Smart introduces more innovations in customer care

When it comes to delivering seamless integrated customer management solutions, Smart Communications Inc. leads by utilizing the latest technological innovations.

Three months after unveiling its new corporate website, Smart will again be launching a series of new customer care features seen to enhance the delivery of services to its growing number of clients.

The company will be introducing a wireless data services area in selected business centers, allowing customers to experience the multimedia capabilities of their phones.

This will give subscribers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with mobile data applications such as Internet browsing, e-mail and mobile data fax using the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). Functions for Bluetooth and infrared technology will also be explained.

Smart’s online computer terminals – infokiosks – will also start incorporating the new website. With its enhanced features, the website makes available a host of online services that include change of billing address, international roaming activation, bills presentment, and bills payment via credit card or Smart Money.

The website-enhanced infokiosks will even allow Smart prepaid customers to inquire about their free text balance and reload history, and send online messages.

Coupled with the existing express payment systems, these interactive devices are seen to raise the company’s customer service to a higher level.

"What we’re really trying here is a new approach to customer care service. We want an active business center where there is more of the fast, efficient and automated transactions," said Ricky Isla, Smart customer care head.

"We want to make our customers’ visits a pleasant and highly informative experience," he added.

Early this year, Smart’s customer care people began producing infomercials that are now shown in the waiting area of each business center.

These short videos educate customers on basic cellphone features such as call forwarding, call conferencing, call barring and the like. The video aids also instruct customers on how to activate value-added services like international roaming, Zed, Smart Money and other multimedia messaging services.

"The videos even address billing concerns and after-sales services," said Bhrein Salazar, a customer communications supervisor. "Customers don’t have to line up to ask for basic things. They only need to watch, it’s right there on the instructional video."

Smart’s fast-growing subscriber base fast-tracked the development of these video aids and other customer care enhancements. The number of subscribers using the Smart network has risen to 9.4 million during the first quarter from 8.6 million in end-2002.

"With such a volume, there is really a business demand for a firm and focused customer relationship management," said Isla.

To address this, additional customer contact channels have been employed. Smart now operates at least eight customer care hotlines.

Aside from wireless centers, customer service can be accessed through the corporate, Gold, Internet and Smart Money hotlines, infokiosks, website, 64KSuperSIM customer care directory and Txt 888.