In a first for South Africa telecoms, Altech Autopage Cellular is converting its retail outlets to paperless environments.
The conversion is being made to remove the inconvenience from the sign-up process, as well as to deliver a fast, first class experience for its loyal customers, and for prospective subscribers who want to conduct business with an environmentally friendly organisation.
Traditionally, the mobile telecommunications industry has been paper-based due to the vast amount of compliance documentation required. The move to paperless is part of Altech Autopage’s ongoing efforts to improve customer experience in stores.
The move to a paperless system significantly reduces customer activation waiting times, as there is no need to transfer the analogue information into a digital format. The system also ensures that repeat visits will not require customers providing the same documentation again.
There is a greater cost and material saving for Altech Autopage’s franchisees, as printing, courier and scanning costs are virtually eliminated; savings which are being funnelled directly into improving customer experience. The move to paperless greatly benefits the subscriber, the company and the environment.
“Our customers will be able to enjoy a faster, accurate, more convenient experience, since there is no need to print and sign sales documents, and upgrading an existing contract can be done with a few clicks,” says Boyd Chislett, MD of Altech Autopage Cellular.
“Converting our distribution channels to paperless environments will increase the efficiency of our sales staff, eliminate the risk of lost documentation and decrease storage space. Not to mention that we’re saving quite a few trees in the process.”
After reviewing the numerous technologies available to implement a paperless solution, Altech Autopage Cellular has built the Altech Autopage Sales System, with an eye on customer convenience and efficiency when processing applications and requests.
The design team reviewed and incorporated international best-practice standards into the build, ensuring that the stores have the right equipment to log information only once, and store it securely.
All documentation will be available electronically and is legally compliant. The added benefit for customers is that personal documentation, such as an ID, will be kept electronically. This means that existing customers, who have utilised the paperless process once won’t have to bring a stack of documentation on a return visit.
Additionally, contracts and the like will be e-mailed to a subscriber, so there is no need to leave the store with reams of paperwork.
Altech Autopage’s customer service team is also able to log into the system should a customer have any queries, negating the need for the customer to return to the store should such a query arise. Convenient and secure, the system will comply with the Protection of Personal Information legislation that will likely be passed during the course of the 2013.
“Our subscribers are at the heart of everything we do and we plan to make a number of innovative changes in 2013 to illustrate how serious we are about improving customer satisfaction,” continues Chislett.
“This is but one of the many innovations we are planning in order to improve the overall customer experience. In the coming months we will share much more of the initiatives that truly differentiate ourselves as a first class provider of digital telecoms solutions.”
Currently in the testing phase, all Altech Autopage Cellular stores will be paperless for new acquisition applications from 1 February 2013. The upgrades process for existing customers will go live on 15 February 2013.
The conversion is being made to remove the inconvenience from the sign-up process, as well as to deliver a fast, first class experience for its loyal customers, and for prospective subscribers who want to conduct business with an environmentally friendly organisation.
Traditionally, the mobile telecommunications industry has been paper-based due to the vast amount of compliance documentation required. The move to paperless is part of Altech Autopage’s ongoing efforts to improve customer experience in stores.
The move to a paperless system significantly reduces customer activation waiting times, as there is no need to transfer the analogue information into a digital format. The system also ensures that repeat visits will not require customers providing the same documentation again.
There is a greater cost and material saving for Altech Autopage’s franchisees, as printing, courier and scanning costs are virtually eliminated; savings which are being funnelled directly into improving customer experience. The move to paperless greatly benefits the subscriber, the company and the environment.
“Our customers will be able to enjoy a faster, accurate, more convenient experience, since there is no need to print and sign sales documents, and upgrading an existing contract can be done with a few clicks,” says Boyd Chislett, MD of Altech Autopage Cellular.
“Converting our distribution channels to paperless environments will increase the efficiency of our sales staff, eliminate the risk of lost documentation and decrease storage space. Not to mention that we’re saving quite a few trees in the process.”
After reviewing the numerous technologies available to implement a paperless solution, Altech Autopage Cellular has built the Altech Autopage Sales System, with an eye on customer convenience and efficiency when processing applications and requests.
The design team reviewed and incorporated international best-practice standards into the build, ensuring that the stores have the right equipment to log information only once, and store it securely.
All documentation will be available electronically and is legally compliant. The added benefit for customers is that personal documentation, such as an ID, will be kept electronically. This means that existing customers, who have utilised the paperless process once won’t have to bring a stack of documentation on a return visit.
Additionally, contracts and the like will be e-mailed to a subscriber, so there is no need to leave the store with reams of paperwork.
Altech Autopage’s customer service team is also able to log into the system should a customer have any queries, negating the need for the customer to return to the store should such a query arise. Convenient and secure, the system will comply with the Protection of Personal Information legislation that will likely be passed during the course of the 2013.
“Our subscribers are at the heart of everything we do and we plan to make a number of innovative changes in 2013 to illustrate how serious we are about improving customer satisfaction,” continues Chislett.
“This is but one of the many innovations we are planning in order to improve the overall customer experience. In the coming months we will share much more of the initiatives that truly differentiate ourselves as a first class provider of digital telecoms solutions.”
Currently in the testing phase, all Altech Autopage Cellular stores will be paperless for new acquisition applications from 1 February 2013. The upgrades process for existing customers will go live on 15 February 2013.