Customers in driver's seat through next phase in digital strategy

Telstra will extensively change the way it interacts with its customers through significant investment in new digital technology over the next three years – the next phase of the company’s digital strategy.

The company wide program, Digital First, will deliver major customer improvements, giving greater control over accounts, services, technical appointments, support options and product features to customers.

Telstra CEO David Thodey said Telstra was accelerating its move to become a ‘Digital First’ company, extending its digital agenda beyond sales, service and marketing to all parts of the business.

“We have listened to our customers and know many of them want the convenience of dealing with us on their terms in their own time. Improving and simplifying our online relationship with them will help to deliver this,” Mr Thodey said.

“We are challenging the way we do things to make life simpler and more convenient for our customers, giving them greater control in managing their telecommunications needs whether that be through our Telstra stores, contact centers or digitally.

“This month, we will commence the rollout of a new, enhanced technical support model: ADSL and mobile customers will be sent a unique code with their modem or mobile device which will allow us to provide tailored information so they gain the information they need faster and with fewer contact points.

“As part of our Digital First strategy we will be looking at every Telstra product and service to see if there is a way we can provide this through digital channels as well as in-store or over the phone.”

For example, under Digital First, Telstra will review ways to improve field force customer engagement. This will include initiatives to better automate job allocation and integrated mapping to get technicians to jobs quicker and more efficiently, while keeping customers updated on the estimated arrival time. This will provide greater convenience and remove the need for customers to be available at home for large blocks of time.

“Digital First will build on the digital improvements we have made in the past two years, which include increasing the number of self service options on our MyAccount service and offering 24/7 Live Chat options, however we know we can do even more in the digital arena to make life simpler and more convenient for our customers,” said Mr Thodey.

Telstra has more than six million unique visitors to Telstra.com each month – making this our single biggest contact channel. Forty four per cent of Telstra service transactions are now managed online, up from 26% in 2011, and the Telstra 24x7 App® has been downloaded more than 3.5 million times.

To support the digital agenda and investment in Australia’s digital future, Telstra is establishing Digital Transformation Centres in Sydney and Melbourne dedicated to delivering digital services under this program. This will result in new positions for technologists and business experts.