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Say Goodbye to Slow Quotes: Transforming CSP Sales with Automation

29 October 2024

An efficient quoting process is more than just an internal workflow - it is a vital aspect of the customer experience. Often overlooked, the quoting stage is a key moment when your customers evaluate how much they can trust your company, and whether your solution meets their needs within budget. A slow or error-prone process diminishes trust and leads to a loss of opportunities, and decreased revenue.

Navigating the complexity of product compatibility: How telcos can achieve accuracy efficiently

17 October 2024

In today’s highly competitive market, businesses are continuously expanding their portfolios to offer a diverse range of products and services tailored to meet the specific needs of their customers. Hidden beneath the surface of seamless connectivity and diversification, telcos face the trickiest customer of all: product compatibility.

5 tips for optimizing product configuration

1 October 2024

In today’s market, the demand for customized and complex products and services has forced businesses to optimize their product configurations. However, effectively managing and selling configurable products and services is challenging.

4 reasons why you need to optimize your product configuration

24 September 2024

Product configuration is a critical aspect of the sales process, allowing customers to select products that meet their specific needs. Done well, it can offer businesses a competitive advantage in customer retention, efficiency and simplicity. A well-optimized product configuration process can streamline the sales process, boost revenue and much more.

AI & Telcos: Transforming B2B Sales and Operations

6 August 2024

In a landscape where administrative tasks dominate, product catalogs are complex and legacy systems disrupt, AI emerges as a key solution, projected to attain a $10.4 billion value by 20301 in the telco industry, offering capabilities far beyond traditional operational capabilities.

Mastering Omnichannel: Strategies, Challenges and Benefits

8 July 2024

Digital transformation and acceleration are reshaping the telco landscape, compelling companies to seek innovative ways to enhance profitability and customer experience. In an “always on” world where consumer expectations are constantly evolving, omnichannel has become a necessity.

Unshackling Telcos: Navigating pitfalls and imperatives for CPQ and order management success

28 May 2024

Last time, we demonstrated that in order for CSPs to provide an omnichannel experience and become more than connectivity providers, they need to implement a CPQ and OMS that provide great agility when it comes to commercial innovation, solution selling and scalability performance.

Achieve commercial innovation and agility with CPQ and Commercial Order Management systems

9 May 2024

Part 2 of our "Unshackling Telcos" blog series continues our exploration of the ways telcos can break free from the restrictions placed on them by old and cumbersome technical architecture.

Unshackle your telco business with clear business transformation goals

22 April 2024

We spend a lot of time talking to key decision makers at large CSPs about the challenges they face. Right now, they are feeling intense pressures as costs escalate, competition intensifies and B2B customer expectations become more exacting.

Unlocking success: The 5 key benefits of intelligent decoupling

8 April 2024

In today's fast-paced business world, where adaptability and resilience are essential, intelligent decoupling has emerged as a strategic game-changer. This blog explores its pivotal benefits, highlighting how it drives innovation and scalability while reducing costs.

CPQ Implementations in 2024: What Challenges are B2B Companies Still Facing?

21 March 2024

Breaking down the elements and the use of CPQ, the general assumption is that it’s an easy tool allowing sales teams to configure products and services, input pricing and generate quotes. By automating manual tasks, reducing errors, and facilitating personalized quoting options, CPQ systems promise to revolutionize sales operations and drive revenue.

In Conversation with CloudSense: a round up of series one of our podcast

5 March 2024

As the dust settles on the start of our podcast journey, we take a look back at some of the best bits from our first series of In Conversation with CloudSense, featuring our very own Vish Kumar, Senior VP of Product Management.

Why making your sales teams lives easier will benefit your business

4 March 2024

In today’s competitive landscape, ensuring that your sales teams have the tools and resources they need to excel is paramount. Sales professionals often encounter productivity challenges stemming from overly intricate systems and manual tasks.

The Media Landscape in 2024

19 February 2024

The media landscape this year continues to evolve at a rapid pace, presenting various opportunities, but also challenges for publishers, advertisers and media organizations. The core question in the media world is “how do we effectively reach audiences online, and deliver measurable results?”

From Chaos to Clarity: The Power of a B2B Product Catalog

5 February 2024

In this era of digital consumerism1, the expectation for seamless access to consistent product information is essential. At the heart of any thriving business lies the product catalog, serving as its backbone.

In conversation with CloudSense podcast episode 2: Market Share

1 February 2024

Listen to Episode 2 - Market Share now:

B2B Order Management FAQs Answered: Boost Speed, Slash Costs, Delight Customers

22 January 2024

With the right B2B order management software, businesses can achieve the following:

How can telcos satisfy their need for speed?

9 January 2024

Of the myriad frustrations expressed by today’s B2B telcos, techcos and MSPs, many of them come down to the same question: can’t we do this faster?

The (third-party) cookie has crumbled

28 November 2023

Third-party cookies have been advertisers’ primary strategy for collecting user data and tracking behavior for many years.

3 ways your product catalog may be causing you pain

6 November 2023

Today’s customers are a greedy bunch: demanding a greater range of products, delivered faster than ever before. What’s more, they expect to be able to buy through whichever channel is most convenient to them. As many as 80% of buyers1 say the experience a company offers is as important as its product or services.

Top reasons for deal failure that can be easily fixed

18 September 2023

It’s one thing to have trouble enticing new customers to your product. But what’s even worse is when you have their attention… only for your deal to fall through.

Is your telco business leaving money on the table?

11 September 2023

Telecoms sales in the digital era The pressure is on to achieve growth and increase margins, and sales teams are being tasked with improving customer acquisition and retention rates while reducing operating costs. That is a challenge for anyone, but especially in the telecoms sector, where highly-customized, multi-year deals are expected.

What is a techco? Exploring the differences between a telco and techco

15 August 2023

The telecommunications industry has been undergoing major transformations recently, and in the past couple of years in particular we’ve been hearing lots of talk about Communication Service Providers (CSPs) wanting to transition from telco to techco; but what does this actually mean?

2 more major issues currently impacting telcos, and how to deal with them

31 July 2023

In order to succeed in today’s troubled economy, telcos need to navigate a series of challenges and emerging trends, while being open to revisiting their business approach.

3 major issues currently impacting telcos, and how to deal with them

24 July 2023

In order to succeed in today’s troubled economy, telcos need to navigate a series of challenges and emerging trends, while being open to revisiting their business approach.

The secrets to streamlining a commercial order management system

17 July 2023

As many as 90% of businesses1 are thought to be holding themselves back by relying on outdated tech stacks. US businesses2 lose up to $1.8 trillion yearly in wasted productivity due to obsolete technology. This is just one of the reasons why transformation is on people’s minds: to remove the waste in the end-to-end journey.

Guide to preventing order fallout

12 June 2023

Rapid technological evolution and expanding consumer expectations have dramatically transformed the processes that feed into order fulfillment; the order management lifecycle has become more complex and incorporates more components than ever before.

Why smart reporting is critical for intelligent decision-making

17 April 2023

Success in today’s competitive business landscape is harder than it has ever been. Businesses are under pressure from rising costs, cuts in consumer spending and on-going economic volatility.

The media landscape and its challenges in 2023

27 March 2023

The last few years have been chaotic to say the least, leaving media organizations struggling to adapt to changes in audience behavior. The industry has suffered additional blows, thanks to economic uncertainty, the demise of third-party cookies, and budget cuts.

2 vital questions telco IT leaders need to ask in 2023

27 February 2023

With recession and inflation being key themes of 2023, the average business needs to ensure that revenue is grown, costs streamlined, and inefficiencies reduced.

3 vital questions telco operations leaders need to ask in 2023

20 February 2023

With recession and inflation being key themes of 2023, the average business needs to ensure that revenue is grown, costs streamlined, and inefficiencies reduced.

3 vital questions telco sales leaders need to ask in 2023

13 February 2023

With recession and inflation being key themes of 2023, the average business needs to ensure that revenue is grown, costs streamlined, and inefficiencies reduced.

What is CPQ and why is it important in 2023?

16 January 2023

With fast-evolving technology, ever-rising consumer expectations, products launching competition as intense as ever, businesses need an agile solution to make it through the economic challenges of 2023. To add to the pot, businesses are juggling building products, determining prices, integrating data, creating quotes and managing customer relationships.

Modern pain points: IT

19 December 2022

As we face an unstable economic climate and recession, businesses worldwide need to act quickly to weather the storm. In particular, enterprises need to prevent their key players from being held back by standard challenges that will only be exacerbated by these financial pressures.

Modern pain points: Chief Product Officer

12 December 2022

As we face down an unstable economic climate and recession, businesses worldwide need to act quickly to weather the storm. In particular, enterprises need to prevent their key players from being held back by the common challenges that will only be exacerbated by these financial pressures.

Modern pain points: Operations and Transformation

5 December 2022

As we face down an unstable economic climate and recession, businesses worldwide need to act quickly to weather the storm. In particular, enterprises need to prevent their key players from being held back by standard challenges that will only be exacerbated by these financial pressures.

Modern pain points: Sales Directors

28 November 2022

As we face an unstable economic climate and recession, businesses worldwide need to act quickly to weather the storm. In particular, enterprises need to prevent their key players from being held back by standard challenges that will only be exacerbated by these financial pressures.

Overcoming barriers to delivering a digital-first B2B customer experience

24 October 2022

This is an excerpt from a recently published ebook in collaboration with TM Forum “Towards Automation: Improving the B2B Customer Experience”. You can download the full ebook here.

4 top challenges faced by CSPs when considering launching a B2B marketplace

29 September 2022

The telco industry is having another growth spurt, with the “Everything-as-a-Service” business model representing an estimated $400-700 billion opportunity. With FOMO like that it’s no wonder that 75% of telcos are feeling the need to adopt digital transformation.

Get ready for Digital Transformation World 2022’s Catalyst Program

7 September 2022

Modern problems require modern solutions, and nowhere is this more true than in the telecommunications industry, where the waves of new technologies, innovations and trends exert pressure on businesses to stay creative.

Marketplaces: now that you’re up and running, how do you stay on top?

1 September 2022

We have invited Shri Krishan, Senior Industry Principal at Infosys to give some of his insights and thoughts on an exciting trend in the telecommunications space: Marketplaces.

How MSPs can capitalize on the surge in demand for digital infrastructure

30 August 2022

In June 2022, ConnectBase founder and CEO Ben Edmond joined CloudSense’s Vice President of Industry Solutions, Vish Kumar and Vice President of Sales, Craig Stansberry, for a virtual roundtable to discuss how businesses can capitalize on the prodigious growth in demand for Managed Services.

Marketplaces: the building blocks to success

23 August 2022

We have invited Shri Krishan, Senior Industry Principal at Infosys to give some of his insights and thoughts on an exciting trend in the telecommunications space: Marketplaces.

Why an efficient access quoting process is so important

22 August 2022

In this era of self-serve, convenience and automation, companies are feeling the pressure to provide instant results to their consumers. Demands for connectivity, and other complex solutions are placing a spotlight on organizational inefficiencies, forcing telcos to reinvent the way they provide services to consumers.

Spotlight on modern tech: AI and Machine Learning

5 August 2022

All the way back in 2017, Accenture was already trumpeting Artificial Intelligence’s potential to increase corporate profitability by 38% by 2035; but it is safe to say that AI is changing our lives more than we even predicted - even if we don’t always notice it.

How CSPs can build a marketplace to last

21 July 2022

Marketplaces are generating a lot of buzz these days, promising revenue growth for communications service providers while allowing them to grow and thrive in the modern digital landscape. Emboldened by emerging IoT and 5G services, many of the world’s largest carriers have significant interest in transforming themselves into telco marketplaces.

9 signs you need CPQ

29 June 2022

Organizations and their sales personnel are often held back by legacy architecture with disconnected data and systems that force them to undertake tedious, repetitive, mundane manual tasks that consume their day and hinder their productivity. As a result, customers are no longer satisfied with the speed at which they receive quotes, having a negative push on profitability.

11 stats you need to know about CPQ

28 June 2022

Today’s business climate is more agile than ever before, with digital transformation forcing companies to rethink what they sell, and how they sell it. Consumers are demanding more, B2B sales across industries are becoming more complex, and companies are feeling the pressure to deliver. Cue Configure, Price, Quote: a suite of applications that help transform the complex process of configuring products and services into a simple and straightforward one.

What is CPQ - and how can it help your business?

23 June 2022

Time management is essential – especially for your sales team.

How to integrate a marketplace into an omnichannel B2B customer experience

13 June 2022

This blog is an extract from a larger in-depth guide, in collaboration with TM Forum, entitled “How to build a successful digital marketplace”. You can download and read the full guide for free by clicking this link.

How publishers can minimize customer churn

10 June 2022

Earlier this year, CloudSense hosted a media-themed roundtable event in the Asia-Pacific region, with attendees from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and more. Our speakers had excellent media credentials: David Rowley, Senior director of data and identity product platforms, products, and platforms at NewsCorp USA, and Carolina Fernandez, Platform solutions consultant for AdForm, and former Director for customer success and Ad Operations at Advanced Local/Condé Nast. We summarized the key points from the first half of the roundtable in this blog. Below, we’ve put together highlights from the remainder of the event.

How productivity is key to publisher revenue

24 May 2022

After a successful roundtable event in North America, CloudSense hosted a follow up media roundtable event in the Asia-Pacific region, with attendees from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and more. The speakers had excellent media credentials: David Rowley, Senior director of data and identity at NewsCorp USA, and Carolina Fernandez, Platform solutions consultant for AdForm, and former Director for customer success and Ad Operations at Advanced Local/Condé Nast. Below, we’ve put together highlights from the event.

CPQ should lie at the heart of your digital transformation strategy

18 May 2022

In our rapidly evolving world, businesses are gearing up for digital transformation to evolve in response. They have to: the complex nature of the digital-first landscape makes achieving success more competitive than ever.

What is a marketplace, and how can CSPs capitalize on them?

12 May 2022

As telcos search for ways to broaden their value to customers, marketplaces have been expanding at a rapid pace, with a 130% YoY growth in collective sales on B2B marketplaces in 2021.

The 5 main pitfalls and challenges of digital transformation

4 May 2022

Digital transformations pose a bit of a dilemma to businesses: on the one hand they are vital to ensure that a business stays competitive during times of rapid change; on the either hand, they also carry a risk of failure that makes hesitancy understandable.

5 statistics about MSPs, 5G, Comms as a Service and Marketplaces that you need to know

27 April 2022

One third of the way in and 2022 is already fast and furious, with a lot to take in. Businesses and consumers have had to rapidly adapt to changes in the environment, from cloud adoption, digital transformation, the aftermath of the pandemic and various other events. Amidst all of these changes, Managed Service Providers, 5G, Communications as a Service providers and marketplaces are key puzzle pieces within the post-pandemic telco landscape. Here are 5 stats you need to know in 2022.

4 statistics about marketplaces that telcos need to know

13 April 2022

There is a lot of buzz around marketplaces right now. Emboldened by emerging IoT and 5G services, many of the world’s largest carriers have significant interest in becoming a telco marketplace.

8 reasons CloudSense is Salesforce native

8 April 2022

Since CloudSense started, we’ve been proud to be 100% Salesforce-native. From day one, we’ve focused on adding functionality to Salesforce to help organizations in a growing range of industries to take Salesforce further.

Key challenges faced by Managed Service Providers

28 March 2022

There is no time like the present, and that’s especially true for Managed Service Providers. With the pandemic driving changes in both consumer behavior and business operations, more and more businesses are seeking exactly the kinds of solutions MSPs can provide.

Exploring Zero, First and Second party data

21 March 2022

In today’s hyperconnected world, collecting consumer data from every touchpoint is essential. From changes in privacy regulations, GDPR and the demise of cookies, the saying that “change is the only constant” remains an undeniable truth within the media industry.

CloudSense earns 2022 CPQ Gold Medal rating from Info-Tech Research Group

14 March 2022

Global analyst firm, Info-Tech Research Group recently performed an extensive analysis of the CPQ market, collecting end-user feedback on providers to determine their performance along a variety of metrics, including Net Emotional Footprint, Vendor Capabilities, Product Features, and Likeliness to Recommend.

Why customers increasingly require flexibility in their media ad buying

28 February 2022

We have recently explored how the past few years have ushered in major changes to the media ad sales space: the digitization of audience consumption habits has accelerated, print and other traditional media types have waned, and marketing departments find themselves having to do more with less and re-focussing their strategy on digital advertising, as budgets were slashed.

Maximizing productivity and programmatic success in 2022 and beyond

10 February 2022

On 7 December 2021, CloudSense hosted an exclusive roundtable event led by LiveIntent CMO Kerel Cooper and CloudSense VP of Media Solutions Stuart Schauman. Together they explored the many challenges and changes facing the publishing industry, particularly as they impact return on investment and profitability.

Managing scale in a 5G world

7 February 2022

On January 27, CloudSense’s Global telecommunications lead, Vish Kumar, and Industry Principal Consultant at Infosys, Shri Krishan joined one another to investigate and discuss the coming challenges to the industry brought by 5G, and how B2B telcos in particular should manage the greater complexity that is coming their way.

How automated messaging can help your business

24 January 2022

In the digital-first world that we live in, customers expect businesses to go the extra mile to accommodate their wants and needs. One important way of doing that is keeping them informed with automated messages not only through email, but directly to their phone via SMS and WhatsApp.

Why this is a pivotal moment for Communications as service providers

14 January 2022

An important, although perhaps predictable, phenomenon of the past two years has been that the changes in business and consumer behavior that emerged in the wake of the pandemic seem to be sticky.

Media publishers’ lessons from 2021 and resolutions for 2022

7 January 2022

Well, 2021 was quite a year. Although optimistically predicted to be a return to normal back in January, if anything it was even stranger than 2020.

The telco industry’s lessons from 2021 and resolutions for 2022

7 January 2022

Well, 2021 was quite a year. Although optimistically predicted to be a return to normal back in January, if anything it was even stranger than 2020.

Challenges to telco in the post-Covid world

17 December 2021

The sudden shift in everyone’s lives that Covid brought about cemented the vital importance of the telecommunications industry in keeping societies, governments and businesses connected during crisis periods, and a new landscape has emerged in its wake.

Enabling revenue growth with digitized ad sales

9 December 2021

It’s hard to believe that we are approaching the end of 2021; the past two years really do feel like a blur, and we have emerged out the other end in a significantly altered digital ad sales landscape.

How telcos can maximize ROI from 5G

9 November 2021

It’s easy to feel a bit sorry for 5G: its potential is enormous, but it was dealt a massive PR blow over the past two years thanks to hare-brained conspiracies and misinformation linking it to the transmission of Covid.

Cookie cutter: The end of third-party cookies

1 November 2021

Whether you are on a diet or not, the constant reminders of - and pleas to consent to - cookies as we navigate the internet are something we all became quietly resigned to in recent years.

Challenges and opportunities on the horizon for B2B telecommunications providers

29 October 2021

The B2B telecommunications world is currently experiencing a set of interesting upheavals.

4 reasons your business needs price plan  recommendations

19 October 2021

Everybody loves a good deal, whether buying for ourselves, friends and family, or our work – we all want the best value for money.

Telcos and OTT applications: Compete, Partner or Accept?

12 October 2021

Remember all the hand-wringing we did back in the 2000s about “text speak corrupting the language of the younger generation”? You don’t really hear those complaints any more - so what happened?

How advertisers are responding to the “new normal”

7 October 2021

Advertising - for better or worse - is an inescapable part of modern life, but it’s sobering to learn quite how much our exposure to it has grown in just a few decades.

Hybrid working: a major opportunity for CSPs

20 September 2021

If you cast your mind back to pre-2020 times, “hybrid”, “agile” or “flexible” working was already becoming a major selling point for companies to employees.

How to give your customers exactly what they want from advertising

10 September 2021

The ongoing proliferation of media channels that businesses can advertise through has given marketers more choice than ever in how they promote their products and services. This has compelled them to think more strategically - scientifically, even - about the specific media channels they choose to employ.

Smooth operations: secrets of a successful ad platform transformation

2 September 2021

The publishing and advertising landscape has undergone massive changes in the past quarter of a century, and even to this day digitization is exerting unexpected forces on the industry, e.g. the predicted accelerated growth of VR advertising and e-sport advertising.

How publishers are transforming their sales operations

1 September 2021

How we consume media, the delivery of media and the way we pay for media is always changing. So it’s no surprise the industry is undergoing major transformation with new trends, new processes and new technologies.

How an all-in-one ad operations solution benefits multiple departments

24 August 2021

We’ve written before about the risks of running a patchwork of unrelated systems for your ad operations, and how a central hub can help media organizations streamline their ad sales.

How Telcos can improve B2B buying journeys

4 August 2021

Telcos all over the world are chasing new ways to add value to their offerings.

Falling over with too much ad tech?

30 July 2021

Fulfilling your entire ad sales cycle means you’ll need to integrate with other systems. And as digital advertising has boomed, so has the amount of ad tech available.

Why CSPs need to tap into the 5G opportunity

22 July 2021

5G technology promises a whole new level of hyperconnectivity and innovation across the board.

3 ways CSPs can accelerate their B2B revenue growth

16 July 2021

Traditionally, most global Communication Service Providers (CSPs) have always focused on the B2C market. But times are changing – telcos are shifting from consumer to enterprise.

Capturing value in the booming B2B enterprise market

21 June 2021

As emerging digital technologies drive service and business model innovation the enterprise B2B space in Telecommunications is booming.

4 foundations for B2B growth in Telecommunications

3 June 2021

The B2B Telco market sits on the cusp of an exciting new era. There are golden opportunities for any CSP set up to support your B2B customers’ ambitions with 5G and cloud services.

Why a central hub is the secret to ad booking success

19 May 2021

A poorly integrated patchwork of systems is a common problem for Media businesses.

[Infographic] Spreadsheets vs CPQ – what's best for your business?

29 April 2021

Managing complex quotes is a challenge at the best of times.

The 5 challenges CSPs should tackle today to thrive in B2B

21 April 2021

CSPs have a lot to live up to. Easy to use, digital and hyper-personalized B2B experiences are now baseline expectations.

8 must-haves for any future-proof CPQ solution

13 April 2021

There’s no pressing pause on technology’s progress. So your sales process should only be going in one direction: faster, more personalized and more digitized. (Ok, make that three directions.)

5 strategies for a thriving Ad Sales function

24 March 2021

Waves of digitalization continue to wash over the Media industry.

4 ways CSPs can turn B2B operational efficiency into a revenue driver

17 March 2021

Operational efficiency isn’t a glamorous initiative. It doesn’t muster the same as excitement as a new product launch or next-gen tech feature. But it’s time that changed.

11 technology considerations for CSPs choosing a digital storefront

10 March 2021

Delivering the right digital experience for your customers has never been more important. It’s also never been more difficult.

Build vs Buy software – what’s best for your business?

7 December 2020

The build vs buy software dilemma. It’s a decision you can spend days deliberating as you weigh up the pros and cons.

7 tips for a successful CPQ implementation

16 November 2020

You’ve given the green light on your Configure Price Quote (CPQ) project – or you’re not far from it. Congratulations! You’ll soon be sealing deals and reaping the rewards CPQ can offer your business.

3 CPQ benefits for your business

29 October 2020

Deal or no deal? It doesn’t have to come down to chance.

Why CPQ continues to grow

30 September 2020

Configure price quote, or CPQ, is big business.

Why delivery matters regardless of what you sell

18 August 2020

When someone says delivery, you probably picture a mailman at your door with a parcel.

How to win over your customers with flexible subscriptions

15 July 2020

Nowadays we don’t buy, we subscribe. From cars and clothes, to co-working spaces.

How digital self-service benefits your entire business

9 June 2020

In the past, online self-service was seen as inconvenient. It was faster and easier to rely on a person, rather than often slow and erratic technology.

8 ways to reduce friction from your Digital Commerce store

21 May 2020

Ever clicked on a company’s website only to be sent to a blank loading page? Or been faced with a lengthy online checkout? If so, you’ve experienced customer friction.

37 Digital Commerce statistics worth knowing in 2020

7 May 2020

Customers have been forced online faster than anyone could have anticipated. This accelerated digital demand has made Digital Commerce even more vital to your business’ success – now and in the future.

5 common challenges slowing growth for Data Center Owners

18 June 2018

This year, the colocation and data storage landscape continues to grow significantly, largely due to the rise of a new breed of tech and media companies looking to store their present and future data.