news release

Operational efficiency and better monetisation of data are main priorities for the telecoms sector, according to Experian

London, 6 August 2014 - An international survey of leading executives in the Telecoms industry conducted by Experian, the global information services company, has revealed that the need for more operational efficiency and data monetisation are two of the most significant challenges facing the telecoms sector, while improving the quality of decision making and reaching the right customers is considered crucial for success in 2014.

The survey was conducted amongst 80 senior executives in 40 telecommunications companies across Europe, the United States and Russia¹. Executives were asked to provide insight into the most pressing issues. A similar survey was conducted one year ago and the results have been compared to identify key trends and issues affecting telecommunication companies over time. 

The main findings from the survey include:

• The number of respondents citing the need for better operational efficiency rose by 186% compared with 2013, while data monetisation as a major priority for telecoms operators has increased by 40% year on year.
• When asked what would provide the most benefit to their business, 36% felt that improving the quality of decision making was vital, while almost a third (28%) believe that obtaining a single view of their customers is critical, a rise of 27% on 2013.
• Almost half of all respondents (48%) agreed that in order to deliver an outstanding multi-channel experience to customers, it was essential to understand which customers wanted to be engaged with and when.   Almost a quarter (24%) thought having the right technology in place to enable reaching customers across a number of channels was more important.
• When asked what benefit analytics could best deliver to telecommunications companies, the overwhelming majority (72%) said it could help organisations identify the right customers for their business.  

Commenting on the results, Ian Terblanche, Director of Telecoms & Utilities, Experian, said:

"Using the right data and analytics lies at the very heart of many of the challenges identified in this survey.  Telco firms operate in an environment where expectations are high, decisions need to be instant and there is little room for mistakes.  Increasingly customers expect to be recognised by their service providers and in many cases want a more personalised service.

“The priority for the telecoms industry is to transform its data into intelligent decisions that improve business performance and, at the same time, make for a much better customer experience.”

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

¹The survey was run in support of the Experian International Telecom forum in June 2014 and was directed at 80 professionals from 40 companies. The countries included Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Turkey, UK and the US.

Contact

Bruno Rost
Head of PR, Decision Analytics
Experian UK & EMEA

Dir: 01159685009| Mob: 07967567012|
Email: bruno.rost@uk.experian.com

Experian in the Telcos Sector

Experian has worked with telecommunications providers since the early 1990s, when it started providing consumer information services and hosted application processing systems to the new generation of mobile operators. It has since grown its footprint significantly, and currently helps well over 100 international telecommunications operators to find, acquire and manage customer relationships. Experian works with telecommunications in a number of different areas including application processing, customer insight, acquisition & retention, credit risk, decision analytics, debt management, fraud prevention and identity solutions.

 Key emerging areas where Experian is assisting Telecoms companies with these challenges include:

• Risk ID for card not present transactions especially for pre-paid.
• Support for existing clients to provide best practice decisioning for their Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) clients.
• Home move identity – sharing data to identify people who have recently moved home. This intelligence is particularly important for landline providers
• Device reputation for online application management and authentication, use of mobile device recognition data in fraud prevention, prevention of fronting/ ghost broking
• The national fraud prevention scheme, where Experian will be assisting telcos with the detection and prevention of application fraud.

About Experian

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2014 was US$4.8 billion. Experian employs approximately 16,000 people in 39 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and São Paulo, Brazil.
For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.