Page 352 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications

Network Management and Administration 3-143

These results are expected through:

• Rapid order-to-activation mechanism across the service portfolio
• Commodity-like enablement for telecom services (rapid introduction, easy amendment, cross-
bundling)
• Universal platform supporting multiple users (consumers, business, dealers) and multiple lines of
business (LOBs_ (wireline, wireless, IPTV) through a single point of contact
• Reducing costs through operating efficiencies

3.6.4 Customer Billing and Collections Management
This process is part of the Billing end-to-end process group, and the Customer Relationship (horizontal)
processes. The process can also be called Invoicing and Collection.
Billing and Collections Management processes encompass creating and maintaining a customer’s
billing account, sending bills to customers, processing their payments, performing payment collections,
monitoring the status of the account balance, and the handling of customer-generated or systems-
reported billing and payment exceptions. These processes are accountable for assuring that enterprise
revenue is billed and collected.
The aim is to provide a correct bill and, if there is a billing problem, resolve it quickly with appropriate
status to the customer. An additional aim is to collect monies due the service provider in a professional
and customer-supportive manner.
Some providers allow invoicing and collections functions for other providers as a service.
The principal functions include:
• Create and distribute invoices
• Collect payments
• Handle customer billing inquiries
• Support Retention and Loyalty
• Support Marketing Fulfillment and Selling
• Support Customer QoS/SLA
• Manage debt
• Bill on behalf of other providers

3.6.5 Service Management and Operations (SM&O)
Service Management and Operations processes focus on the knowledge of services (access, connectivity,
content, etc.) and includes all functionalities necessary for the management and operations of com-
munications and information services required by or proposed to customers. The focus is on service
delivery and management as opposed to the management of the underlying network and information
technology. Some of the functions involve short-term service capacity planning for a service instance,
the application of a service design to specific customers, or managing service improvement initiatives.
These functions are closely connected with the day-to-day customer experience.
The processes in this horizontal functional process grouping are accountable to meet, at a minimum,
targets set for service quality, including process performance and customer satisfaction at a service level,
as well as service cost.
3.6.5.1 Service Planning and Development Process
Service Development and Management is part of the SIP (vertical) group and Service Management and
Operations (SM&O).
Service Development and Management is a horizontal functional process grouping that focuses on
planning, developing, and delivering services to the Operations domain. It includes processes necessary