Challenge

An international GSM and long distance carrier needed a customer care front-end system to integrate its multiple systems into one main customer database. The customer care representatives had 23 separate icons on their desktops, representing different systems they used daily to perform their jobs. The client was the number-one GSM carrier in Switzerland, and its ability to respond to fast-paced growth was dependent upon a flexible and scalable system. In order to choose and implement a new system, the client needed TMNG Global to serve as project manager to direct the activities and lead a team from vendor selection through implementation.

TMNG Global Solution

Working closely with key internal stakeholders and employing TMNG Lexicon™, the TMNG Global team developed the system requirements and prepared a list of potential vendors. These vendors were provided with the requirements for a Proof of Concept and a two-week time frame to submit a final proposal.

After completion of the Proof of Concept, potential vendors had two days to present to the client core team, which included representatives from training, business analysts, IT managers, customer care managers, and the project manager. The TMNG Global project manager led the vendor selection decision and, along with the IT and customer care departments, worked through many challenges and selected the system and integration vendor.

The TMNG Global team project-managed the implementation of the system, provided implementation support of the integration vendor and for maintenance of the system as the phased implementation was completed. For this phase, the responsibilities for our team included:

• interfacing with customer care and keeping them on target with their deliverables;
• monitoring and managing the work of the integration vendor;
• updating IT management on project status and issues resolution;
• successfully meeting budget and deliverable timelines.

Holding job interviews jointly with Human Resources to staff the team, we made the ultimate hiring decisions.

The client had multiple new systems under concurrent implementation, including billing, trouble management, and middleware. Thus,efficient coordination between the customer care front-end system and data services was crucial. Weekly core team meetings were scheduled to ensure all necessary coordination and Steering Board Committee meetings were held monthly to discuss project status, issues, new business opportunities, and budgetary matters. The TMNG Global project manager had overall responsibility for planning and facilitating the meetings.

Based on the experience and expertise that the TMNG Global team brought to this project, the client chose to have us lead the knowledge transfer process as well. Thus, once the initial phase was implemented, a new team lead employee was hired and we provided the project knowledge necessary to complete implementation. The project was completed on schedule and within budget, despite several changes in company direction during the project.

Benefits to the Client

The client did not have the internal expertise to project-manage the new system implementation. Switzerland had just gone through divestiture, and knowledgeable people with telecommunications experience were very limited in the country’s work pool. TMNG Global’s ability to jump start the solution selection process using TMNG Lexicon™, our project management expertise and subsequent knowledge transfer enabled the client to proceed through the implementation process and build their employee base to handle the project in the long term. This project was the only new system implementation project within the company that met budget and deliverables for the year.