In 2022, we have seen numerous appointments and elevations in the industry, and out of all of them, it’s Australia-based mobile and internet provider Belong bagging our Appointment of the Year for its announcement of Amy Childs as its chief customer officer.
Childs, who was previously the managing director of electric utility firm Momentum Energy, stepped into the newly created role in Belong last March 2022. She is now responsible for the strategy and implementation of the telco’s customer experience capability, with the intent of delivering a best-in-class customer experience to better serve the telco’s customers.
In an exclusive interview with Childs, she discussed with us her biggest challenges and opportunities in the role, her plans for this new year, as well as the new trends we can expect in the telco industry.
Challenges and opportunities in the role
The biggest challenge Childs had come across in her new role is the realisation of just how many Australians are digitally excluded. She shared that while Belong retails services, addressing access to the network is not in their control, they can ensure that they focus on designing accessible products and services – both from a price point and accessibility lens – so that more Australians can participate.
Meanwhile, on the opportunities, Childs said that they are now turning a lot of their attention to digital and opening more channels for customers to access support when they need it.
“Our digital support model needs to go in, and our customers need better experiences across our web and app channels,” she added.
Meeting demands and expectations in 2023
As customers’ habits and expectations change rapidly, Belong is directing a huge focus on self-service capabilities, and digital channels and app.
Childs said, “We will continue to focus on developing these with accessibility and affordability in mind and partnering with organisations that can represent these customers at the design table.”
She further shared that to keep ahead of customer expectations and demand, focusing on developing and nurturing a customer-centric culture in the organisations that you work in is the key.
Moreover, she believes that the connection of the whole value chain together is where the magic happens, and the only way to do that is through culture – which is why culture is always top of mind, and always her main focus.
What’s next for the telco industry?
Today, the world has already adapted to working remotely, businesses want to know how to connect to customers on a more personal level, and one thing Childs is looking forward to in 2023 is leveraging the Metaverse platform to help their teams walk a day in the life of a customer, connecting across regions or countries.
“As technology evolves, so too will our opportunities to use them for the better,” she noted.
Childs also mentioned continuing Belong’s carbon neutrality initiative. She said, “I am so proud to work at Belong, as we are proudly Australia’s first certified carbon-neutral telco.”
This recognition is based on the results of Google Analytics on the most-read stories of 2022 with editorial validation on the significance of a leader’s contribution, campaign results, and overall impact.
