Customer Services of GrameenPhone :Telecom Industry Overview

Customer Services of GrameenPhone :Telecom Industry Overview

1.1 Introduction:

The definition of telecommunication is changing day by day. Before, telecommunications meant telephone systems. But today many other things have crept into modern telecommunication. Now, we have to deal with a wide spectrum of communications equipment and technology. In the broadest sense, telecommunication means any system that handles voice, data, video or any handling of information in motion, whenever it is found, in whatever form. Telecommunication is the main backbone of any country. No country can sustain development without a strong telecom infrastructure. One of the first priorities of any government is to be able to communicate smoothly around the country.

Despite the slow development of telecom services in the past, improved commitment, guaranteed funding and entering of new and powerful organizations both in and outside of the country gives the hope that the ongoing telecommunications projects will be successful and the overall telephone infrastructure of Bangladesh will grow stronger. The growth in the cellular industry is contributing very positively in the local economy. Lots of job opportunities have been created for the country where thousands of people are jobless. Moreover, cellular network all over the country has built a basic communication infrastructure for the country, which will definitely attract FDI in the country. Finally it can be said that mobile phone now a days has become a necessary rather than a luxury.

The mobile phone customers in Bangladesh have been happier than before at present because they have more choices regarding service providers at present. There are six telephone operators in Bangladesh now. Among them, one is Government owned telephone operator: Bangladesh Telephone Company Limited (BTCL) and the other four are privately owned companies namely Grameenphone Ltd. Aktel, Banglalink and City Cell and Warid Telecom.

2.1 Telecommunication Industry in Bangladesh:

The telecommunication sector in Bangladesh is poised for rapid growth in the coming years. The concept of mobile telephony has become largely familiar and phenomenal in Bangladesh from the early 90s. The sector, particularly which of mobile phones, is one of the fastest growing areas of the economy. The growth potentials will continue to remain robust for the near future.

There are five telephone operators in Bangladesh now. Among them, one is Government owned telephone operator: Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) and the other four are privately owned companies namely Grameenphone Ltd. Aktel, Banglalink and City Cell.

2.2Introduction of mobile telecommunications system:

City Cell was the first mobile service provider of Bangladesh. Initially it had a monopoly on the mobile service but only until 1996. In 1996 two new operators entered the market- GP and Sheba. Sheba’s service was limited to Dhaka but GP spread its network rapidly. GP has two kinds of services- GP national and GP regular. GP national provides connection with BTTB and all other mobiles throughout the country wherever GP has its network. GP regular only connects to GP mobiles throughout the country according to its coverage. Grameen’s cell phones have reached a massive number of villages. GP, funded by the Grameen Bank (10%) and Nortel (90%), has used the optical fiber network owned by Bangladesh Railway. The fiber optic cables were originally laid by the Bangladesh Rural Transport Authority (BRTA) but never used. Therefore Grameen Phone’s network has been easily connected to any mobile users who are adjacent to Bangladesh railway tracks. The GP’s village program was started in 1997 and is providing service to people in the remote rural areas of BD. According to statistics of October 2003, there are more than 39,000 village phones in operation. These village phones are operating in 58 districts and in approximately 28,000 villages, providing telecom facilities to more than 50 million people in remote areas. Besides GP, CityCell and Sheba there was a fourth cell phone operator called Aktel. Aktel joined Bangladesh’s fast cell phone operation in 1999. Although mainly based in Dhaka, like Banglalink, Aktel has been able to attract customers and maintain control of quality.

2.3 Grameenphone Ltd.:

Grameenphone Ltd. is a joint venture of two different companies of two different countries. Grameenphone is the largest cellular phone operator in the industry in Bangladesh. The company holds the majority market share and largest subscriber base in the industry. The details of the company are discussed in the later parts.

2.4 Network System Frequency (MHz):

Network	System	Frequency (MHz)
Grameenphone	GSM	1800 & 900
Banglalink	GSM	1800
Aktel Telecom	GSM	900
Warid	GSM	1800
Citycell	CDMA	800

2.5 Market Share of the Mobile Phone Operator:

Huge demands, a combination of competitive markets, private ownership and foreign investment have crated an environment for rapid growth in the cellular industry in Bangladesh. The growth in the cellular industry is contributing very positively in the local economy. Lots of job opportunities have been created for the country where thousands of people are jobless. Moreover, cellular network all over the country has built a basic communication infrastructure for the country, which will definitely attract FDI in the country. Finally it can be said that mobile phone now a days has become a necessary rather than a luxury.

At June 2006 the cellular telecom market in Bangladesh was comprised of 13.26 M (Appx) phone connections that are provided by the four mobile operators. The market share of the mobile phone operators in Bangladesh up to June -2006 was as follows:

Service Provider	Market Share
GrameenPhone Ltd.	63.84%
Aktel	18.66%
CityCell	3.92%
*Banglalink*	12.1%
*Teletalk*	1.47%
Total	100%

Table: 1 Market Share of different Cell phone companies (by customer)

Figure 1: Market Share of different Cell phone companies (by customer)

Organizational Overview 3.0

3.1 Grameenphone at a Glance

The full name: Grameenphone Ltd.

Head Office : Clebration Point

Plot # 3&5

Rode # 113/A

Gulshan -2

Dhaka -1212

Bangladesh

Date of incorporation: November 28, 1996

Service Launched: March 26, 1997

Product & Services: More than 50 products, services, promotions and features,

customer centers in 6 Divisional cities, 600 Grameenphone

Service Desk all over the country

Employees: The Company presently has 4465 employees. Another 70000 people

are directly dependent on Grameenphone for the livelihood, working

for the GP dealers, retailers, scratch card retail outlets, suppliers,

vendors, contractors and others.

No of divisions: 11

No of Subscribers: 10 millions

Shareholders: Telenor (62%), Grameeen telecom (38%)

Vision: We’re here to help (This vision crystallizes customer focus as the

Cornerstone of everything they do: helping customers get the full

benefit of communications in their daily life.

Values: Make it Easy, Keep Promises, Be Inspiring, Be Respectful

3.2 About Grameenphone Limited

GrameenPhone Ltd is the leading mobile phones company in Bangladesh with more than50% of market share and after twelve years of operations the largest no. of customers to serve with. The company has a customer base of 21 million and the number is further growing. Last year more than 16.5 million people made GrameenPhone their preferred service provider and in this year the numbers of customers have reached to 10 million. Grameenphone’s customer base has grown by 100% per year, making it the fastest growing mobile telephone company in southern Asia. The company now serves almost all parts of the country, providing a large network all over Bangladesh. Grameenphone is the pioneer to bring in modern telecommunication technology and introducing state of the art product and services in the telecom industry in the country. GP is the first operator who introduces the pre-paid service in September 1999. It established the first 24-hour Call Center, introduced value-added services such as VMS, SMS, fax and data transmission services, international roaming service, WAP, SMS-based push-pull services, EDGE, personal ring back tone and many other products and services.

Telecommunication sector is a service-oriented sector. Grameenphone offers various types of new and innovative telephone services to both the urban and rural people of Bangladesh during the last ten years. Different types of post-paid services, the EASY and EASY Gold pre-paid service, and the village phone program are among its largest innovations. Besides these largest ones, Grameenphone also introduced a number of value added services like the news update service, international roaming facility, Voice Mail Service, Text Mail Service, fax and data transmission services, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) service etc.

The company is the pioneer in most of its services. Handsets or the phone-set and the SIM Cards, Scratch Cards are the only physical products provided by the company. By spreading nationwide cellular phone coverage and making it affordable to the low-income people of remote rural areas, Grameenphone has eventually connected these remote areas to the furthest corner of the globe.

There are so many departments in grameenphone like Finance Division, Customer Service Division, Human resource management (HRM), Technology Department, and Marketing Division. Grameenphone Customer Services Department is designed for the support of customers and is usually come into action after a product or service has been sold. Itis a tribute to close relationships and the care it entails. It is a celebration of the magic of the closeness that Grameenphone facilitates through its superior service. Customer is their valued subscriber, are a member of the family they care for everyday. Grameenphone Customer managers are people just like customers near and dear ones. They are caring brothers, caring mothers, caring sisters, caring fathers in their own families.

3.3 Objective:

Grameenphone Ltd. has a dual objective to receive an economic return on its investments and to contribute to the economic development of Bangladesh through telecommunication. This is why Grameenphone, in collaboration with Grameen Bank and Grameen Telecom, is aiming to place one phone in each village (Village Phone) to contribute significantly to the economic benefit of the poor. It is on the way to bring a total revolution in the telecommunication field. By attaining the success factors, Grameenphone would like to be recognized as a reliable, honest and committed company to its valued subscribers and stakeholders.

3.4 Strategy:

The basic strategy of Grameenphone Ltd. is for the overall coverage of both urban and rural areas. It builds continues coverage, cell after cell, with an intention to bring the whole country under its network. Though the priority of the intensity of coverage varies from area to area, the basic strategy of cell-to-cell coverage is applied through the whole country. Presently, it has network coverage in 61 districts around the country including all six divisional headquarters, with 1400 base stations in operation.

3.5 Existing Share Holder of Grameenphone

The Shareholders of Grameenphone Ltd. contribute their unique, in-depth experience in both telecommunications and development the concerns of the globe. International shareholders bring technological and business expertise while the local shareholder provides a presence throughout Bangladesh and a deep understanding of Bangladeshi economy. All the four (at present two shareholders) shareholders are dedicated to Bangladesh and its struggle for economic progress. They have a deep commitment to Grameenphone Ltd. and its mission to provide affordable telephony to the entire population of Bangladesh.

Now Grameenphone has only two shareholders: Telenor (62%) and Grameen telecom (38%).

Figure: 4 Shareholding Pattern of Grameenphone

3.6Achievements:

The growth trend of the number of subscribers of Grameenphone Ltd. is a unique example in the telecommunication field in Bangladesh. The total number of GP subscribers at March -2009 reached 21 million. This is really a fabulous achievement in such a short period of business history.

By bringing electronic connectivity to rural Bangladesh, Grameenphone is brining the digital revolution to the doorsteps of the poor and unconnected. Grameen bank borrowers are engaged in a business by providing valuable phone service to their fellow villagers. For them, mobile phone is a weapon against poverty.

3.7 Products and Services of GrameenPhone Ltd.:

The products of Grameenphone are categorized in four different segments four different kinds of users. They are:

· General Users/ consumer

· Business Users

· Youth Segment

· Rural Users

3.8 SWOT Analysis

Strengths and weaknesses are the micro environmental factors influencing a business which are within the organization. Opportunities and threats are the micro environmental factors that influence all the firms in the industry. They are present in the whole industry.

The following figure shows the strengths and opportunities that GrameenPhone Ltd. enjoys as well as weaknesses and threats that the company faces.

3.9 Government Benefits from Grameenphone Ltd.:

The services of Grameenphone have been serving the country over the last ten years since its inception on March 26, 1997. Along with the there other cellular operations in the country, Grameenphone has established the concept that the mobile phone is not just a status symbol in the hands of the well to do. It is rather a tool in the hands of the general people to achieve economic growth for the nation. Grameenphone as a service provider also enriches the National Treasury in many different ways. Since its inception up to December 2004, Grameenphone has contributed BDT 30,500 million to the Government Exchequer in direct and indirect taxes.

This monetary value does not include the economic growth that Grameenphone has achieved due to its enormous number of subscribers and the largest market share. The impact of this achievement on the country’s economy could be even larger.

3.10 GP with new logo:

After nearly 12 years of successful operations, Grameenphone is entering a new phase. Grameenphone is moving on to serve its customers even better. Today GP launches the most visible sign of that ambition – a new visual identity.

The old logo was designed more that 10 years ago and even includes an outdated handset – for that reason, based on design alone and need for a relevant and timely look and feel, the old logo needed reviewing.

Over the last 12 years, GP’s industry and customers needs have changed, and so has GP. Importantly, as introduce a refreshed visual identity, they are maintaining the name Grameenphone as part of the new logo.

The new logo and fresh, dynamic visuals with the Grameenphone name express the values Grameenphone is known for: a local company, trust – reliability – quality, constant progress, customer-focused, and an agent for social change in moving Bangladesh forward. However, it also represents the Grameenphone of the future. GP is evolving its business to continue to meet the changing needs of its customers and need a visual identity that reflects its future view and Grameenphone as the ‘brand of the future’ for its customers. While move away from red and green, it take a step forward as a truly Bangladeshi company that will work harder to meet the needs of all our customers across the country and focus on corporate social responsibility. GP’s brand is much more than just a logo – it is a set of ideas, a way of doing things and a measure of behaviour. To ensure future success, and guide in adapting to the changes GP see in its industry and its customers’ needs, GP is introducing a renewed vision for the company as well as a new set of values.

3.11 Upcoming preparation:

Grameenphone is at a crucial point in its evolution as a company. For 12 years it has lead the way in making mobile communications accessible across Bangladesh. During this first Grameenphone era, it succeeded in becoming ‘number 1’ – the ‘local hero’ that revolutionized the way people communicate. GP is now a proud market leader with the best network, leading technology and best customer care. GP is proud of its pioneer tradition of breaking new ground in mobile communications. In addition, it is proud of having shown the world how to use mobile technology to drive socio-economic development.

Grameenphone will continue to lead the way in communications in Bangladesh:

· By being a driving force in the industry (and by looking modern and fresh)

· By keeping pace with change and their customers needs

· By being the most customer centric organization with committed customer care

· By continuing to provide a quality network with the widest coverage in the country

· By providing innovative, relevant and useful services and solutions

· By making communications more accessible

· By providing value for money

– Delivering quality at every touch point

– By being affordable

· By being a preferred employer which has the best pool of competent and skilled resources, which takes care of and develops its employees

· By drawing on the best of their partnerships (It aims further strengthen its local competitiveness through its partnerships: 1. Exchange of competence across companies in the Telenor group and 2. Leveraging on the local market knowledge, expertise and reach of its local shareholder)

3.12 Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing Commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. CSR is about capacity building for sustainable livelihoods. It respects cultural differences and finds the business opportunities in building the skills of employees, the community and the government. Also CSR is about business giving back to society.

Companies make profits, unhindered except by fulfilling their duty to pay taxes. Then they donate a certain share of the profits to charitable causes. It seen as tainting the act for the company to receive any benefit from the giving.

Being a social Responsible company, Grameenphone has clearly demonstrated its commitment towards the betterment of society. Along with serving the communication needs of more than 16.5 million subscribers. Grameenphone through its CSR program concentrated on health, education, and empowerment project for the underprivileged segment of the society.

Gp core strategy in this area is to be Bangladeshs partner in developing country, particularly in its promise, as a United Nations millennium declaration signatory, to meet the eight targets known as the millennium development goals by 2015. Grameenphone have consolidated our social investment initiatives in four core areas related to the millennium development goals namely:

(1)Poverty alleviation

(2)Health care

(3) Empowerment

(4)Education

Village phone:

Village phone programe- Administered by Grameen Telecom in cooperation with grameen bank, It enables rural people who normally cannot afford to own a telephone to avail the service while providing the village phone operators, mostly poor village women, an opportunity to earn a living.

Rehabilitation of acid victims:

Acid throwing is ahorrible for every person. In Bangladesh both sexes are affected by this violence, majority of victins are women and girls. They through acid not only to destroy the victim’s faces but also break their hopes. Grameenphone is lending support to the Acid survivors’ foundation (ASF) in the rehabilitation and reintegration of these victims into the society.Grameenphone has recruited six individuals who have been supported by the Acid survivors’ foundation. These individuals have been provided with the training by Grameenphone to help them develop the necessary kills to take on their new responsibilities at Grameenphone.

Information Boat:

To main objective to this project, in partnership with CARE Bangladesh is to provide necessary livelihood information to the riverrine communities of Bangladesh. A typical information boat will be equipped with computer, internet, and email facilities, photocopies, Fax machines, printers, web cams, andVideo machines, Schnners and much more, depending on the needs of a specific community. These boats will also be equipped with digital contents , such as livelihood and agricultural information, suited the specific areas served by the designated boats. At the same time, skilled trainees from CARE Bangladesh will provide training to the local community as different livelihood options.

Scholarship for under privileged Students:

In collaboration with Grameen shikha, an organization of the Grameen bank Family. Grameenphone aims to provide financial assistant to 100 bright but under privileged students through a scholarship fund at different academic levels annually. Of this scholarship, 60% is reserved for female student.

Community information centre:

Grameenphone initiated the CIC project in 2006. CICs are the internet kiosks, set up through independent entrepreneurs across rural Bangladesh. CICs are providing access to the internet and email service for the first time.

Health line service:

Grameenphone, in its continuous endeavor to provide its customers with innovative and convenient services, has launched ‘Health line service’ for its customers. Through this service, Grameenphone subscribers will now be able to get Health counseling services through third party call center Grameenphone customers can just dial 789 and they will be put through to a call center agent of Healthline. These agents are all MBBS professionals and specially trained to provide health issue related consultancy over phone.

The services that will be offered are as follows:

Professional medical consultancy
Health care information
Beauty tips

It also maintain a large country wide database doctors, hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres and refers patients nearest to their location. In country where there is only one doctor for every 4000 people , this service has helped expand primary health care service and information to the entire subscriber base of grameenphone.

Free Eye Camps

In partnership with Sight savers International, eye camps are organized in rural areas to provide free eye-care services to the economically disadvantaged population. Around 12,000 patients were provided free eye-care support, of them, more than 1,350 Intra Ocular lens or cataract surgeries have been performed through eight eye-camps organized till May 2008.

Free Cancer Treatment

Grameenphone has sponsored the complete development and upkeep of five wards and an Operation. Theater at the under-construction Dhaka Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital. One-third of the beds sponsored by Grameenphone will be reserved for more economically disadvantaged patients who will receive free admission and full treatment. The rest of the disadvantaged patients screened will also receive treatment, which will be significantly subsidized by Grameenphone.

National Immunization Day Awareness

Bangladesh could not yet achieve the target of Universal Child Immunization of 80%, due to lack of awareness about immunization and its importance. The main objective of this unique campaign, in cooperation with the Government and the WHO, is to raise awareness about child immunization. The campaign created awareness through SMS alert to subscribers, newspaper announcements, and public service announcement in radio in April, June and October 2007.

Empowering the Intellectually Challenged

In partnership with Special Olympics Bangladesh, the project aims to empower the intellectually Challenged athletes to nurture their sporting capabilities. Being the sole sponsor, Grameenphone provided necessary support and training for the athletes to participate in the Special Olympic Games2007. The team went on to win 71 medals (32 Gold, 15 Silver and 24 Bronze) at the Special OlympicGames held in Shanghai, China in October 2007.

Safe Motherhood and Infant Care Program

In partnership with Pathfinder International and USAID, Grameenphone supports the national “Safe Motherhood and Infant Care” program, aiming to meet the Millennium Development Goals for reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in the country. Under the program, free comprehensive primary healthcare services are provided to 800,000 economically disadvantaged pregnant mothers and infants annually through the 320 Smiling Sun clinics located in 61 districts around the country. Between August 2007 and January 2008 alone, 558,143 economically disadvantaged mothers and infants received this free healthcare service under the project. In addition, Grameenphone also provided five motorized vans to facilitate better patients’ referral and two clinic-on-wheels to increasethe accessibility of the services in the hard-to-reach areas.

A live experience

Grameenphone selects financially poor families based on social discussions in different areas. The Grameenphone safe motherhood and infant care project is mainly designed to provide medical services from the first day of pregnancy till the newborn is a year old. Anowara Begum plnged into anxiety. Her fears mounted as her doctor prescribed a surgery for complexities in the third trimester of her pregnancy.

Anowara lives in a slum-like-house on the banks of the Poshur River in the kumarkhali village of Mongla, close to the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest. The village has no medical facilities to handle complicated deliveries. Anwara’s husband, who ferries people to and from the river, could do nothing to help. Just as she was ready to embrace the worst possible scenario, a skilled birth attendant from the nearest smiling sun clinic assured her, “You heed not worry”. Grameenphone would take care of all the expensws under the Grameenphone Safe Motherhood and Infant Care Project (SMICP). For Anwara, it was like waking up from a nightmare and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy in July 2008.

Maya enters her tiny abode, carrying her eight-month baby. Maya says shr has a mobile with which she can communicate with the dedicated health attendant, at any time of the day. The 32-year-old woman is waiting the birth of her secomd child and she says she feels relaxed and secure under Grameenphone’s SMICP. The attendant schedules an appointment to observe her condition every week. “I remember my last pregnancy well, when I could not take care of my self due to financial constraints. But this time, I do not have to go to the clinic to avail any medical advice or medicine. The attendant comes to my home and gives them to me.”

Every inspiration counts – True Liberation War Stories

The Liberation War is the central component of Bangladesh’s history. It symbolizes the glorious sacrifice of our heroes for the independence of our country. Thus, Grameenphone, in partnership with Centre for Bangladesh Liberation War Studies, sponsors the publication and free distribution of a series of illustrated books on Liberation War. The stories in these publications are based on true events of the heroics of our freedom fighters, essentially during frontal battles fought in the battle-fields of Bangladesh.

How it Works:

The series consists of a total of six books. The targeted beneficiaries are school children, from class IV to class VIII, who will be provided with copies free of cost. The aim of these books is to familiarize children with the country’s Liberation War of 1971, and, in the process, create a sense of love and pride in them for their motherland. The books will be distributed in all six divisions of the country.

Project Milestone:

? ‘Tagra’, the first book of the series, published which will be distributed among the students of Dhaka division only.

? Distribution process initiated of a total number of 20,000 copies.

–Now Grameenphone published ““Ekatturer Chithi” in 2009

Emergency fund

In 2007, Grameenphone also made a significant contribution towards the emergency relief efforts at the time of natural calamities. In August 2007, Grameenphone employees worked jointly with relevant Government agencies and partner NGOs to mitigate the suffering of the flood-affected people. Along with the one-day salary contribution of the employees, Grameenphone and Telenor donated BDT 43.1 million to the Chief Advisor’s Relief Fund. In addition, nearly 22,000 family packs containing food and other essential items were distributed at 39 locations nationwide. Nine medical camps (7 static and 2 floating) were also organized serving some 55,000 patients in the affected areas. Additionally, gruel kitchens were organized to serve cooked food to over 36,000 families in Dhaka Division. Grameenphone provided in-kind assistance worth of BDT 2.4 million in the Government relief effort, as an emergency support, towards the affected people of a landslide in Chittagong city. Immediately after the SIDR cyclone, Grameenphone again came forward with emergency relief support. In November, immediately after the cyclone struck, a contribution worth of BDT 10 million was made to the Chief Adviser’s Relief Fund. In addition, Telenor, the majority shareholder of Grameenphone, donated another BDT 23 million towards Grameenphone’s ongoing relief activities. Grameenphone employees contributed their one-day’s salary and Telenor affiliates in Pakistan and Denmark also made contributions towards the relief effort. In all, a total of 14,000 family packs were distributed from 16 distribution points in the eight worst-affected districts. Sixteen medical camps, including 3 floating ones, were set up in the affected areas and more than 15,000 patients were given medical assistance with free prescription and medication. Grameenphone also came out with an innovative way to help the affected people when 400 families in Barguna districts were provided with 400 temporary tents, made from old Grameenphone billboard vinyl. Finally, donation boxes were also set up in 50 Grameenphone Centers to collect donations from subscribers to contribute in the Chief Advisor’s relief fund. Almost 200 employees voluntarily participated during the relief effort.

A rehabilitation plan for the SIDR affected areas is currently underway. Four (4) primary school scum- cyclone shelters will be built at Barisal and Khulna region.

Customer Service Division

4.1 Customer services

Well come to Customer Service Division

A significant measure if success for any company is how satisfied the customers are with the service. The Grameenphone customer service Department Under commercial Division is committed to go the extra mile to meet the needs of its valued customer.

The customer service Department took up many customer- focused actives in 2005.Focusing on customer relations and over all enhancement of after sales service quality. The Division was re- organized and re- aligned with other divisions to further enhance cross-functional cooperation, in order to be able to provide a positive experience through proper and on-time delivery of customer service. The CSD achieved greater efficiency, in terms if on-time service delivery, through its trained customer manager and the effectiveness of technology.

“CSD on the move” was introducing last year with the intention of reaching customers thought the country. Branded “Grameenphone Grahak kathe” the concept was developed to give custom’s platform to voice their opinions and expectations of Grameenphone. Customer feedback is taken in order to use the insights to further improve service quality.

The customer service division strives to give after-sales service to the customer rather than expect the customer to come to them for service. After all, positive customer experience is the key differentiator to being the industry leader.

Main Objective

Within the direction for the Chief Executive Officer of the company, the Director of Customer Services Division shall ensure that the customer services and related functions within the company at all times are aligned with and supports the realization of the company’s business objectives. The Director of Customer Services shall direct the company’s overall Customer Services activities; facilitate state of art customer experiences through Quality Services in order to meet company targets for growth and profitability.

Main Responsibilities

§ Develop, maintain and implement strategies, policies and procedures in order to establish organizational capabilities to meet current and emerging business needs for the functional area which includes:

? Call Centers

? Resource Management

? Complaint Management

? Online Customer Service

? Support & Development

§ Making sure of over all customer services activities by facilitating state of art customer experiences through quality services in order to support the company’s present prime target that 2 out of 3 customers shall have Grameenphone as their preferred provider of mobile telecom and mobile data services.

§ Monitor and control the strategical/ tactical initiatives and activities within Customer Services functions.

§ Provide support and consulting to all local Customer Services functions within scope, in order to ensure coordination, business alignment and adaptation of best-practices.

§ Develop and maintain descriptions of departments reporting to this function defining their responsibilities and how work is organized between these departments.

§ Ensure awareness of, and ability to comply with, legal requirements applicable for the company and its governance documents, including SOA-required internal controls and Codes of Conduct.

Ensure necessary capabilities company wide to ensure that the organization is able to meet its current and future business objectives.

Customer Service Division has seven sectors.

4.2Contact Centre

The contact centre is the first point of contact for council enquiries. A contact centre is a central point in an enterprise from which all customer contacts are managed. The contact centre typically includes one or more online call centre’s but may include other types of customer contact as well including email, newsletter, postal mail, website inquiries and chats, and the collection of information from customer. A contact center is generally part of an enterprises overall customer relationship management.

In a fast changing world, the role of the mobile phone is increasing day by day; so are the demands of our subscribers. We understand that customer demands are no longer confined to making or receiving voice calls only; rather with new value added services being introduced, subscribers are trying something new everyday. We are here to help. Trained customer service agents are within easy reach; ready with personalized support related to all our products and services.

Best customer service: One number for all

In a first changing world the role of the mobile phone is increasing day by day; so are the demands of our subscribers. We understand that customer demands are no longer confined to making or receiving voice calls only; rather with new value added services being introduced, subscribers are trying something new everyday. We are here to help. Trained customer service agents are within easy reach; ready with personalized support related to all our products and services.

In effort to become more user friendly, a single Grameenphone Hotline number 121 for all customers was introduced. The Hotline number has a language option for English, Bangla, a six other local dialects: Barisal, Sylhet, Rajshshi, Chittagong, Noakhali, and Khulna. Grameenphone subscriber can dial the 24-hour Hotline number 121 from their Grameenphone mobile phones 365 days a year. The call centre capacity has become considerably enhance, thus reducing the waiting period to enter the Hotline.

With you all the time: Our trained call center professionals are available round the clock, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

We are here to help: By simply dialing 121/ 121 15 (to talk directly with our Customer Service Agent) you can find the answers to any query in the cheapest way. Our customer managers are always at hand to listen to any kind of complaints regarding our products and services – we promise you proper feedback. We provide information related to the different products and services we offer, to help you make the purchase decision that is most suitable to your communication needs.

Unique Dialogue for customer Manager

You can also reach us from:

Grameenphone call centre in Nitol-Niloy tower. Call centre has five service operations in 6^th to 10^th floor. Every floor has a one team leader. Twenty four customer Manager working per roster under a Group leader. Customer Manager receives call from customer. Here is one thing Customer Manager try to receive subscriber call within Three second. Because Grameenphone always try to achieve customers satisfaction. Sometimes customer has been waiting for few minutes and they feel irritating. So Customer Service Division say that customer Manager must try to receive a call within three second.

Customers not only contact through voice call but also they contact with Online and email. Customer Service agent is making call GPs existing customer. They help the subscriber to solving their problems and also try to know their opinion. Grameenphones key account managers and Customer Service agent perform outbound call to customer.

Prioritized Hotline 121:

Grameenphone believe in the importance of human touch in the business world. As we step into our third year of providing innovative communication solutions, Business Solutions aims to provide you with enhanced priority services as we value your time in business. Grameenphone make every effort to take care of your all telecommunications needs. Our dedicated Key Account Managers and Customer Service Managers are assigned to provide prioritized service to Business Solutions subscriber’s right from the beginning of the relationship. Enjoy prioritized customer service by simply dialing 121. Dedicated customers care managers are available round-the-clock, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week only to serve you better. Business Solutions postpaid subscribers can call 121 absolutely free of cost. To find out more about our solutions call (9am-8pm) 01711880011-14.

Experience of Hotline 121

An inbound call from a subscriber, she wanted to know about his FnF number and the rate of FnF. Then she disputes the rate of friends and family. She told me that Grameenphone Extra charged for that call. Then customer Manager checks her call list but here is no existing f n f number. Then the caller know that his fault.

Experience of Hotline 121

A customer calls in 121. He said that he had another Grameenphone Sim. Sometimes he used this sim. One day he was trying to use this sim but he can’t. He knows that this sim is invalid. Then he called the Hotline and wanted to know what the problem is.

4.3Telesales

Scope of work

Develop strategies for the Telesales department to establish Customer Service as a major sales channel

Planning, facilitating and follow up the telesales in Inbound & Outbound Contact Center

Telemarketing or Telesales is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits to prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call. Telemarketing can also include recorded sales pitches programmed to be played over the phone via automatic dialing. Telemarketing has come under fire in recent years, being viewed as an annoyance by many.

Out of one hundred phone calls, 99% People will say ‘NO’ and one person buy. Yet phone sales or telesales from a telemarketing call centre is every effective for selling lower to medium ticket priced items with just one phone call. It also be effective for selling high ticket items, but this offer takes more than one telemarketing call and is a process or series of calls before the final sale is made. Telesales or phone sales in highly effective for certain types of products or services. A one call close is the goal of this type of sales. It is generally and item which projects already known something about and can make an immediate decision about whether they need or what that right now.

Main Responsibility of the Telesales:

(a) Making live calls to potential customer and explaining them about the product that Grameenphone offer and to any query they might have, convincing them to work with company was actual reason and target,

(b) Achieving individual targets on daily, weekly and monthly basis,

4.4Complaint Management

Scope of work

Professionalize complaint management in the whole company;
Handling complaints as a 2nd line to all GP customer contact points;
Handling written queries, requests and 1st line complaints;

Complaints arise when customer are dissatisfied with a service. An expression of dissatisfaction with the organizations procedures, changes, employees, agent or quality of service. To find the right type of solution, you need to understand the nature of the customer’s dissatisfaction. Some complaints are not appropriate for a particular resolution system, and some cannot be resolved. In these cases, you must still treat complaints with respect and fully explain the reasons why your organization cannot accept or resolve their complaint.

Various complain has been coming from subscriber in GP contact center. Some complaints are not handle or appropriate solution given by the call center, Grameenphone center, or other customer service point. This type of complaint has been going to the complaint management.

Complaint management mainly works with those problems which are not solved by the customer Manager from 121. Complaint Management handling critical and normal problem through queries, request on mails, faxes and letter from customers. Complaint Management also works for Employee complain in the whole company. Employee may have some demand, queries, and other requirements. Complaints Management handles professional complain and follow up and consult it with Companies Management.

There are 4 Groups work under complain management. These are follows:

Tech 1

Tech 2

Business and IR

Subscription and Fraud.

Complaint management Department use some tools for solve complains. All the information and useful tools are founded in the xxx. In xxx link of all information, user manual, latest updates, useful tools are found. To access those tools the officer needs permission and user ID and password. The complain are assigned to the groups by the nature of problem link fax for international roaming will assigned to Business and IR teams. The officer gets the mail from the server and he put it in the folder. Then they distribute the work and solve them. Like this way the tech 1 team get complain and they own complain from the complain list. Tech 2 handle ERS problem. Complain Management deal with complaints as quickly as possible. Employees frequently handle complaints immediately at point of delivery.

Complain Scenario

A customer informs the customer manager through 121. He received a call from a Gp number and promised incentives if he transfers TK. 500 to particular number. The victim subscriber sends this substantial balance in that number but he didn’t get any reward. Then he informs the Grameenphone Customer Service. In this situation Complaint management takes action to stop the fraud existing subscriber.

4.5Resource Management

Resources Management function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies. “Resource management Department” as playing a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.

Resource Management works under 4 categories. These are including:

(a)Forecasting & Scheduling

Scope of work

Data gathering

Data analysis

Forecasting

Scheduling

Developing and maintaining routing model

The basis of any good staffing plan is an accurate workload forecast. Without a precise forecast of the work to be expected, the most sophisticated effort to calculate staff numbers and create intricate schedule plans is wasted effort. The purpose of the forecast is to predict workload so that we can get the right number of staff in place to handle it. And there are many different situations in the call center environment that require a forecast to be done. The most common scenario for which we forecast is simply normal, day-to-day operations. But you may also require a forecast for special situations such as planning for new call type(s), opening a new center, a merger or acquisition, or a change in operating hours.

The final step in the forecasting process is an important one. There are many factors that influence the call centers workload and the smart workforce planner will have a process in place that considers all these factors in the forecasting process.

(b) Real Time Management

Scope of work

Data gathering

Data analysis

Forecasting

Scheduling

Developing and maintaining routing model

The supervisor’s workplace in Infra Call Center Supervisor is designed for monitoring and managing all call center activities in real time.

Monitoring call center work

Monitoring the process of distributing and processing calls in real time

Allows is keeping track of the whole process of call processing, by reviewing conveniently sorted. The set of current measures of call center performance

The number of simultaneously processed inbound calls

The number of simultaneously processed outbound calls

The number of working agents

The number of free agents

Maximum waiting time, etc.

The set of current measures of situations in queues

Maximum waiting time in queue

The number of abandoned calls

The number of scheduled outbound calls, etc.

The set of current measures of agent performance

The number of processed inbound and outbound calls

The number of missed calls

The average talk time

Work time, etc.

Graphical analyzer of trends of changing measures. Displays the trends of changes of supervisor-defined call center measures during any short time interval. Is used for tracking sudden changes – for example a spontaneous jump of load, – which enables to prevent a possible lowering of the service level. Notifications about overrun of a predefined interval by specific measures Configuring of notifications frees the supervisor from constantly monitoring the current call center work, while at the same time allowing the supervisor to maintain full control over key measures. Thus supervisor may timely intervene any call center activity when a warning appears, e.g. when the specified waiting time in queue is exceeded.

(c)Reporting & Follow-up

Scope of work

Development and maintenance of reporting
Report access management
Report analysis
Improvement initiatives
Reporting system adjustments

Reporting call center activity to senior level management and others in the organization can seem a daunting task. The wide variety of activities in a typical call center, the reality of senior management not having the time nor inclination to pour over detailed reports, and the fact that summary reports often gloss over important information all contribute to the challenge. Consequently, many diligently prepared reports either go unread or, worse, are misunderstood. Along with telephone contacts, a growing number of transactions involve e-mail, Internet services, IVR applications or some combination of these capabilities. As new ways of providing services are created – and subsequently demanded by customers – it becomes more critical and more involved to measure the service that customers are receiving, and their perceptions of that service.

(d)CS Systems

1. IT Development request

1.CIA Ticket creation, deletion & modification

2.New Tool/System

3.Enhancement of existing tool/system

Implementation

2. Customer service system/tools

1.New Account Creation

2.Tool access problem

3. Malfunctioning

3. Planned/ Unplanned System& Service Downtime

Scope of work

Interface with IT/Networks on systems/service availability and functionality
Play the role of bridge between Customer Service and Technology
Follow up systems and service trouble ticketing

4.6Quality assurance:

Quality assurance is the process of verifying or determining whether products or services meet or exceed customer expectations. Quality assurance is a process-driven approach with specific steps to help define and attain goals. This process considers design, development, production, and service.

Quality assured service is the pillar of Service hosting business. Your service becomes popular when you ensure quality. Low price is another way to advance sales. But, if your service does not meet the required standards of quality, then the customer never uses it in future, even if you give it at the lowest price. Innovations, business strategies and trends keep changing. One thing that remains constant is consumers’ need for satisfaction. It is very important to understand the current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements, and strive hard to exceed customer expectations at all times.

Continual improvement must be a permanent objective of the company. The fact everyone knows is that the customers are willing to pay more to receive better service. However ensuring quality within the business is a discipline that is overlooked by companies, most of the time. It is usually not until you discover a major problem, that could have been avoided through quality control that you recognize the importance of it. Our customers are our major focus and eventually, they gain the benefits of the improvements that are made.

The Quality Management team and the Team Leader together follows up on the non-conformities for a team and conducts training sessions for the employees, as required. Thus ensures continual improvement for the services that we offer. Our customers are our major focus and eventually, they gain the benefits of the improvements that are made. Quality and customer delight have long been recognized as crucial for the success and survival of business in today’s competitive market. Grameenphone believes in providing an exceptional level of service to our customers. To support this commitment, we keep developing a number of initiatives that is clearly aimed at the continuous improvement of our services. With top quality service, we aim at creating delighted customers, who form the lifeblood of our business.

(a) We conduct regular quality monitoring and ensure that the quality of service provided is the best. Our customers are assured 100% quality service.

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