Diagnosing the Problem: Improving Airtel's Router Replacement Process

A Case Study by Pranshu Choubey

Problem Statement

Airtel, a leading telecom provider, faced challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown in ensuring efficient installation and maintenance of Wi-Fi connections while minimizing physical contact. The company addressed this by implementing a backend router configuration system, streamlining the installation process. However, this system proved inadequate in detecting and resolving certain hardware-related issues, such as faulty antennas and range limitations, leading to customer dissatisfaction and operational inefficiencies.

Analysis

The case study highlights several key issues:

1. Limited Hardware Diagnostics: The backend system was primarily designed for software configuration and troubleshooting. It lacked the capabilities to diagnose hardware problems, such as faulty antennas or internal components.
2. Incorrect Router Replacement Assessment: The system's inability to detect hardware issues resulted in inaccurate assessments of router health, leading to unnecessary denials of replacement requests.
3. Operational Inefficiencies: The system's limitations forced Airtel to resort to workarounds, such as temporarily disabling internet connections or establishing new connections, to address hardware-related problems.
4. Customer Dissatisfaction: The inability to resolve hardware issues promptly and effectively led to customer frustration and churn.

Proposed Solution: Enhancing the Router Diagnostics System

To address these issues, Airtel should consider implementing the following enhancements to its router diagnostics system:

1. Hardware Diagnostics Integration: Incorporate features that can actively monitor and diagnose hardware components, including antennas, power supplies, and internal circuitry. This could involve using advanced techniques like network performance analysis, signal strength measurements, and temperature monitoring to detect anomalies and potential failures.
2. Real-time Performance Metrics: Collect and analyze real-time performance data, such as signal strength, data throughput, and latency, to identify potential hardware issues. This would enable Airtel to proactively address problems before they escalate and impact customers.
3. Predictive Maintenance: Employ machine learning algorithms to predict hardware failures based on historical data and performance trends. By analyzing patterns in data, Airtel could identify indicators of impending hardware issues and schedule preventive maintenance to avoid disruptions.
4. Automated Replacement Workflow: Develop a system that can automatically trigger router replacement requests when hardware issues are detected, streamlining the process and reducing manual intervention. This would improve efficiency and ensure that customers receive timely resolutions to their problems.
5. Customer Self-Diagnostics: Provide customers with tools and information to help them identify and troubleshoot common hardware problems. This would empower customers to take initial steps to resolve issues and reduce the burden on Airtel's support teams.

Additional Considerations

• Router Quality: Re-evaluate the cost-saving measures related to router quality. While reducing costs is important, it should not compromise customer satisfaction or operational efficiency. Airtel could consider investing in higher-quality routers with improved hardware components and longer lifespans to reduce the frequency of replacements and improve overall reliability.
• Mesh Network Promotion: Consider offering mesh network solutions as an optional upgrade rather than a mandatory requirement, providing customers with more flexibility and choice. This would allow customers to choose the solution that best suits their needs and budget, while also providing Airtel with a potential revenue stream.
• Customer Feedback Loop: Implement a mechanism for collecting and analyzing customer feedback to identify recurring issues and improve the overall customer experience. This could involve conducting surveys, analyzing social media comments, and monitoring support ticket data to gain insights into customer pain points and areas for improvement.

By implementing these enhancements, Airtel can significantly improve its router diagnostics capabilities, enhance customer satisfaction, and optimize its operations. A more robust and efficient router diagnostics system would enable Airtel to provide a superior customer experience, reduce operational costs, and strengthen its position in the competitive telecom market.