Telco Mergers: How to Keep
Customers Happy and Drive ROI

The Vodafone-Three deal is the latest in a long line of telco Mergers and Acquisitions including the high-profile Virgin-O2 merger which happened over two years ago. If the Vodafone-Three deal goes through, the merged company will have over 27 million customers, surpassing Virgin-O2 to create the UK’s largest mobile firm.

To deliver a sustainable and profitable M&A, bringing together customer records and packages efficiently will be key for ensuring that billing and services continue as normal for customers and will allow them to see the benefits of the merger through new personalised offers and products. At a time when reliance on connectivity is high and household budgets are squeezed, it’s critical to get this integration right to avoid losing customers in a market where it’s easy to switch. But this process is far more complex than copying records from one company to another – quality matters, by adopting the three steps to outlined in our insights, organisations can stay one step ahead in delivering a successful merger.

Newly merged telcos need to establish themselves as more innovative, reliable, and customer-centric than they were as separate companies. Data is at the heart of building this new image and must be considered early in the process to deliver a smooth transition that keeps customers happy. From here, the new company can prove the value of the deal to customers by offering new services, and providing faster,
more consistent customer service. In the long run, a better data strategy will allow the new company to hold their competitive advantage, gain a larger market share, and reap a return on investment.