Vodafone

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Vodafone

"Fujitsu is integral to the success of our business, our brand and our customers’ experience in the retail environment." Barbara Connelly - Technology Segment Account Manager, Vodafone UK

Customer's Challenge

On the 1st January 1985, the first mobile phone call was made by comedian Ernie Wise on the Vodafone network. Vodafone UK now has 15.5 million customers and is part of the world’s largest mobile community with standard roaming agreements in 182 countries, GPRS roaming in over 55 countries and 250 cities worldwide, using 3G.

The continuous operation of its 347 UK stores is vital to Vodafone’s business as Barbara Connelly, Technology Segment Account Manager, Vodafone UK, explains, "Something as simple as a cash till not working can make or break a customer experience. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is – customers just see Vodafone as being unable to give them what they want."

To optimise system availability Fujitsu has provided Vodafone with a managed support service since 2003. However, in line its ‘One Way Ahead’ programme to focus resources on developing its brand and customer experience, Vodafone wanted to consolidate its non-core support services, so that it had a single point of contact for access to IT support and specialist skills.

Barbara Connelly continues, "We chose to strengthen our relationship with Fujitsu because it was a key supplier and already understood our business needs. It was also an opportunity for both sides to resolve any issues and define clear responsibilities, so that we could move forward with a strong partnership that was clearly focused on delivering a positive customer experience."

Fujitsu’s Solution

The new contract with Vodafone covers three core service areas: ‘break fix’ maintenance of IT hardware, helpdesk support and enterprise management. However, to maximise Vodafone’s trading time, service levels are closely aligned to the size and revenue of each store, so the needs of key stores can be prioritised. Fujitsu’s retail helpdesk also now acts as a single point of contact for all retail IT issues, including those relating to Vodafone’s own service delivery teams and third party suppliers.

Fujitsu’s enterprise management service invisibly manages Vodafone’s retail infrastructure, constantly monitoring all instore PCs, servers and advertising screens to identify potential problems. This proactive management has been instrumental in improving the level of first time fixes, so stores no longer have to spend time calling the helpdesk or waiting for an engineer to arrive, but can focus resources on meeting customers’ needs and increasing revenue. Remote software updates to stores also contribute to the seamless way that the service is maintained, so, for example, virus updates are always on time.

In addition, the enterprise management software helps to keep the Asset Management database refreshed, so Vodafone has an early warning if any equipment is switched off or broken and also has the necessary information to help decide how best to deploy its IT systems.

Other Fujitsu services include the provision of named resources in the technical arena, who not only maintain the ‘gold builds’ for stores, but also provide valuable consultancy to Vodafone on new technology and how it can be exploited in the retail environment. Fujitsu is also a key partner in store installations, moves, closures and changes, and its professional project management has been an essential factor in enabling Vodafone to open new stores on time with no impact to its trading targets.

Fujitsu has also recently contributed to three big projects. As well as managing the testing and delivery of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, Fujitsu implemented an alerting system that proactively monitors any issues on Vodafone’s Top-Up Express unit, which enables customers to purchase Top-Ups for their pay as you go phones. Furthermore, Fujitsu has been involved in the development and implementation of Vodafone’s QuickPhone vending machine, which allows customers to purchase pre-pay phones, Sim packs or top-ups.

"Fujitsu’s relationship with Vodafone is now a lot stronger and we have a greater appreciation of what Fujitsu can do," says Barbara Connelly. "This has allowed us to engage Fujitsu in other parts of our business and in looking at our future requirements from our One Way Ahead programme. Personally, everything I’ve ever asked for has been delivered by Fujitsu, and I’m quite confident that in future there can only be mutual success and mutual benefit."

Benefits to our Customer

The Quickphone kiosk will enable Vodafone to:

• Reduce operational costs - tailoring services and removing duplicate effort and resources has cut costs by 9%, while increasing the overall level of support
• Minimise business disruption – system availability is enhanced through proactive management and the rapid resolution of any issues, increasing sales opportunities
• Focus on its core business – internal resources can be concentrated on strategic, value-adding activities, rather than the underlying support processes
• Access specialist resources – Fujitsu’s extensive business and technical expertise is available rapidly
• Budget accurately – costs are entirely visible and predictable over the contract
• Simplify management – standardisation of support procedures/methodologies across all suppliers reduces risk, management time and overhead costs

In addition, thanks to the use of Fujitsu’s Sense and Respond™ approach, Vodafone is also benefiting from:

• A 20% reduction in support calls
• A 30% increase in first time fixes
• An increase in system availability across all stores
• A significant improvement in store staff satisfaction and productivity.

Barbara Connelly adds, "It’s really quite sexy that we can satisfy the needs of our customers much more efficiently, thanks to the services and tools that Fujitsu supplies to us. When a customer walks through the door of our store what we need working works, which fulfils everyone’s requirements and leads to a happier, more profitable customer experience. That’s why Fujitsu is integral to the success of our business, our brand, and our customers’ experience in the retail environment."

Our Approach

Fujitsu’s helpdesk service goes far beyond standard call and incident management. Using its Sense and Respond approach, all of Fujitsu’s helpdesk and customer service technicians are constantly seeking to find new ways to improve the service by eradicating underlying issues.

This dynamism has not only led to a 20% reduction in incident levels, but has also driven the first time fix rate of the desk from under 40% to 70% in just eight months. A natural consequence of this approach has been to drive down service costs, while also increasing end-user and customer satisfaction. Fujitsu is also working closely with Vodafone to provide additional training to its store staff to help familiarise them with IT equipment and processes to reduce incidents and call levels even further.

Our Expertise

Fujitsu has delivered consistently high levels of service to businesses across the UK for more than 25 years. Its support services and infrastructure are constantly being developed and refined to stay ahead of the demands of new technologies and evolving business practice, so that its services can be delivered effectively and economically.

"Fujitsu effectively represents Vodafone as the first point of contact for our customers in the retail environment," says Barbara Connelly, "so our relationship has to be more than just contractual – we have to understand each other’s needs to ensure there is a synergy in what we do. This approach has already enabled us to make impressive strides towards achieving our strategic goals, but we’re keen for Fujitsu to understand more about our business, because the more innovative and dynamic ideas Fujitsu comes up with the better we can do business, which is a win-win for all parties."