Resellers wanting more speed, automation and visibility throughout the leased line ordering and provisioning process have welcomed ICUK's new addition to its web-based control panel.
Ordering leased lines can be complex and frustrating for a reseller but Surrey-based ICUK reckons it has made the process a breeze with the introduction of a new provisioning tool within its web-based control panel. Designed and developed in house, the control panel sits at the heart of ICUK's channel engagement methodology and enables resellers to place orders, create tariffs, manage customers, run diagnostics in real-time and book Openreach engineers in just a few clicks. Customers can also log-in under a reseller's own custom branding and manage their own services.
The tool came about as a direct result of the service provider's ongoing success with Ethernet sales, as ICUK's founding director Paul Barnett explained: "Our Ethernet sales increased by over 400 per cent last year and continue to grow month-on-month. This posed a challenge as the leased line provisioning process was not nearly as automated and slick as other products in our portfolio, so we worked hard to fix it."
ICUK says it has taken the approach it applies to all its other products - ADSL, FTTC, WLR3, Wholesale calls and web hosting - to address the issue. Paul Lydon, Senior Developer, said: "We wanted to make sure that the quoting, delivery and diagnostic experiences of an Ethernet circuit were the best we could develop. And we wanted to ensure consumers know where they stand at all times, giving them full confidence that we are working for them throughout and beyond the provisioning process."
Regardless of an order's complexity ICUK has devised a simple flow chart (see below) showing the state of a current Ethernet order and the steps required to reach completion. Resellers can follow the exact movement of a provision and get real-time notifications confirming when a new stage has been reached. "The notifications are an important element in providing assurance and removing any unnecessary anxiety the customer may have by outlining what event has just happened, what happens next, what the customer needs to do now, and most importantly when we will next be in touch by," said Business Development Manager Neil Barnett (pictured).
ICUK has also included white label step-by-step install guides with the managed Cisco routers they supply with each circuit, removing the need for channel partners to visit the end user site. Paul Benn of Enterprise Connected Cloud commented: "When ICUK gave us a demo of the leased line quoting tool it generated a customer-ready PDF showing prices for various speeds provided by BT Wholesale and Virgin Media Business, including our chosen margin, in less than 60 seconds. Needless to say, we were impressed."
FLOWCHART: ICUK's ORDER OF THE DAY
