The world of telecoms is constantly evolving, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. You might already be aware of the key 2024 trends in the B2B telecom sector, but how can they be best supported by your marketing to lead you to success?
Here are three key B2B telecom trends to watch out for in 2024 and our recommendations for how to best communicate them.
Trend 1: The monetization of 5G
If you’re bored of hearing about the potential of 5G, then it’s time to rejoice! 2024 will be the year that we finally see it in action. From easier Internet of Things (IoT) deployments, to businesses becoming more agile and mobile than ever, 5G’s higher data speeds and enhanced levels of connectivity come with many benefits.
Most crucially, 2024 will be the year of 5G monetisation opportunities for telcos. To make a success of this, they will need to rethink their approach, such as using a marketplace model to sell their 5G services, or creating compelling and imaginative stories to persuade their customers to upgrade.
Focusing on the end-result is likely to be the most effective route for marketers, whether that’s augmented reality, smart cities, agritech, or entertainment. After all, who wouldn’t like to be served by Telefónica’s 5G barman?
Trend 2: Digital twins
Digital twins have been gaining immense traction lately because they eliminate a lot of manual work and improve efficiency by simulating processes before they are rolled out. The market size of digital twins was valued at USD 7.48 billion in 2021 and it’s projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 39.1% from 2022 to 2030.
While digital twins undoubtedly have value in multiple areas for telecom companies, one relatively unexplored area is its effect on marketing and sales. Digital twins can be used to test the impact of a solution on the customer experience, and potential market uptake. For example, VodafoneZiggo used digital twins to “prevent customer churn by detecting real-time service issues that, based on historical data, typically trigger customer unhappiness with its fiber-line product” (Harvard Business Review).
While complex models and data are, of course, valuable, they are meaningless to prospects, customers, and stakeholders if they aren’t interpreted and communicated effectively. Storytelling will be more crucial than ever for companies wanting to reap the rewards of their digital twin investments.
Trend 3: Artificial intelligence (AI)
In the B2B telecom space, AI continues to be a major trend that has enriched various areas of operations like customer experience and automating network processes.
Here are some of the ways telecoms companies are likely to use AI in 2024 and beyond for their marketing and sales:
- Enhanced customer support. With virtual chatbots, basic requests can be handled. Virtual chatbots can redirect customers to resources or triage through natural language processing (NLP) those who need to speak to a human. This self-service approach lessens call handling time and optimizes operations.
- Increase sales revenue through marketing opportunities. AI can identify customer behaviours to suggest new solutions and create promotional offers through timely notifications.
- Tackle customer issues before they’re aware of them. AI can identify performance issues and resolve them for their customers before they are even impacted, improving customer satisfaction.
B2B telecoms marketing trends
Staying up to date with the latest trends and having the ability to successfully adopt those that are relevant to your business are key to remaining competitive. But this isn’t enough. To make the most out of your product offering and obtain the highest ROI, you need a strong B2B marketing strategy, adapted to the specific needs of your customers.
Some newer trends, such as Digital Twins or AI, might require an educational approach to help customers understand the benefits of the new technology, and how to best implement it. Proof points such as testimonials, case studies, or whitepapers are a great way to build trust during these early stages.
If you would like help creating a B2B content marketing strategy that supports your business objectives, get in touch with us at: hello@isolinecomms.com
