to customers, thereby increasing campaign effectiveness.

The distribution can be organized using EW AdTarget by following these steps:  
 

• Assign short codes for SMS distribution. Ideally, use memorable numbers like 9090, as subscribers tend to trust them more.
• Set up zero-rating for SMS messages sent to the selected short codes. Subscribers are more likely to respond if it’s free.
• Define responses based on the answer options. For instance, if a subscriber is asked to rate the service quality from 1 to 5, the campaign should include branches for responses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and for open-ended responses.
• Create a landing page with a more detailed survey and direct subscribers to it.

Results and Prospects

One of the operators had a 15% response rate in NPS surveys launched with EW AdTarget, compared to 6% in the voice channel. In addition, our customer managed to reach more subscribers and free up time for call center operators. 

As practice shows, in NPS surveys subscribers often answer not just with a number, but in a free form, for example, ‘Of course 5, 5+++’ or even ‘Right now I have a bad connection, do something.’ Such non-standard responses can be passed on to the CVM department for further elaboration and can also be collected in a database. They can be analyzed using EW DataFlow, another component of MMP that allows you to build ML models and identify patterns from big data. For example, customers in one region are more likely to complain about connectivity than others. This knowledge will allow an operator to take steps to retain them: improve coverage, offer a discount or other perks. 

Long-term benefits of a prompt response to subscriber’s feedback include increased customer loyalty, reduced churn, and subsequently higher LTV.

Example campaign in EW AdTarget for surveying subscribers

Learn More About EW AdTarget
 

Kcell's Impressions of Eastwind Training

As last time, the operator's team was satisfied with the training and our team's immersion in Kcell's tasks. We collected feedback from our participants, and business representatives rated the training organization at 5 points. While technical specialists gave it a  4.7 rating, noting that they would like more practical tasks next time.

“The main benefit of training with Eastwind was gaining insights on platform functionality and solving complex cases that will help us increase revenue. It was also important for me to discuss plans on EW MMP roadmap and upcoming innovative functions that will allow us to launch new cases and achieve ambitious commercial goals”
 

Kamaldin Pirimbayev, Head of CVM & BigData Development, Kcell

We will continue to improve the training program for our customers: introduce more practice and interactivity, offer more use cases for each component of EW MMP. This will help the operator to get the most out of the EW Mobile Marketing Platform implementation.


Final day of training. Eastwind handed out certificates and merch as a keepsake