In an industry that moves at the speed of 5G, working with good vendors isn’t enough to stay ahead. Technologies advance every day, and telcos like Zain Jordan have to be ready for anything. That readiness requires working with an adaptable partner who can not only deliver the services customers demand today but also evolve with market changes tomorrow.
At Zain Jordan, being proactive is a core part of our philosophy. We can’t afford to be complacent. The idea that “everything is working, so there’s no need to change” is unacceptable if Zain Jordan is to remain the largest telecommunications company in Jordan. Thankfully, as part of the Zain Group, we are well-positioned to push the forefront of technological advancements in Jordan and throughout the MENA region. When I took the reins as VAS senior division leader four years ago, though, we put that proactive stance to the test.
Giving customers more than “good enough”
Everyone’s goal at Zain is to keep our customers satisfied. That means going beyond basic mobile and internet services to provide best-in-class Value-Added Services (VAS) like messaging and voice. A review of our existing VAS solutions revealed that we were unprepared to meet future customer demands.
We faced a common problem: multiple systems from various vendors that worked “good enough” until they started to cause issues. These systems needed an upgrade if we were to leverage new technologies. Instead of just updating individual pieces, we decided to undertake a modernisation project that would bring all our VAS solutions together and lay the groundwork for future services.
Among the many systems and vendors we used, one vendor stood out from the rest: Enghouse Systems. We found their systems to be the most reliable, even as they aged. It was actually great news because Zain Jordan had a history with Enghouse that dated back 20 years, and we were already in a strong position to extend the partnership.
Greater stability makes us the best in the business
Zain Jordan’s partnership with Enghouse has always been more than a good relationship between individuals. It transcends my role, that of an account manager, or the support team. A deep dive into our VAS department’s history revealed a record of communication and documentation that demonstrates extensive knowledge of our systems and their product portfolio. We always received great support, which made us even more comfortable about undergoing a largescale modernisation.
In addition to upgrading our existing Enghouse systems, we migrated other services from less-stable vendors to Enghouse. These solutions focus on all messaging-related services, handling all types of SMS across our network. Additionally, we have VAS solutions that include charging and VoIP services. By the project’s end, we would manage a total of 15 VAS solutions through VAS-in-One from Enghouse.
Our modernisation project with Enghouse has led to 100% availability at all times, without interruption. This track record of availability directly contributes to Zain’s status as the best in the business in Jordan, with a demonstrably high ROI
From a technical perspective, my highest priority is maintaining 100% availability for all critical VAS, including messaging. The result of our modernisation project with Enghouse is 100% availability at all times, without interruption. This track record of availability directly contributes to Zain’s status as the best in the business in Jordan, with a demonstrably high ROI.
Strong relationships positively impact service
Despite our success, we’ve learned that it’s not enough for our VAS solutions to be stable. Having a dependable long-term partner is crucial when strategizing for future change — and it also helps weather short-term changes. One year into our three-year project, Zain Jordan got a new Enghouse account manager. Our previous account manager had been with us for 15 years, so I was naturally concerned about whether the change would impact our project. What would communication be like with a new entity?
I needn’t have worried. The new account manager came in with a detailed understanding of our project, and the upgrade continued uninterrupted. It soon felt as if we’d known each other for years, and the ease of that transition speaks to Enghouse’s familiarity with us as a customer and skill in hiring great people.
We’re partners, and we see that partnership in the way Enghouse prioritizes service over payment, sometimes starting installations before our payment was even processed. They never threaten to cut off support at the end of a contract when we’re in the middle of negotiating a new one. Instead, their priorities center around stability, dependability, consistency, and flexibility. These qualities enable us to get new services to market faster. It means my team can focus on our end customers, knowing we have a partner who will always work to fix any issue immediately.
Delivering more than customers expect
Zain Jordan’s VAS modernisation project prepared us for the next significant upheaval in the region: 5G. Working with an adaptable solution like VAS-in-One allowed us to begin making upgrades to support 5G standards even before officially launching 5G in our network. Our customers won’t have to settle for “good enough” or wait for us to play catch-up; they can access modern services sooner than ever, and Enghouse is a big part of that.
Our customers won’t have to settle for ‘good enough’ or wait for us to play catch-up; they can access modern services sooner than ever, and Enghouse is a big part of that.
Many vendors offer similar solutions and meet the same industry standards, but I think of it like buying a shirt. If two shirts are the same price but one’s a better fit, it’s the obvious choice. It’s not always about risk — sometimes it’s about getting what you want. It’s the same as working with a vendor. Other solutions might do the job, but if they’re not a good fit with your company, you won’t be as comfortable.
With Enghouse, we’re more than comfortable. We’re confident that they’re there for the good of our business. Together, we can tackle anything so we can give our customers everything.
