The Grand Challenge – Telecom Rating, Routing & Management

There was a time when behemoth Microsoft had been written off for missing the mobile window and being out of touch with their customers. And yet, today they are thriving, capitalizing on the cloud and changing their culture to be better aligned with customers while improving the environment for employees. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, this is due to a concept termed “The Grand Challenge”. Focused on ambitious problem solving, Microsoft has not only overcome challenges but managed to maximize market share. It is this type of focus that also drives ATL Communications.

Ambitious problem solving is not simply quick innovation but rather sets your sights higher toward sustainable efforts. ATL Communications provides solutions, such as Routing Pro and Porting Pro, that are based on solving problems that have been an industry challenge for some time with a focus on long-term results. Will Ginsler, ATL Communications director of sales, recognizes that ATL has an ambitious problem-solving culture and provides insights on how the organization is able to bring these innovative solutions to market.

“I’m relatively new to this organization and very excited about how much everyone cares about and listens to the customer, which is key. We approach solutions from the perspective of how we can add value to the marketplace,” says Ginsler. “What’s in it for them? is our foundational question. If we answer that correctly, then revenue follows.”

The team at ATL Communications recognizes that by delivering real value to their clients, they improve their own operations while positively impacting the industry.

“It’s important to cultivate relationships so we receive insights that ensure our complex solutions truly meet the needs of the industry,” says Ginsler. “My favorite moments are when I’m engaging with people and they realize the power of the solutions and how it benefits them. When it clicks, and they have that a-ha moment, that is when I gain the most pleasure.”

Ambitiously Solving the Problem of Least Cost Routing

Ambitious problem solving does not, nor should not, apply to only those “new” problems. Some of the best innovation is around resolving issues that have plagued the industry for many years. ATL Communications was focused on the issues around local number porting when they created Porting Pro. But they did not stop there. Another industry challenge that has been difficult to manage is the least cost routing for Toll-Free.

“We created our Routing Pro service out of feedback we received from some of our largest customers,” says Ginsler. “We had customers saying they wanted a solution that would analyze their providers and show the least expensive means to route calls. They also asked, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could be alerted if a network is down or if calls aren’t going through?’ They wanted a solution that would look at all the providers and show the least expensive way to route calls. We simply stepped up to the challenge and delivered the Routing Pro solution.”

The ATL team knew that Routing Pro could solve problems and would positively impact their customers’ day-to-day operations as well as their bottom line. The service focuses on monitoring, bill reconciliation, and least cost routing for Toll-Free origination and voice termination. Routing Pro’s continuous optimization for Toll-Free allows least cost routing in a way that has not been previously possible – until now.

“The system tracks a customer’s continuous stream of call data and then looks for every possible cost savings based on calling patterns and vendor pricing. The information is provided in near real-time allowing quick and timely updates to routing templates, giving the customer access to improved pricing structure,” says Ginsler.

Real-Time Data Equals True Least Cost Routing

The beauty of Routing Pro is that it allows customers to use existing Toll-Free carrier relationships and infrastructure; keeping carriers ensures compliance with existing contracts. It’s the power of the real-time data that allows for a timely least-cost routing process, rather than the infrequent, manual processes many use today. Routing Pro continuously monitors a customer’s least cost routing performance, so route templates are updated when costs or call patterns change instead of waiting for human analysis and action. Customers can now continuously leverage the pricing advantages provided by multiple vendors.

“It’s a comprehensive solution for rating, routing, and network management. We put everything in one easy-to-use platform that also provides networking monitoring and reporting with real-time cost tracking,” says Ginsler. “Our customers guide our focus, and we respond with powerful tools and services that meet the needs. That process adds value and becomes more powerful for the customer.”

The Next Thing for Telecom

ATL Communications has released two innovative powerful services in a short period of time. Both Porting Pro, with its improved local number porting, and Routing Pro, with the real-time, least-cost routing, have filled a significant need in the telecommunications industry. So, what’s next?

“We will continue to receive continuous feedback from our customers using our open lines of communication and systems so that we can ensure everything we do adds value for them,” says Ginsler. “We are also looking at the industry trends to find the next thing we think will make a positive impact.”

Ginsler says some of the telecommunications industry trends they are following include texting with toll-free numbers. Additionally, ATL is developing innovative solutions around AI through an interactive bot platform and continues to monitor new developments and trends in the industry around big data, modernizing operations, 5G, and IoT.

“New technologies will spur new innovations and ideas, which will snowball. I don’t think we have even seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to possibilities,” says Ginsler. “While we will consider what’s coming, we will continue to focus on what our customers need to make their lives better and the lives of their customers better. We want our solutions to be responsive to our customers’ needs right out of the gate.”

Routing Pro and Porting Pro are available now. To learn how these services can make your organization or carrier more efficient, contact us today.