Mobile network providers typically only alert end-users once they reach 80% and 100% of their usage limits respectively. The specific nature of the alert (such as the usage threshold which triggers the alert, how it is delivered etc.) is often fixed by the network provider and cannot be configured by the customer beyond turning the alert on or off. Crucially, these standard alerts are only sent to the end-user when they have exceeded their allowance, but not to the bill payer (i.e. mobile administrator). By enabling its customers to tailor the alerts they receive to match their own needs, while ensuring the administrator is never out of the loop, Bamboo is addressing all of these elements.
The new alerts – part of Bamboo’s standard service wrap – can be configured to run across the entire account, set in batches (i.e. by department or cost centre) or defined against an individual user.
At the end of last year Bamboo Technology Group announced a new UK Service Provider agreement with Vodafone UK. The partnership will see Bamboo incorporate Vodafone’s fixed and mobile converged network, international roaming and associated services into its enterprise portfolio.
Lorrin White, MD of Bamboo comments, “Regardless of declining costs across the industry, Bamboo continues to experience companies with unexpectedly high bills. End-users are often unaware of their usage levels, with many of them travelling in and outside of the EU with no administrative controls set to monitor and manage costs. Combine this with the trend of businesses consuming more data than ever and you can see that monitoring the individual usage of mobile users has never been more important.”
Addressing potential concerns that businesses might have about usage management, White continues, “Whilst spend management and automated barring isn’t for everyone, it’s a solution that is too often requested ‘after the fact’. Nobody likes surprises in their bill, so why wait when we offer this as part of our standard mobile service wrap? The level of control is entirely up to you. You tell us what is acceptable and we will work with you to set the appropriate monitoring and alert criteria. If you want to enforce a strict cost policy, then auto-barring can also be added at the click of a button. Ultimately this is about offering better choice to our customers. If you want to choose your own user policies rather than being dictated to by the network, then this is for you.”
The new customisable alerts service is available to Bamboo’s business customers on request. Bamboo’s channel partners also have the option to white label the service through the Total Partner Programme.