Aperio Releases SNAP
By Monica Alleven
WirelessWeek - November 12, 2008
Aperio CI is getting into the social networking business, but it's not what you might think.
Aperio says it has a way for carriers to detect subscribers' individual social networks - like the people they call the most. Once operators know their subscribers' social networks, they can take steps to reduce churn or essentially save the most valuable customers.
Called Social Network Analysis and Propensities, or SNAP, the platform uses data that operators already possess and meets all privacy and security mandates, the company said. The company already does a lot of rate plan analysis and retention work, so "it' s not a big giant leap for us to get into this business," explained Paul King, president and COO of Aperio.
It's similar in concept to the old MCI friends and family plan, or even a calling circle like Alltel promotes. But Aperio says it goes deeper than that. SNAP examines how users interact with one another and calculates the influence they have on other customers in terms of products and services, customer service, brand loyalty and overall satisfaction. The company uses terms like Deciders, Connectors and Influencers, assigning degrees of risk and value to each category and offering action items for operators to deliver relevant offers and communications through specific channels.
Instead of basing value on monthly ARPU, for example, SNAP's concept is to show how an influencer might have a substantially higher value to an operator than a customer who spends twice as much each month but doesn't influence other users in the social network.
"It provides, in essence, a rifle shot approach instead of a scattered shotgun. This is much more targeted," King said.
King points to a graph with one influential subscriber, dubbed "Russ," in the middle. He's surrounded by five other associates. Based on his calling/text patterns, Aperio can anticipate that if Russ disconnects from the operator, the likelihood of "Sally" disconnecting increases by 60%. "Bob" is more likely to disconnect as well, and so on. But by acting proactively with timely and relevant offers, the carrier can retain Russ, thereby saving other potential defectors that would follow him.
SNAP is offered as a managed service. Aperio has done a trial with at least one operator in Europe.
About Aperio CI
Aperio CI are regarded as the experts in telecoms data management. For two decades we have been delivering innovative data management solutions to critical marketing challenges for some of the world's leading fixed and mobile telecoms operators. Our clients view us as the data experts because we understand that focused customer knowledge is paramount to implementing successful marketing campaigns. We recognize your challenges; disparate data solutions, legacy systems and internal resource constraints – all can prevent you from delivering effective propositions to your customers. We overcome these obstacles, providing you with the insight to create accurate marketing campaigns that deliver tangible business results. Aperio CI is based in the New York area, and maintains offices in New Jersey, Atlanta, San Antonio, and England. For more information, please visit www.AperioCI.com.
For more information, contact:
Lynn McAuley
Aperio CI
+1 (631) 468-4014
lynn.mcauley@aperioci.com
Glen Zimmerman
Netezza
+1 (508) 382-8267
gzimmerman@netezza.com