One of our clients - an operator in the Middle East - had launched several years ago a project to transform its billing system for its mobile and internet customers. This transformation allowed our client to support the evolution of its business strategy in light of increased competition on its local market.
Challenge
Sofrecom’s mission consists of suggesting different scenarios for the transformation of its IS with the aim of replacing the existing system and meet three main aspirations:
- Optimization of IT costs – OPEX/CAPEX,
- Improvement of operational performance,
- Construction of a more agile IS and shift from a “billing-centric” model to a “customer-centric” model”, which will allow the rapid introduction of new products, services and offers
Moreover, a master plan and business plan should be elaborated once the new scenario is adopted.
Methodology
Sofrecom’s team has defined with our client the expected IS parameter. Our experts built upon the TAM (telecom application map) framework to draw the complete existing IS map. Then they established a simplified, accessible and comprehensible IS architecture with the different involved stakeholders.
The project was structured following 3 main phases:
- Functional and financial evaluation of the existing billing system and its ecosystem:
This step, carried out with the AS-IS method, allowed us to map the existing business applications and to identify the pain points. It also involved understanding the business models and identifying the different needs.
- Defining 5 different scenarios along with each of their IS evolution steps towards a target architecture, in addition to a list of projects, a plan, implementation costs estimates and potential quick wins.
- Elaborating a decision-making tool for the customer to be able to choose the best scenario according to its priorities.
In order to organize the projects and consequent steps, an agile governance was implemented. The various co-construction workshops in agile mode with the business experts specialized by domain allowed to take into account the business stakes and paved the way for a quick adaptation of the technical base to possible changes in expectations.
Result
The agile method used, the active listening to the expectations of the different business lines and the consideration of the budgetary constraints and the stakes of our client's deadlines, allowed us to develop a relationship of trust with our client throughout the project.
At the end of the project, our client will have:
- A better knowledge of its IS and main points of weakness,
- Several scenarios and roadmaps for the transformation of its billing system, which come in line with its business priorities and allow it to establish an agile, costefficient IS,
- A tool and decisionmaking methodology to select the scenario that fits the most the context of its IS transformation,
- A list of “quickwins” that allow it to address the main difficulties identified by the business players (e.g. management of hybrid offers).
