7 Essential Features of Great MVNO Providers

MVNOs, or Mobile Virtual Network Operators, are a fantastic consumer option. Rather than owning their own wireless network infrastructure, MVNOs maintain relationships with infrastructure owners and then resell access to the end user. As middle-men, MVNOs handle the difficult negotiating and are able to provide advantageous packages to consumers based on the bulk pricing they receive. 

If you are considering working with an MVNO, make sure that you look for these 7 essential features. These are the things that make an MVNO provider great. 

1. Agreements with multiple networks for high speed access wherever their clients are. Some MVNOs have agreements with just one network, but great ones have agreements with multiple networks. This ensures coverage and redundancy, so that the end user never goes without the service they need. Working with an MVNO that maintains multiple agreements means better pricing, more coverage, and higher speeds.

2. Advantageous pricing since MVNOs do not need to pay to maintain their own wireless networks. Most people assume that MVNOs mark-up wireless communication access in order to make money off of their contracts. Amazingly, the opposite is true. Since MVNOs do not have to maintain their own wireless infrastructure, their business costs are significantly less than the companies that do own their own networks A great MVNO will then pass those savings along to the consumer, making MVNOs the more economical choice.

3. Provide perks like hotspot data, free gifts, and pricing promotions. Most people come to MVNOs for wireless network access, but some perks and incentives can change a satisfied customer to an elated customer. A great MVNO will offer their customer more reasons to love them. Things like hotspots, pricing promotions, and free devices can really move the customer satisfaction needle.

4. Customizable packages to meet consumer needs. The big wireless access providers that own their own networks tend to provide the same services to everyone, regardless of their individual needs. Their packages are rigid, and if they don’t work perfectly for you, you are expected to adapt as the consumer. MVNOs enjoy more freedom than that, and good ones will offer customizable packages.

5. Fantastic customer service. Large companies can be frustratingly hard to get in touch with when support is needed. It is not uncommon for consumers to sit on hold for hours on end before ever speaking to a rep. Since MVNOs do not have to maintain their own infrastructure, good ones choose to put their resources into fantastic customer support so that their customers can always quickly and easily reach out with frustrations and questions.

6. Easy to use online service. Most people today prefer to handle everything online, which is why the most successful MVNOs invest in online services rather than brick and mortar stores. The easier online services are to use, the happier the customer.

7. Strong marketing. Finally, great MVNOs make sure that the marketplace knows who they are! The biggest name in the industry are the companies that own their own networks. Most consumers do not even realize that MVNOs are an option. Great MVNOs market their advantages, and market them a lot in order to convert and maintain more customers.

Can Self-Care Solutions Help Improve MVNO’s Customer Base?

MVNOs, or Mobile Virtual Network Operators, operate between wireless network infrastructures and the end user of wireless communication. MVNOs work directly with mobile network operators to negotiate bulk pricing, and then set up packages for the end user. As a result, the customer gets advantageous pricing, and a reliable company to provide billing and support, and the MVNO does not have to invest in their own wireless network infrastructure. 

A major component of an MVNOs value proposition is customer support. When wireless communication fails, end users need someone to reach out to, and most MVNOs step gracefully into that role. Setting up a strong customer support network is vital. Without a satisfied customer base, MVNOs would not be able to sustain a business. A balance must be struck between an MVNOs investment into customer service programs, customer satisfaction, and incoming revenue. 

Self-care solutions provide a fantastic and low-cost way to keep customers informed, attended to, and satisfied. 

A self-care customer support solution is essentially a glossary of everything a customer may need to know about the product or service they have purchased. An evolution of FAQ sections, most self-care solutions feature topical articles, video tutorials, and diagrams that explain aspects of the product or service to the end user. Some companies call these Knowledge Hubs, others call them Customer Portals, but most call them self-care solutions. The idea is to empower the customer to find answers to their questions without having to reach out to a customer support agent. 

If you are interested in setting up a self-care solution for your MVNO, consider including articles, flyers, or videos on the following topics:

• An outline of the packages available to your customer base. Customers that may be considering working with you or changing their existing services with you should be able to do their own research on what is available without having to call an agent.

• What happens in the event of an outage. Everyone today relies on mobile communication, and so the prospect of an outage strikes fear in the hearts of many. Assure your clients that your MVNO has a plan for outages by providing details of that plan that customers can find on their own.

• An explanation of your relationship with the mobile network operator that supports your customer’s communication plans. This will help them to understand where exactly their services are coming from.

These are just a few examples of self-care assets you can create to appeal to and improve your customer base. 

When it comes time to create the material for your self-care solution, make sure to consider the following elements:

• Content relevance. Is what you are looking to develop directly relevant to your audience, or is it only interesting to you as an MVNO leader?

• Content clarity. Wireless communication is a confusing industry with a lot of acronyms and complicated explanations for things that most people take for granted (like placing a wireless call). Remember to keep all of your content simple, clear, and easy for a layman to understand.

• User Experience. Make your self-care solution clean and easy to navigate. Put your most relevant pieces up top, and make searching simple and intuitive.

Remember, the heavy lifting you do now to set up your self-care solution will save your customer support team time and effort later on.

What makes a successful MVNO

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) play a crucial role in the market. They operate as the middlemen between mobile network operators who own wireless network infrastructures, and the end users who want to access wireless communications services. Every day, people rely on MVNOs to place calls without even realizing it. The mark of a good MVNO is its ability to reliably and seamlessly provide services such that all but the most savvy customers do not even realize that they are a part of the service equation. If you are considering entering the MVNO space, it is important to understand what success looks like, and the steps you will need to take in order to be successful.

Here are three more qualities that make a successful MVNO:

Reliability:

Frustration surrounding dropped calls is largely universal. When people today pick up their phones to make a call, they are not thinking about the incredible technology that allows them to reach anyone, anywhere, at any time. They do not consider the satellites circling the globe, the wireless network infrastructures that had to be created, or how that infrastructure is leveraged in a way that allocates network connection to them. MVNOs fit into that last and final part of the equation. They ensure that the technology and infrastructure that supports wireless communication is actually delivered to the end user in ways that make them usable. Technology and infrastructure do an end user no good if they cannot access it and use it. A good MVNO ensures connection every single time - without fail and without interruption. 

Cost-Effectiveness:

By purchasing bulk access to network services at wholesale rates, MVNOs can provide customized service at price points that work for their target markets. For example, the big 4 providers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile) may not offer customized plans at the same level that MVNOs can. If your target market is price sensitive, as an MVNO you can slice and dice services in a way that is less expensive to the end user, and will therefore drive them to choose you over a large provider. 

Strong Relationships:

Successful MVNOs maintain fantastic relationships with the mobile network operators they purchase from. The fact is that MVNOs cannot exist without MNOs, so it is important for MVNOs not to bite the hand that feeds. Strong relationships led to better rates, quicker problem solves, and more services that MVNOs can eventually pass on to their clients. MVNOs that breed tension with MNOs do not last very long in the marketplace. This space is competitive, so in order to ensure success MVNOs have to network effectively.

How Telgoo5 Supports MVNOs:

Telgoo5’s modular platform offers an Omni Channel CRM, billing, online charging, and a payment engine that drives many of the global brands in the MVNO space. We handle business logistics so that MVNOs do not have to. We support connections between MVNOs and their target audience, and we are so effective that most end users do not even realize we are there. If you are looking to launch and/or maintain a successful MVNO, you need to work with Telgoo5.