MetroPCS Selects BeVocal

LAS VEGAS - MetroPCS selected BeVocal to automate its customer service experience. BeVocal's suite of self-service applications delivers an integrated, multi-channel solution for handset activation, customer care, promotional offers, and sales and fulfillment of add-on features. MetroPCS began deploying BeVocal's hosted self-service solution into select markets in March, with rollout to all of its markets scheduled during the remainder of 2006.

"BeVocal's solution enables MetroPCS to integrate customer service and add-on feature sales in a very intelligent, meaningful way," said Bob Young, executive vice president of market operations at MetroPCS. "We can now leverage the self-service system to deliver better customer care as well as smarter rate plans and add-on features via personalized offers tailored to customers' needs and preferences

The system presents promotions based upon the type of subscriber inquiry (activations, customer care, payments & refills, technical support, etc.), the specific user profile (rate plan, refill frequency, average dollar spent, features purchased, length of service, etc.), and purchase correlation ("most subscribers who bought this also buy that"). 

"Carriers have spent billions of dollars upgrading to next-generation networks to enable a broad array of new content and service offerings, and they are banking on these new services to drive up subscription and per-minute usage," said Ken Landoline, senior analyst for customer centric strategies at the Yankee Group. "But carriers must find a way to effectively market these new services to insure widespread awareness and adoption. BeVocal's solution enables these carriers to leverage customer data to produce an unlimited number of narrowly-focused marketing campaigns - a huge improvement over today's largely untargeted and inefficient bill inserts, store placards and magazine advertisements for new services."

For subscribers interested in purchasing add-on products and services, BeVocal has created the Mobile Storefront application.  Mobile Storefront allows subscribers to browse the products and services available to be added to their accounts, and provides them with information, pricing and instant fulfillment for these add-on products and services, such as ring tones, text or multi-media messaging plans, games, roadside assistance, and unlimited directory assistance.

The Mobile Storefront can be configured either as a stand-alone application with its own access point, or it can be integrated into 611 or the main customer care line to create a call-to-action response system to a marketing campaign.  In the latter instance, a carrier can make targeted offers to subscribers during the customer care/611 interaction. Once a subscriber opts to learn more about the offer, they are transferred to the Mobile Storefront in order to purchase the desired service. The subscriber can also request updates on new products and special promotions via voice, SMS or email.

Customer care self service capabilities include:

• Balance & Refills - the ability to check balances, refill minutes and pay bills
• Account Manager - enables subscribers to check on or change rate plans and features, voicemail PINs & passcodes, language preference, opt-ins (refill reminders, etc.) and personal information (credit card info, address, email, etc.)
• Service Questions - enables subscribers to obtain information on features, products, carrier store locations, coverage area and technical support issues
• Activation and Reactivation - enables new or suspended subscribers to activate or reactivate their handsets
• Promotions - enables carriers to promote features and services for a certain time period to selected segments of its subscriber base

BeVocal's solution is multi-channel and multilingual, available through various interfaces including speech, SMS, Web, WAP and J2ME/BREW, as well as in English and Spanish.