Summary
Airtel's Multi-Channel Mobile Marketing: Redefining Telecom Excellence Airtel responded to post-pandemic data demand by digitizing touchpoints and overhauling Postpaid plans in 2022, targeting a 40+ million customer base by 2023. Overcoming the challenge of expanding postpaid digital acquisition with a sustainable Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Airtel used a multi-channel The results were impressive: 65% growth in Postpaid activations, a 30% lower cost per activation, and 2X business growth.
Challenge
Objective - Airtel had an ambitious objective: to rapidly expand its postpaid digital acquisition across India's serviceable pin codes, while maintaining a sustainable Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) due to the high average ticket size of the business. Challenge – Since postpaid connections represents only 10% of total mobile subscribers, the campaign faced the hurdle of effectively reaching the right postpaid customers with tailored communication. Moreover, the operators continuously adjusted their plans and pricing structures to remain competitive, making market understanding, agility, and a customer-centric approach vital for success in the niche postpaid category. Thus, with the industry witnessing significant shifts due to the popularity of unlimited data plans and increased mobile device usage, the campaign had to adapt to evolving customer preferences and stay abreast of industry trends.
Objective
In the post-pandemic world, the abundance of high-speed data had increasingly become a key need for customers, as Work from Home and Online Education have become the new normal. Responding to this shift in 2022, Airtel strategically digitized a majority of its customer touchpoints. In a bid to encourage widespread adoption, Airtel revamped its Postpaid plans, delivering cutting-edge data benefits supported by a 5G-ready network and an enhanced digital-first customer experience. Overall, Airtel aimed to strengthen its leadership position in the Postpaid segment by adding the highest users and aimed at building a customer base of 40+ million by 2023. Airtel embarked on this mission to exponentially grow its user base through a strong mix of contextual targeting, sophisticated data science, and simple digital journeys.
Strategy
We used a multi-channel approach by leveraging the power of push notifications, SMS, and WhatsApp, our strategically engaged prospects across various touchpoints. Personalized and targeted messaging enabled us to capture the attention of potential customers, driving an impressive increase in lead generation. Push notifications delivered time-sensitive offers and incentives, while SMS marketing provided concise and compelling messages about exclusive plans and benefits. With WhatsApp Business, we established a direct and interactive channel to nurture leads, address queries, and build relationships. We used Data Analytics to Drive Performance. Airtel crafted a customer-centric marketing plan that set them apart from the competition. • Automation for Efficiency: Recognizing the significance of automation in a project of this scale, we partnered with players who could automate manual tasks across multiple platforms. This streamlined processes and allowed for a unified view of daily numbers, enabling quick actions and favorable outcomes. • Collaboration with Orbital Ads: The campaign collaborated with Orbital Ads, a third-party vendor, to automate the optimization process on Google search and the creation of new creatives on social media. This partnership improved efficiency and effectiveness in reaching the target audience. • Skai Innovation Segmentation: The campaign utilized Skai Technologies' Segmentation product to build predictive models. This involved understanding the right customer segments, analyzing customer usage patterns, and identifying emerging problems. The unified customer journey provided insights at every stage, enhancing the campaign's performance.
Data
Leveraging data analytics, the marketing plan for Airtel Postpaid was innovatively aligned with the target audience, utilizing cutting-edge Martech tools to optimize efficiency and personalization. Data-driven insights guided the multi-channel approach, ensuring precise audience segmentation and tailored messaging. Skai Technologies' Segmentation product was instrumental in identifying the right customer segments based on usage patterns and predicting emerging trends. This allowed for highly targeted campaigns, maximizing lead acquisition. Collaboration with Orbital Ads enabled automated optimization on Google search and creative generation on meta, streamlining processes for enhanced effectiveness. The power of data analytics also played a crucial role in the multi-channel strategy. By analyzing customer preferences and behaviors, push notifications, SMS, and WhatsApp messages were personalized to capture the audience's attention effectively. Data analytics ensured that time-sensitive offers were delivered at the right moment, increasing the chances of lead conversion. "Airtel leveraged various signals from Facebook's actionable insights to drive performance and create targeted marketing strategies. By analyzing signals such as expected churn, market share of Facebook, ability to buy postpaid plans, affordability, devices used, and network preferences (4G/5G), Airtel identified its ideal user profile. Leveraging insights, Airtel capitalized on its superior network coverage compared to the competition, attracting more users.
Solution
Results
• 65% growth in Postpaid activations • 30% lower cost per activation • 2X Business Growth
