RIYADH, 25 July 2006 — Saudi Telecom Company (STC) signed a major agreement yesterday worth SR200 million with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to develop customer-care services and provide billing solutions for future services of the next generation network. Convergys and Oracle will be the technical partner for the implementation of the project.
India’s largest IT company, TCS is the top independent global software and services company in Asia. The company, which has annual revenue of $24 billion, will soon become a foreign investor company under the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA).
Mohammad Al-Jasir, chairman of STC’s board of directors, signed the agreement with S. Ramadorai, chief executive officer and managing director of TCS at a colorful ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel here.
Jean Herve Jenn, president of Convergys’ International Business Unit, Abdul Rahman Al-Thehaiban, vice president of Saudi Oracle and Saud ibn Majid Al-Dewish, STC president were also present at the signing event.
“The main purpose of the project is to offer a smooth and friendly handshake with our customers since the STC is dedicated to serve its customers,” Al-Jasir told newsmen. “The project constitutes an extension to the substantial investments injected by STC being the leading telecom operator in the Middle East and North Africa, in upgrading its infrastructure facilities and systems across the Kingdom.”
The project will also help integrate customer care and billing applications with the various corporate systems to enable the company expand its services and discounts offered to its growing customer base. In addition, it will develop a database of all communications made with each individual customer through various channels.
“Tata Service Consultancy will act as a project system integrator project systems, and shall collaborate with the other two companies, i.e., Convergys and Oracle, in provision of the required technology solutions,” said Al-Dewish. “The project will greatly help us to achieve specific strategic and marketing objectives that will contribute to STC’s maintaining its leading role in the local telecom industry.”
Ramadorai said the project is considered the largest in terms of size and complexity undertaken by TCS in the Middle East and Africa region.
“The solution we offer will enable STC achieve its vision of establishing a world class Telco operation offering next generation 3G services by deploying and integrating the best in class customer relationship management solution,” he said.
On his part, Al-Thehaiban thanked STC for selecting Oracle to contribute to this project.
With over 5,000 Saudi employees, STC has the largest customer services center across the region. As part of the newly implemented customer service project, all customer service staff will be trained and catered with technical and technological skills needed for running the new systems and solutions to be deployed.