In order to take these challenges, service providers need to achieve cross LOB integration supported by simplified operational processes. The ability of the service provider to achieve this integration in a cost effective manner, recognizing the significant investments already made in a number of legacy applications will be the key to achieving operational efficiency. The key here is obviously a move from a ‘Line of Business centric approach’ to a ‘Customer-centric’ approach.

This involves the development of the following capabilities:

• Mastering the customer, product and order information and having a single view into these
• Providing a single point of contact to the customers through the channel of their choice Simplifying, consolidating and optimizing product and service offerings across the enterprise with a view to exploiting the synergies
• Enabling accelerated and adaptive New Product Introduction which may include products, services and complimentary content and services from partners and third-party vendors

Developing these capabilities is not an over-night task. The move from the existing Line of Business based structures to more Customer Centric structures requires Business Transformation.