Your Path to Success during the Big PSTN Switch Off

Seamlessly Transition Customers and Maximize Sales with The Layer

The provision of telecommunications services is undergoing significant transformation as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switch-off looms closer. According to a whitepaper by Cisco, Gamma and BT, fewer than 10% of businesses are adequately prepared for this transition. In September 2023, there will be a nationwide ‘stop sell’ of traditional analogue and ISDN services, and in 2027 they will be phased out leading to a complete shift towards Internet Protocol (IP) based communications. The PSTN switch-off has been discussed for the past five years and now the date is quickly approaching after many postponements. At Layer Systems, we’re here to help you navigate the change by providing a practical approach so you can unlock new sales opportunities, maximise your revenue potential and continue to provide top levels of service around complex product sets.

Understanding the PSTN Switch-Off

The PSTN switch-off marks a pivotal moment in the telecommunications landscape. Older technologies, including the PSTN network, will be replaced with newer technologies which is fuelled by growing demand for more cost effective, faster, reliable, and secure connectivity from end customers and a need for suppliers to build networks that are more resilient, and easier to deploy and maintain.

BT highlights the imminent changes and emphasizes the need for businesses to embrace IP-based technologies. The switch-off will enable businesses to harness the power of modern communication tools, such as cloud-based platforms, collaboration software, and integrated voice services. Channel partners play a critical role in preparing their customers for this transition, ensuring a smooth migration to Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and IP-based systems.

What happens if customers are not moved in time?

Hopefully this isn’t something you will have to face, but if your customers are not migrated from the PSTN services before the switch off in January 2027, then their services will stop working and there’s also the risk that customers are targeted by competitors first.

We recognise the importance of delivering a seamless transition and The Layer provides all the necessary tools to help you proactively and efficiently communicate this change to your customers.

“The Layer has become an essential tool for organising the day ahead, enhancing customer communication and ensuring accurate order delivery for our UC products and services – no matter how big the project!” Jamie Andrews, Provisioning & Support Engineer, Yappl

Proactive Customer Communication

Effective customer communication is paramount during the PSTN switch-off. With The Layer, you can proactively monitor PSTN users to keep them informed about the upcoming changes, and their options. By taking charge of the transition process, you build trust and position yourself as a reliable partner who prioritises their customers' success, and if you don’t take the steps to reach out to your customer base, your competitors will.

How? The Layer enables you to easily identify customers with a given service or product. In this case, it’s easy to create a view of all customers with active PSTN services and create an email campaign to keep them informed. From there, set follow-up tasks for your Account Managers to reach out to each recipient and take them through the options.

A Layer workstack showing a list of live customers with PSTN assets — Use The Layer's workstacks to set up detailed filtered lists in seconds to show you information at a glance and accounts that need to be worked on.

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The Layer's marketing campaign builder with email scheduling, GDPR compliance, and ROI tracking, as well as phone and reminder task management.

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Example PSTN switch off email campaign that can be designed and sent from The Layer — Example PSTN switch-off email campaign that can be designed and sent from The Layer.

Cross-Sell and Upsell to Your Base

The PSTN switch-off presents a unique opportunity to cross-sell and upsell advanced UC solutions to your existing customer base. The Layer equips you with the tools and resources needed to seamlessly transition them to modern UC solutions and to discuss your wider product portfolio to cater to their evolving needs. This not only enhances customer satisfaction but also drives revenue growth.

Discover how The Layer's Sales Management module can help you to spend less time on admin and more time on winning business.

Workstack builder setting up filters to show assets customers do and do not have with you. — Efficiently create workstacks in The Layer to see what products and services your customers do and do not have with you to quickly identify sales opportunities.

Quick and Accurate Quotes with E-Sign

In today's fast-paced business environment, responsiveness is key. The Layer streamlines the quoting process using accurate, in-app pricebooks and pre-built packages for any complex UC solutions, enabling you to quickly generate quotes for your customers.

With our integrated e-signature feature, you can facilitate a seamless and secure contract signing experience, eliminating unnecessary delays, and inaccurate financials. Once the quote is signed, automation kicks in to generate the order to make the process even smoother.

Enhanced Customer Enquiry Management

The Layer's robust ticketing system empowers your teams, enabling them to deliver exceptional customer support and tighter service level agreements (SLAs). By efficiently managing customer enquiries and enabling self-service, you can reduce enquiries, enhance response times, improve customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge in the market.

How? The Layer’s Customer Experience module has a customer portal and knowledgebase to allow your customers to access helpful articles and videos, so they only need to submit a ticket when absolutely necessary. Dashboard widgets allow managers to track KPIs, SLAs that are about to/have breached and analyse trends that are impacting customers by case category.

Learn more about how we can help you to manage cases efficiently, monitor satisfaction and track every customer interaction using The Layer’s Customer Experience module.

Track the success of your initiatives

By using The Layer’s in-built reporting, you can easily monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics in real-time. Through highly customisable dashboard widgets and in-depth reports, you can gain comprehensive insights into sales, service and overall team performance which enables data-driven decision-making.

For example, monitor how many active PSTN services you have over time and use the marketing reports to track the success of email campaigns to transfer customers.

Dynamic report in The Layer showing cumulative profit gain from PSTN Switch-Off email campaign to customer base.

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A 'Live PSTN Assets' widget in The Layer dashboard — Track customers' live assets through dynamic dashboard widgets and access key financial and contract information in one click.

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The PSTN switch-off represents a significant opportunity for channel partners to transform their business and drive success. Don't miss out on the chance to be a leader in the telecommunications revolution by partnering with Layer Systems.

Schedule a demo of The Layer today and experience the power of our comprehensive solutions in navigating the PSTN switch-off. Contact us here or live chat with us now for more information and to book your demo.

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Last updated: 01/07/2024