The period of effortless, double-digit growth and skyrocketing capitalization for telecom carriers is over! The long-term telecommunications market potential is still enormous, but getting there now requires a sharp business and technology savvy. In this resource, P.J. Louis shows telecom service providers how to efficiently manage their technology advantages and back-end operations to survive in this challenging economic climate. This work features: basics of billing: staying alive; short, smart biz and tech strategies for tough times in telecom; using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to drive business; how to manage regulatory uncertainty; and how globalization affects every carrier.

Table of Contents:
Preface Introduction Acknowledgments CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS A TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY?Makers of Hardware Makers of Software Providers of Service to the Hardware and Software Companies Intellectual Property Providers of Service to the User Wireline Telephone Companies Cellular (Wireless) Carrier Personal Communications Services (PCS) Comapnies/Carriers Paging Systems Satellites Cable Television Networks Internet Providing Service to Users (Selling Retail Telecommunications Services) Providers of Service to Other Providers of Service Perspective: Supplier and Customer Why is the Carrier-Vendor Relationship Important? Interdependency The Culture Telecommunications Professional and Telecommunications Manager Summary CHAPTER 2: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURESClassic Organizational Structure Decision-Control Process and Organizational Structure Centralized Decision Making Decentralized Decision Making What is the Model to Follow for Telecommunications Companies? Service Provider Decentralization Gone Wrong Optimizing the Organizational Structure Summary CHAPTER 3: THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERBasic Organizational Functions Wireless Telecommunications Carrier Organizational Functions Wireless Carrier Organizational Functions Internet Service Provider Organizational Functions Carrier Organizational Structures Vertical and Flat Organizational Structures Departmentation Product Departmentation Functional Departmentation Balancing Financial Objectives and Organizational Needs Senior Management General Counsel and Vice President of Legislative/Regulatory Legislative Regulatory Area Legal Group Vice President of Public Relations Example of Public Relations Public Relations--Perception is Reality Chief Technical Officer--Technology and Operations Network Planning and Engineering Strategic Network Planning Network OperationsChief Financial Officer Vice President of Information Technology (IT) Vice President of Finance/Comptroller Vice President of Sales and Marketing Chief Operating Officer (COO)Vice President of Human Resources and Administration Economic Downturn and the Role of HRA Employee Benefits--Promoting the Company Fiscal Accountability Summary CHAPTER 4: THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS VENDOR--HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND SERVICESOutsourcing Multitude of Vendor Types--Impact on Organizational Structure Basic Organizational Functions Organizing the Vendor Departmentation Product Departmentation Product Departmentation Diversification and Market Response Vendor Organizations Senior Management Product Lines The Process of Creation The Creative Process--Organized Creation and Creative Management The Creative Process--Product Management Example of Product Management Process Product Management: Mediation, Facilitation, Coordination--Hitting the Mark Product Definition The Four Ps Product Life Cycle Contract Signing Vendor Organization Requirements Summary CHAPTER 5: STRATEGY, TACTICS, AND SHARED VALUESStrategic Planning Market Segment and Size Value: The Story Value: The Product's/Service's Intrinsic Value Value: The Value Proposition Distribution Distribution: Sales Distribution: Marketing the Product Distribution: Warehousing and Delivering the Product Scope and Scale of Execution Tactical Planning Binding Strategy and Tactics: The Vision Where Do Vision, Strategy, and Tactics Lead the Company? Summary CHAPTER 6: MARKET FOCUS--UNDERSTANDING THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKETRetail Telecommunications Services Marketplace Residential Business Government Wholesale Telecommunications Marketplace Types of Wholesale Services Market Focus Market Segmentation Steps in Segmentation Identify Potential Segments Select Segments Test for Strategic Relevance Measurability Market Driven versus Sales Driven Summary CHAPTER 7: DEVELOPING MARKET DRIVEN STRATEGIES--HOW?Adaptive Planning--Organizing Management Thought Processes Assessment Strategic Analysis Decision Making Implementation--The Final Phase Implementation--The Customer View Implementation--The Complete View Resetting the Strategy Summary