From fail to fix: Telco to techco CX lessons for 2025
Explore how My Telco, a fictional telecom operator, navigates its biggest customer experience stumbles; from chaotic support to missed upsell opportunities. Drawing lessons applicable to real-world telco operators, this blog shows how to turn these failures into long-term competitive advantages, guiding the journey from everyday telco operations to a full techco transformation.
Traditional telcos pushing to transform into techcos face a completely different playing field. Network operations and connectivity are just the starting point, what comes next defines the journey. Customers expect their telecom operator to act less like a utility and more like modern tech companies: data-driven, real-time, and truly customer centric.
A techco isn’t defined only by 5G, cloud, or AI. It’s a business model shift where networking infrastructure, digital channels, and customer service come together in a single ecosystem designed to deliver excellent telco customer experiences at every touchpoint.
For telcos still relying on old playbooks, the gap between expectation and delivery keeps widening, and telco operations need to be optimized for long-term success, including operating models and capital expenditure planning.
Prefer listening to podcasts? Hit play and listen to the AI-generated audio version of this blog for quick CX lessons on the telco-to-techco journey.
A day at My Telco: Where it all goes wrong (but not for too long)
Meet My Telco, a fictional provider navigating the rocky road from telco to techco. On paper, My Telco has everything: infrastructure, reach, loyal subscribers. But in practice, cracks are everywhere.
Their call centers are overwhelmed, campaigns miss the mark, billing confuses more than it clarifies, and field visits waste opportunities for growth. Each failure is a reminder that being a telco isn’t enough anymore; the future belongs to techcos.
But what does that future look like? In a true techco:
- Customers don’t wait, on hold, they get instant answers from AI-powered assistants, with a human-in-the-loop always available when needed.
- Bills aren’t puzzles; they’re crystal clear, interactive, and resolved in real time.
- Marketing isn’t a spam blast; it’s a personalized conversation that feels almost human.
- A technician’s visit isn’t just about fixing a router; it’s a chance to unlock new digital services and strengthen loyalty.
That’s the techco promise: every interaction is an opportunity to improve customers’ experiences.
To see how these challenges play out in real life, let’s follow the key players at My Telco as they navigate day-to-day customer experience obstacles:
- Mark, Head of Customer Experience – worried about long queues and rising churn.
- Lina, Marketing Director – struggles with ineffective campaigns.
- Julia, CTO – sees missed revenue opportunities.
- Natalie, Customer Service Manager – faces frustrated agents and customers.
- Alex, Operations Manager for Equipment and Logistics – overwhelmed by equipment returns and long store queues, leading to frustrated existing customers.
Each one faces a CX “fail” that telecom operators everywhere will recognize.
1. The call that never ends: From broken support to 360° assistance
The fail:
Natalie, My Telco’s Customer Service Manager, is drowning in complaints. Customers are stuck in endless IVR loops, waiting 30+ minutes to reach an agent. Support channels don’t communicate in real-time, as web chat has no record of what happened on the phone line. Agents themselves feel powerless, lacking tools to resolve queries quickly.
This type of failure is especially painful for providers where internet connectivity outages flood support lines.
The fallout:
- Rising customer complaints (with public brand shaming on social media)
- High churn
- Overworked agents and internal chaos
The fix – CX rescue:
- Omnichannel cloud contact center solution: Connects multiple channels, for example SMS, WhatsApp, in-app chat, and Voice, in a single interface, enabling a connected and consistent experience across all touchpoints.
- 360° customer view: Complete overview of customer data across all touchpoints for faster, smarter customer service. Agents also benefit from AI Assistant support, with instant summaries of past interactions and suggested replies. This shortens resolution time for customers while making agents more confident and comfortable in their roles, helping to reduce turnover.
- Agentic AI escalation: Agentic AI refers to AI systems that detect urgency, frustration, and intent for priority routing using generative AI. These systems can proactively take actions, such as prioritizing tickets, suggesting next steps, or drafting responses, while autonomously orchestrating workflows and collaborating with human support to deliver faster, more human-like customer experiences.
- Proactive follow-ups via customer engagement solution: Send timely updates or order status to keep customers engaged. E.g. “Ticket created: 135068. Stay in the loop while we handle it. “
Takeaway: Don’t let disconnected support define your brand. Customers judge telecom operators by the speed and clarity of problem resolution, and now, when switching takes only a few clicks, operators are especially wary of losing customers. By unifying channels and carrying context across interactions, telcos reduce churn but also turn customer service into a competitive advantage. Prioritizing friction-free escalation, proactive updates, and AI-driven routing ensures that customer frustration doesn’t escalate into lost loyalty.
2. Promo gone wrong: From untargeted mass messaging to smart personalization
The fail:
Lina, Marketing Director at My Telco, is excited about a new promo campaign. She blasts the entire subscriber base with a generic, untargeted offer. Customers feel spammed, not understood.
This failure is especially common where operators rely heavily on promotions to drive average revenue per users (ARPU) but lack the personalization engines of larger operators.
The fallout:
- Thousands of opt-outs shrink Lina’s future reach
- Missed upsell opportunities lead to lower campaign ROI
- Declining engagement damages brand trust
The fix – Customer engagement solution:
- Trigger-based personalization: Offers delivered based on user behavior
- Omnichannel delivery: Coordinated SMS, email, WhatsApp, push notifications
- Analytics-driven optimization: Next-best-offer insights tailored per customer
Takeaway: Mass marketing without personalization is a quick path to opt-outs. Customers expect offers that are timely, relevant, and delivered through their preferred channel. By switching from generic campaigns to omnichannel, behavior-triggered journeys, telecom operators can maximize campaign ROI. Enriching messages with formats like RCS or carousels builds trust, drives customer engagement, and strengthens the brand’s value.
Note: Conversational experience orchestration platforms (CXOP), like Infobip, together with a Customer Data Platform (CDP), help you connect channels, segment audiences, automate campaign flows, and deliver behavior-based offers in real time, making every message feel personal, not promotional.
3. Billing blackout: AI chatbots simplify customer portals
The fail:
Mark, Head of CX, is struggling with billing complaints. Customers find their invoices confusing, and the self-service app nearly impossible to navigate. Support lines are clogged with people asking about charges or failed payments.
The fallout:
- App abandonment and low digital adoption
- Higher operational costs from repetitive billing queries
- Customer frustration that drives churn
The fix – AI chatbots:
- Instant billing assistance: PDF bills, explanations, and queries resolved immediately
- Smooth escalation: Agents handle complex issues without customers repeating themselves
- Omnichannel coverage: Available across web, app, WhatsApp, and other channels
Takeaway: Clarity and speed in billing can make or break customer trust. Confusing invoices and slow support lead to app abandonment and unnecessary call center overload. With AI-powered chatbots and conversational interfaces, telecom operators can automate repetitive billing queries, provide instant transparency, and ensure smooth escalation when needed. The result: fewer billing issues, lower operational costs, and stronger confidence in the brand’s reliability.
Note: The global AI in telecommunication market was valued at USD 2.7 billion in 2024 and it is projected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 32.6% between 2025 and 2034, reaching roughly 45 billion USD.
4. The missed opportunity at the doorstep: Field service monetization
The fail:
Julia, CTO at My Telco, sees the gaps: technicians visit homes to fix issues or install equipment, but the opportunity ends there. Manual processes delay activations, upsell chances slip away, and back-office teams miss out on collecting valuable household data.
The fallout:
- Lost revenue from missed upsell/cross-sell moments
- Delayed activations frustrate customers
- Field teams feel like cost centers, not growth drivers
The fix – Field service activation:
- AI-powered conversational tools integrated into OSS/BSS systems, turning technicians into customer-centric brand ambassadors
- On-the-spot activation of digital services via RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, or Apple Messages
- Context-aware offers triggered during visits at peak trust moments
- Real-time eligibility checks ensure smooth onboarding without paperwork
Takeaway: Field service shouldn’t stop at problem-solving, it should open new revenue streams. Technician visits are high-trust moments, yet most telecom operators fail to monetize them. By equipping field teams with AI-driven tools for instant activations, upsells, and contextual offers, operators can boost ARPU and cut repeat visits. Every on-site interaction becomes a growth opportunity.
5. The equipment queue crisis: AI-powered returns and upgrades
The fail:
Alex, Operations Manager for Equipment and Logistics at My Telco, is overwhelmed by long queues and stressed store staff. Customers returning equipment or seeking upgrades face lengthy waits, causing frustration and lost sales. Prospective customers balk at the delays and often abandon their upgrade plans altogether. Manual handling of returns and provisioning adds complexity, slows the process, and overburdens physical stores.
The fallout:
- Crowded stores with stressed employees and unhappy customers
- Lost revenue from dropped upgrade opportunities
- Increased operational costs from inefficient manual processes
- Damage to brand reputation due to poor in-store experiences
The fix – AI-powered self-service for equipment returns and provisioning:
- AI chatbots integrated into digital channels (web chat, mobile app) guide customers through equipment returns and upgrade provisioning remotely. Customers can scan equipment barcodes or input ID numbers, allowing the chatbot to verify and process returns instantly. They also provide clear instructions, including return drop-off options and addresses, reducing confusion and follow-up calls.
- Voice AI assistants handle similar tasks via phone or voice-enabled devices, offering hands-free support and answering customer queries in real time. Routine tasks are automated, so live agents only need to review exceptions and finalize approvals.
Takeaway: Physical stores shouldn’t be bottlenecks in the customer journey. By using AI-driven digital self-service for equipment returns and upgrade provisioning, telecom operators can reduce queue times, improve customer satisfaction, and recover lost revenue opportunities. Automating routine processes empowers agents to focus on complex cases while delivering frictionless experiences that improve brand loyalty and operational efficiency.
What My Telco could learn from real-world techco leaders
Real-world examples show how telcos that embrace a techco mindset are already fixing CX failures and setting new industry benchmarks.
Three global leaders, Deutsche Telekom, Hrvatski Telekom, and Jazz demonstrate how the right mix of channels, automation, and conversational experiences can turn pain points into growth opportunities.
1. Deutsche Telekom: Richer engagement with RCS
Telekom Deutschland wanted to move beyond SMS campaigns and deliver something more engaging. They rolled out an omnichannel campaign centered around RCS Business Messaging for a Spotify Premium promotion.
The campaign featured branded RCS messages with rich media carousels, CTA buttons, and Telekom Deutschland colors and logos. To guide customers from awareness to conversion, Moments automated the engagement flows and sent messages at the optimal times, while agents used Conversations to access real-time interaction insights and assist customers directly from the RCS messages.
Results:
- 2x higher engagement vs SMS
- 26% higher open rate
- 120% higher conversion
Lesson for My Telco: In 2025, it’s not about replacing SMS, but raising the bar. Customers expect rich, branded, and interactive experiences. By combining RCS with omnichannel orchestration, telecom operators can increase their digital transformation, turning simple messages into full customer journeys that build trust, boost loyalty, and drive conversions far beyond what standalone campaigns can achieve.
Pro tip: Using a platform like Infobip MaaP, MNOs can manage and scale RCS campaigns more efficiently, gaining better control over traffic, onboarding, and analytics, while creating engaging, interactive experiences for customers.
2. Hrvatski Telekom: AI chatbots for smarter support and collections
Hrvatski Telekom faced repetitive queries and ineffective debt collection. Customers ignored voice reminders, while business clients clogged support lines.
AI-powered WhatsApp chatbots handled payment and troubleshooting queries instantly, providing faster resolutions for customers. At the same time, automated Viber and SMS messages improved collection rates and streamlined communications, reducing the load on live agents.
Results:
- 62% of users paid their bills after receiving a Viber message
- 38% of customers paid their bills after receiving automated SMS reminders
- 20% revenue increase through upgraded packages
Lesson for My Telco: Automation reduces costs while improving satisfaction. Offloading repetitive tasks to chatbots allows agents to focus on complex issues, delivering excellent customer experiences.
3. Jazz: Improved customer service with WhatsApp Business
Jazz, serving 59 million subscribers, wanted to digitalize their customer care by introducing a quick self-service channel that could reduce high call volumes and service center visits. Previously, customers had to wait up to 24 hours to receive tax certificates or duplicate bills, resulting in slow support and inefficiency.
Using WhatsApp Business Platform, Jazz launched an automated self-service channel where customers simply send “Hi” on WhatsApp to start interacting with menu options for balance checks, billing details, package information, tax certificates, top-ups, and bill payments.
Results:
- 32% reduction in tax certificate call costs
- Over 250,000 customers used the WhatsApp self-service channel
- 71,000 calls saved in three months
Lesson for My Telco: Offering self-service via chat apps reduces operational costs, speeds up response times, and improves customer satisfaction. By meeting customers where they already communicate, telecom operators can offload routine tasks from agents, freeing them to handle complex issues while strengthening loyalty and boosting efficiency.
The techco challenge: How advanced is your CX?
Customer expectations keep advancing. What felt “good enough” yesterday is unacceptable today. Tomorrow’s winners will be companies that treat every customer interaction as an opportunity to create loyalty, not lose it.
Our CX Maturity report shows the average telco brand uses a mix of classic and digital channels and automates use cases across support, marketing, and sales. Yet many still struggle with technical issues and overloaded call centers, likely because most telcos have only partially integrated tools and tech constraints.
Here’s the best part: you don’t have to guess where you stand. CX Maturity Assessment shows exactly how advanced your customer experience is. The results reveal your current “maturity score” and, more importantly, give actionable steps to improve your telco-to-techco transformation.
