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The telecommunications industry, always competitive, is becoming even more so.
The need to upgrade legacy infrastructures, create new revenue streams and integrate emerging technology are just some of the challenges operators face. Then there’s customer churn rates. As an industry, telecom has one of the highest at 21.5% – driven in large part to issues connected to service quality and pricing. In an ever-saturated market, one of the big differentiators in telecom is the customer experience. User journeys that are hassle-free, intuitive and smooth across platforms are fundamental to retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.
This means that telecom software development needs to integrate third-party features and functionalities that customers expect. Bloomreach Engagement, which has built a reputation for delivering campaigns that wow, is one such example. By unifying data and providing AI-driven automation, Bloomreach Engagement enhances marketing capabilities with precision and personalization. Read on to learn about a real-world project that demonstrates how to integrate this tool efficiently and effectively.
Enhancing telecom loyalty programs
As part of their loyalty program, a global mobile telecommunications company teamed up with a strategic partner, the owner of a chain of franchise stores in Poland. The partner wanted to provide customers with codes that could be used to purchase various products. For this purpose, the Bloomreach Engagement campaign system was used, which, based on customer segmentation, was responsible for sending codes via MMS.
As part of the Best Customer Experience, a mechanism was built to transform alphanumeric codes provided by the chain’s owner into QR codes to speed up checkout. Of course, the customer does not need to enter the alphanumeric code; they simply scan the code with a fiscal device.
Technology to integrate Bloomreach Engagement
To implement the project, we used Python, combined with asynchronous processing, using the Apache Kafka queue system.
This tech stack allowed us to create a smooth, six-step process:
- A request arriving at the service is validated, transformed, and checked for business-related requirements for interaction with the store’s customer. The request is processed in fractions of a second.
- If a given event meets the business requirements, the service sends a message to the queue.
- The service responsible for message processing receives it and transforms the alphanumeric code sent from the campaign system into a QR code.
- A personalized QR code is then sent, via MMS, to a customer’s phone.
- The customer presents the QR code to the cashier and receives the discount.
Workflow:
Importantly, this implementation isn’t limited to a single partner – it can be applied in a cost-effective way to maximize output, while limiting the amount of time and resources teams need to allocate. The Bloomreach Engagement campaign system allows for multiple marketing campaigns based on promotional codes, called Vouchers, provided or generated within the system.
The key features of Bloomreach Engagement
Bloomreach Engagement is a platform responsible for executing most company-client communication processes, using channels such as SMS, MMS, Email, Inbound, Outbound Calls, Push and Banner.
The main features of Bloomreach:
Campaign builder
Enables the creation of campaigns without coding by using drag-and-drop journey builders and visual editors.
Experiments and A/B testing
Build different variations of a campaign and choose a metric to evaluate it – Engagement will automatically send the best-performing campaigns.
AI-powered insights
Use AI to predict customer behavior, increase the efficiency of your campaigns and generate personalized product recommendations.
Omni-channel orchestration
Develop a personalized cross-channel customer journey that seamlessly integrates email, text, web and mobile push notifications, in-app messages for mobile apps, WhatsApp, webhooks, ad audiences , APIs and third party integrations.
Unified customer experience at scale
Merge customer data into one place to enable hyper-personalization while maintaining marketing automation. Target groups of customers efficiently based on shared attributes using segmentations.
Data evaluation
Manage your customer data, display it in one place and gather insights into customer behavior with advanced analytics.
Useful Bloomreach functionalities for this loyalty program project
QR Codes
QR codes are a universal format enabling the quick and secure transmission of information in digital form. Thanks to their simplicity and standardization, they are widely used to process transactions worldwide, both in retail and digital services. Our project uses QR codes because they perfectly fit our use case, enabling the fast and reliable processing of a large number of transactions. This format ensures compatibility with existing systems and facilitates integration with global payment standards. This allows us to offer users a smooth and seamless experience for every transaction.
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka is a distributed queuing system designed to process massive amounts of data in real time. Its architecture allows for horizontal scaling, allowing it to handle very high message volumes without sacrificing performance. Kafka is an ideal solution for projects where data arrives from multiple sources and requires rapid processing and integration. In our project, we chose Kafka because we handle enormous amounts of data daily and needed a reliable and scalable system. This allows us to efficiently process data in real time, minimizing delays and the risk of information loss.
Barcode
As part of the project, barcode support was also implemented as an additional functionality for marketing campaigns.
Barcodes are a proven and widely used method for identifying products and transactions in trade and logistics. Thanks to their simplicity and broad standardization, they enable rapid scanning and data processing in virtually every system worldwide. In our project, barcodes proved to be the ideal choice, supporting fast and reliable operations with high transaction volumes. This format guarantees full compatibility with existing infrastructures and payment systems. This allows us to efficiently handle large amounts of data, minimizing the risk of errors and delays.
Real-world results and business impact
Combining Python with asynchronous processing, using the Apache Kafka queue system, resulted in a smooth process of request validation, processing, messaging and delivery of personalized QR codes so that customers can quickly and effectively receive a discount. In, short, the client’s aim was achieved. Additionally, this successful monetizing collaboration with a non-telco partner delivered other business value: This project boosted the telecommunication company’s ability to:
- Acquire new customers
- Automate the granting of benefits
- Expand their offer with benefits from third party partners
- Transfer this functionality to other products and programs
Telecommunication companies around the world are looking for process automation, using modern technologies, to positively impact offers and drive growth strategies. That’s why companies turn to Software Mind. With over 25 years of experience supporting global telecom leaders, our team provides the technical expertise and domain consultancy that accelerates delivery, enhances offers, creates new revenue streams and delights customers. Want to know how our specialists can support your business? Get in touch using this form.
FAQ
Can the use of this technology be transferred to other products and functionalities?
Yes, the functionality can be reused in other communication channels for various business processes
How fast is this solution?
The technology stack used allows for code generation and delivery to customers in seconds.
How long does it take to implement such a solution?
Depending on a company’s architecture, the microservice can be developed within a few weeks, sometimes as fast as a few days. This includes implementation and testing
Are QR codes and barcodes the best data representations for this type of marketing campaign
Yes, because they are widely available and supported by various types of readers and phones.
About the authorGustaw Gawrysiak
A Python enthusiast with over four years of experience in the IT industry, Gustaw has spent the last several years implementing high-performance, efficient and scalable software products. In his current role, he oversees the development processes and also develops his own, while working with clients to design, develop and implement new software solutions. Gustaw's knowledge of the newest software solutions and product expertise has enabled him to help organizations grow and improve at every level of their operations.
About the authorMariusz Misiak
DevOps Engineer
With over five years of experience in a DevOps role, Mariusz combines technical knowledge with business skills, which empowers him to effectively deliver software in scalable cloud infrastructures and support business processes in campaign systems and data analysis. While he has supported international companies across sectors, Mariusz specializes in supporting transformation initiatives for the telecommunications industry.
