How to Launch a Cloud PBX Business as a Mobile Network Operator?

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February 24, 2024 · 9 min to read

Mobile operators have the opportunity to enhance the value of telephony by offering additional services for businesses. For example, with a cloud PBX, your subscribers won’t miss any calls, will be able to analyze each conversation, and automate call handling. In this guide, we will explore how a mobile operator can launch the cloud PBX service and enable B2B customers to control their businesses.

Step 1: Calculate a Financial Model

To begin with, develop a financial model to assess the profitability of the cloud PBX service. In the table, include the following aspects:

Pricing plans should be determined based on market readiness to pay, competitor prices, and vendor service costs.
The revenue side is influenced by the number of cloud PBX subscribers, average revenue per user (ARPU), ARPU growth dynamics, and the churn rate of clients.
The cost side depends on customer acquisition cost (CAC), platform maintenance expenses, and technical support costs.
Threats and scenarios should also be considered in the model. Various factors (e.g., technical issues) can impact the financial results.

Step 2: Choose a Platform for the Cloud PBX Service

To launch the service, you'll need a platform that:

Meets the requirements of mobile operators. One of these requirements is the availability of a mobile application since subscribers will manage the service from their phones, not just through a web interface.
Is already in use by other mobile operators. Work with a vendor who has connected at least a few mobile operators to their platform.
Can handle operator-level loads. The platform must be prepared for the growth of cloud PBX subscribers without compromising service quality. It’s a critical concern for mobile operators, who often experience high traffic levels.
Allows for the integration of mobile and fixed communications. Choose a platform that enables subscribers to use both mobile and desk phones in a unified network. If a call comes to a mobile number, the subscriber should be able to redirect the call to a desk phone.
Allows for the launch of current services. The vendor should update the platform every 2-3 weeks and ensure that the functionality meets market requirements.

After selecting a platform, proceed with the installation, connect telephony, and thoroughly test everything. Create the service in the billing system and input the new pricing plans there.

Step 3: Prepare the Product

The cloud PBX service needs to be localized and branded. Localization is necessary to make it convenient for subscribers in your country to use the service. Branding will enhance user trust in the new product, as the logo and corporate colors will be associated with the quality of a proven telephone company.

The branding and localization will be handled by the vendor’s engineers, your developers, or an integrating company implementing the product. Of course, it’s better to initially choose a vendor who can handle this process, as it will save you resources.

Step 4: Prepare a High-Quality Product Page

To provide your customers with detailed information about the cloud PBX service, create a dedicated product page on your website with a service presentation, interface screenshots, and a feedback form. You can also include a link to technical documentation.

This solution has another advantage: your sales representatives can visit the website and refresh their knowledge about the new product, which may be unfamiliar.

Step 5: Organize the Cloud PBX Sales System

To set up the cloud PBX sales system correctly, follow these steps:

Choose a cloud PBX sales strategy. It can be focused on existing or potential subscribers and small or large businesses. Pay particular attention to existing customers since they are more likely to adopt a new convenient service.
Define short-term and long-term sales goals. For example, a short-term plan could be to acquire 100 new customers in the first year of launching the cloud PBX, and a long-term goal could be to become a cloud PBX market leader in your country within three years.
Describe the customer onboarding process. Outline the process from when the customer agrees to activate the cloud PBX to when the customer confirms that everything is working. Initially, manually connect a couple of test customers and validate the system. Later, you can automate this process through integration with the billing platform.
Develop a sales plan for the first, second, and third years. Remember that as the subscriber base grows, ARPU increases, and customer churn decreases.
Set individual sales goals. A typical sales target for a sales or customer service representative is a minimum of 2 cloud PBX sales per month.
Organize cloud PBX sales alongside core services. For example, your sales representatives should aim to sell the cloud PBX to every fifth new B2B customer who signs up for corporate mobile communication.
Establish penetration metrics for the existing customer base. Experience shows that the overall service penetration level typically grows to around 35% of the subscriber base but no more.
Decide how you will sell the cloud PBX: with or without equipment. In the first case, you can sell only the mobile PBX service without equipment; in the second case, you can offer the cloud PBX for desk phones and the mobile PBX. We recommend paying attention to the second option, as users can redirect calls between mobile devices and desk phones.

Become a partner

Digital Tide will create a sales plan, brand the product, train your employees, and handle other critical aspects. You can focus only on sales.

Step 6: Develop an Employee Incentive Program

Employee motivation is essential, as selling a new service without it will be extremely challenging. For example, you can motivate employees in the following ways:

In the first 3−6 months after the service launch, a sales representative who sells the cloud PBX service to a subscriber receives 200% of the customer’s first subscription fee.
After the initial launch period, if a sales representative sells the cloud PBX service to a subscriber, they receive 100% of the customer’s first subscription fee.
Always. Pay sales managers 20% of each representative’s sales.

With such a program, reps and managers will quickly gain experience in successful sales, which will help them work more confidently, even without enhanced motivation.

Step 7: Develop a Marketing Strategy

Promoting the cloud PBX service online has proven very effective: many mobile operators connect hundreds or even thousands of subscribers monthly through online advertising.

The advantage of digital advertising is that it's a controllable channel: lead generation directly depends on how much money you invest. In other words, you can always pause your marketing efforts or, conversely, invest more in them.

Advertising is particularly crucial during the service launch phase: your sales representatives will find it easier to learn sales with customers who have come through advertising on their own. Thanks to this successful experience, your sales representatives will boldly sell the product through other channels.

Step 8: Train Your Employees

Your engineers need to know how to operate the platform, configure the cloud PBX for subscribers, and provide technical support. Typically, vendor engineers assist with this, but sometimes, the operator's employees have to figure out the platform themselves.

Training your employees is a crucial requirement for successful sales. Prepare video presentations, training courses, cheat sheets, templates, and call scripts. Explain what sets your service apart from other operator solutions.

Pay special attention to ensuring your sales representatives explain the product's value to end users. Mobile communication, coupled with the cloud PBX, allows subscribers to take control of their business. Thanks to call recording, every call can be analyzed, and employee feedback can be provided.

Choose one person from the team to whom others can always turn for assistance. In the initial stages, this may be a product manager responsible for the service launch and, later on, a sales representative who can quickly and effectively grasp the product.

Step 9. Make a Strong Announcement About the Product Launch

The final step is to issue a press release about your cloud PBX service for existing and potential customers. Write a news article about the new service on your website and distribute it through various channels: social media, newsletters, and SMS.

It’s crucial to not only inform your customers about the new product but also educate your employees. They need to clearly understand the cloud PBX and why this service is essential for your company.

Conclusion

Let’s recap each stage of launching the cloud PBX service to ensure nothing is overlooked:

1

Financial modeling.
When creating the financial plan, pay attention to plans, the expense side, the income side, and various scenarios.
2

Platform selection.
Choosing an easily scalable solution allows for launching an up-to-date service and doesn’t require substantial initial investments.
3

Product preparation.
Decide who will customize and localize the product — the vendor, your developers, or an integrating company.
4

Product presentation.
Prepare a dedicated landing page with detailed information about the product, interface screenshots, documentation, and a feedback form.
5

Sales system.
Set performance indicators you will require from your employees, decide whether you’ll sell cloud PBX with or without equipment, and provide a detailed description of the customer onboarding process.
6

Employee motivation.
Implement a system where your sales representatives and managers receive additional rewards for each cloud PBX service sale to subscribers.
7

Marketing.
Plan how you’ll promote the new service. Advertising will help your sales representatives gain the necessary experience working with leads.
8

Employee training.
Your engineers must understand how to operate the platform, and your sales representatives must be well-versed in sales techniques. For the latter, you can assign someone from your team with an in-depth understanding of the product.
9

Press release and distribution.
Write a news article about the new service and distribute it through various channels, such as social media and newsletters.

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Alexey Belyakov

CEO