The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving significant changes across industries, and the telecommunications (telco) sector is no exception. In an industry known for its complexity and reliance on large scale networks and high volumes of customer interactions, AI offers a myriad of opportunities that promise to revolutionise how telcos operate.

While AI applications in telco can be wide-ranging, there are three critical areas where its impact is most profound: insights, assistance, and operations. When AI is applied in these areas, it enables service providers to drive more intelligent decision-making, improve customer satisfaction, and streamline operational efficiency.

AI Insights: Leveraging Real-Time Communication Data

One of the most significant ways that AI can enhance telecommunications services is through its ability to extract actionable insights from real-time communication data. Whether from voice calls, video meetings, or customer support interactions, AI can convert massive volumes of data into meaningful information, enabling better decision-making, both for end customers and the service providers delivering the services.

For example, text transcription tools can convert voice and video calls into written text, making it easier to analyse interactions. But that’s not all – Generative AI systems can summarise call transcripts, identify next steps and action items, offer deeper insights, and even point out frequently asked questions and training opportunities for staff. AI can also aid in fraud detection by identifying patterns of predatory calling behaviour and raising alerts before problems escalate.

These insights not only can drive significant efficiencies in the business but they also provide value to service providers themselves. By analysing how AI-driven communications features are being utilised, telcos can gather data on which offerings are resonating with customers and adjust their services accordingly. Imagine offering a package with a dozen features – knowing exactly which ones are being used can help guide future product development and help service providers stay ahead in a competitive market.

AI Assistance: Enhancing the Customer Experience

The role of AI in assisting both customers and employees is another area with massive potential. Take, for example, a recent experience I had when I went to purchase a present at my local gift shop. While I was checking out, the store’s phone rang, presenting the employee with a dilemma – do they ignore the call and assist me, the in-store customer, or do they have me wait and help the other customer on the line?

Now, imagine that my local gift shop had a virtual agent. Unlike the frustrating, static Interactive Voice Responses (IVRs), modern virtual agents can have a real conversation with customers, answer common questions and provide useful information. With this tool, the customer who called could have been helped with AI while the employee rang up my purchase. AI can also do this across multiple channels, from voice calls to business text messaging, where customers can text inquiries and receive real-time responses and can be provided to businesses who wouldn’t be big enough to deploy typical enterprise call centre solutions.

Beyond handling basic inquiries, AI assistants and automated customer support tools can actively participate in calls and meetings by capturing action items, responding to verbal cues, and offering valuable insights in real time. AI can even assist human agents by presenting personalised offers or product suggestions based on the customer’s needs and purchase history. There are also language translation capabilities that enable seamless communication, ensuring no customer is left behind due to cultural barriers.

The possibilities for AI-powered assistance in the telecom industry are virtually endless, offering a scalable solution to the ever-growing demand for personalised, efficient customer service.

AI Operations: Streamlining Telco Management

Telco networks are incredibly complex, consisting of numerous interconnected systems, applications, hardware and software. Managing these complex systems has always been a challenging and costly task but AI is changing that. AI can analyse data from all corners of a telco platform, identifying patterns and trends that would be difficult, if not impossible, for humans to detect alone. For example, AI-powered systems can monitor network performance, flagging potential issues before they become service outages and even initiating fail-over protocols to maintain seamless service.

In addition to network management, AI can play a critical role in business management. By analysing product usage and customer behaviour data, AI can help telcos identify trends and opportunities for new product development. Even further, AI can support sales as well, helping to predict potential customer churn by identifying behaviours that indicate dissatisfaction, like declining product usage. This enables sales and support teams to intervene early and prevent account losses. AI also enhances sales enablement by analysing intent data, helping companies target the right customers and prioritise the best revenue options.

At the end of the day, having human employees monitoring different parts of the platform and responding when something goes wrong is not the most efficient way to build a robust, reliable, and scalable platform. Instead, imagine a “mission control” system where AI continually monitors the entire platform and ensures that every element is functioning optimally.

The Future of AI in Telco

AI already possesses the capabilities to transform telco operations in these ways. Implementing AI-driven solutions across such a complex and intricate industry requires a significant investment of time, money, and resources. As a result, many companies are adopting AI incrementally.

So, while it may take some time to turn these ideas into reality, the most important thing telcos can do right now is focus on data. Data is the fuel for AI. For telcos, the priority should be ensuring that every element of their platform is reporting data into a centralised system. By doing so, service providers can better position themselves to capitalise on the full potential of AI as it becomes increasingly available to them.

Ultimately, AI isn’t just a buzzword for the telco industry, it’s a revolutionary tool that has the potential to transform how telcos operate and interact with their customers. The sooner service providers embrace AI, the closer they’ll be to realising a future that is more efficient, scalable, and customer centric.

Dag Peak, Chief Product Officer, Alianza

Dag Peak is the Chief Product Officer at Alianza, the leading cloud communications platform for communications service providers. With a career rooted at the crossroads of complex technology, innovative product development, and forward-thinking industry trends, Dag brings a unique perspective and vision to his role. Leading Alianza’s engineering, product, operations, support and design teams, Dag maintains a relentless focus on equipping service providers with modern voice and unified communications (UCaaS) solutions.

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