What SaaS companies can teach telecoms operators about operational excellence
What SaaS companies can teach telecoms operators about operational excellence
The telecoms industry is changing fast, and telecoms operators are feeling the pressure to become leaner, smarter, and more responsive to the demands of their customers. In parallel any of the world’s most successful SaaS businesses have already cracked the code on operational excellence, and there is a great deal that telecoms operators can learn from their playbook. While the two sectors are different in many ways, the principles that drive efficiency, agility, and customer satisfaction in SaaS are just as relevant for modern telecoms providers.
SaaS companies have built their reputations on being able to adapt quickly, deliver new features at pace, and keep their customers at the centre of everything they do. For telecoms operators, adopting some of these principles could be transformative where they have traditionally relied on manual processes and legacy systems, and conversely SaaS leaders automate, iterate, and continually refine their operations for maximum impact.
Related: Curious how orchestration layers unify modern networks? Check out Part 3: Delivering an outstanding modern network experience with an orchestration layer.
One of the most important lessons from SaaS companies is the value of automating routine tasks. Telecoms operators are often bogged down by repetitive manual work, such as order processing, provisioning and support ticket management, whereas SaaS companies identify bottlenecks and automate wherever possible, freeing up their teams to focus on innovation and customer relationships. For telecoms operators, this means reviewing every process with a critical eye and asking whether it could be automated for greater speed and accuracy, forcing small improvements that can add up to significant gains in efficiency and morale.
Another cornerstone of SaaS success is the relentless use of data to drive decision making. SaaS leaders are attuned to tracking every customer interaction, monitoring system health in real time, and using analytics to shape their strategy. Telecoms operators, by investing in integrated analytics and real-time dashboards, could spot trends, pre-empt issues, and make faster, smarter decisions across their business. This shift from gut feel to data-driven management is what has allowed SaaS companies to move at speed without losing control, and it can have the same impact in the telecoms sector.
Continuous improvement is also at the heart of the SaaS mindset, with one of the cultural hallmarks being one of constant iteration. Telecoms operators can adopt this by encouraging experimentation, measuring outcomes, and being willing to pivot when something isn’t working. This culture shift from ‘set and forget’ to ‘test and improve’, is what turns operational discipline into a true competitive advantage.
The benefits of adopting SaaS-inspired operational excellence go beyond efficiency, bleeding into empowering teams to try new approaches and learn from their results, resulting in the more creative problem solving and innovative breakthoughs.
Telecoms operators that embrace this mindset find themselves better equipped to handle change, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and scale efficiently. It’s about more than just technology; it’s about building a culture that values agility, data, and continuous improvement. Customers notice the difference too, as they experience faster service, fewer errors, and a provider that is genuinely responsive to their needs.
To kick things off, telecoms operators should look for quick wins in areas where manual processes are causing frustration or delays. Automating ticket routing, centralising customer data, or introducing real-time reporting can all deliver immediate value and build momentum for further change. Over time, these improvements help to create a culture where operational excellence is the norm, not the exception.
Next up: See automation in action for ISPs in Part 5: Automation in action: Reducing costs and freeing up teams with telco automation.