Think back to 10 years ago, before the potential of 5G networks was revealed. Imagine being told that communications service providers (CSPs) would be capable of negotiating multidimensional partnerships across a variety of industry verticals. Not only that, but CSPs would have to orchestrate those partnerships in ecosystems to stay relevant.
Now imagine being told that building successful B2B2X partner ecosystems wasn’t enough. CSPs would have to deliver easy, streamlined experiences for all the ecosystem partners and end customers, or else lose out to digital service providers (DSPs) and hyperscalers that would.
Sounds demanding, right? Yes, but that is where CSPs find themselves today. They are embracing complex B2B and B2B2X business models and striving to manage them better than their competitors.
Why partner ecosystems are the way forward for CSPs
Support for wholesale offerings and partnerships is currently one of the key drivers of CSP monetisation spend, according to Analysys Mason. By now, CSPs know what they stand to gain by orchestrating digital partner ecosystems:
Enhanced revenue growth: CSPs can monetise not just their traditional connectivity, but also a broad spectrum of connected digital services. These include the Internet of Things (IoT), digital content, 5G, cloud and edge computing services, creating dynamic B2B2X offers that blend partner services with their own offerings.
Expanded market reach: CSPs can access new revenue streams and new customer segments. With partner-enriched portfolios of offerings, they can also provide customers with a wider range of choices and a compelling value proposition.
But to profit from 5G network and digital services is easier said than done. CSPs must evolve to be able to successfully negotiate and manage a complex maze of multi-dimensional B2B/B2B2X partnerships. The heightened complexity and increase in the number of partners also drives up the risk of errors and disputes, and it becomes more challenging to promote collaboration and maintain trust with partners.
It remains a struggle for many CSPs to bundle connectivity and digital services to create compelling and personalised offers for their business customers and consumers. It doesn’t have to be—not if they have the right capabilities.
A checklist of capabilities
When it comes to complex partner management processes, what separates the CSPs who struggle from the ones who lead? The key is the platform they use. To thrive using these new business models, CSPs need a digital partner management platform that will protect margins across the partner lifecycle. The right platform will allow CSPs to collaborate with any type of partner while streamlining the collaboration.
The partner management capabilities that set leading CSPs apart:
Self-service portals that allow partners to onboard quickly, without the need for manual intervention or protracted negotiations
Real-time data access for partners, which allows them to make informed decisions, optimise their participation in the ecosystem and contribute to its growth
Ability to identify, incentivise and retain successful partners through innovative revenue-sharing models (e.g., tapered rates and positive volume-discounts on popular products and services)
Flexible rating, billing and settlement systems that support multi-party revenue-sharing and multiple compensation models (e.g., pay only when paid, partner refunds, etc.)
Ability to execute all aspects of partner management—from rates and agreements to billing and invoicing, in one platform (CSPs should also have a holistic view of business performance across one or all partners.)
Ability to prevent revenue leakage at every step of the process and through flexible reconciliation of partner invoices, statements and transaction records
Cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) deployment that offers scalability, flexibility and reduced operational costs
This is a checklist of sorts for CSPs, who are making moves now to position themselves for growth in B2B—like this innovative operator in the APAC region:
Banglalink: Gearing up for growth through partner management
Bangladesh’s leading CSP, Banglalink, recognised the need for improved customer experiences as well as the opportunity for revenue growth. Anticipating growths in the number of partners in their partner ecosystem and a concomitant growth in transaction volumes over the next five years, the company needed a scalable solution. Banglalink is now partnering with CSG for a modular partner management, wholesale billing and settlement platform to support that growth.
“By leveraging CSG’s expertise and advanced technology, we are not only optimising our operational efficiency, but also positioning ourselves for future growth and opportunities,” said K M Zakaria, Banglalink’s Procurement and SCM Director. “This strategic partnership is designed to empower our customers, providing them with the tools to thrive in a dynamic landscape and reinforcing our position as an innovative digital operator.”
Build a thriving partner ecosystem with CSG
A successful B2B strategy requires a digital platform built to handle its complexity. That’s what CSG provides, along with the expertise to deliver on that strategy. With CSG’s digital partner management platform, CSPs can protect their margins, expand their partner ecosystems and drive revenue growth.
Contact us at CSG today and learn more about how we can help you power seamless partner collaboration and revenue growth.
