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WRIT TEN BY
OLIVIA MINNOCK PRODUCED BY
JA MES PEPPER
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Across a large, dynamic portfolio, Liberty Global is using key technologies like AI in its digital transformation journey as the telco industry undergoes rapid change –- we caught up with Duncan Macdonald to find out more 04
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ith a strong portfolio of brands across 10 countries, Liberty Global is the group behind the likes of
Virgin Media, Telenet and UPC. As such, the telecommunications giant brings customers across Europe closer together through broadband, television, mobile and most importantly, their favourite content. Liberty Global boasts fibre-based networks connecting 21mn customers, as well as 6.4mn mobile subscribers and 12mn WiFi access points. With content investments from ITV to Lionsgate, it’s unlikely that your favourite brand of entertainment hasn’t been touched by Liberty Global in some way, and the modern telco giant continues to invest in technology across a changing industry landscape with increasing consumer demands.
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Behind the significant transformation involved in developing digital across Liberty’s unique, constantly shifting profile is Duncan Macdonald, Vice President of Consumer Solutions and Digital Transformation. For the past four months, Macdonald has enjoyed a dual role at the company. “My core role is running Consumer IT for Liberty Global across 10 countries – that covers online, digital, back end… Everything that impacts the consumer w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
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“The partners I work with now are very open, mature and energetic – they want to go on a journey”
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— Duncan Macdonald, VP Consumer Solutions and Digital Transformation at Liberty Global
within IT.” More recently, Macdonald has been given the role of CIO for UPC Switzerland, a key company under the Liberty umbrella, where he will partner on the company’s digital transformation – “a three-year journey in which we hope to transform the customer experience”, he enthuses.
A SHIFTING INDUSTRY Macdonald firmly believes digital transformation is “absolutely vital” to Liberty Global and to the telcos it represents as they strive to deliver a range of digital services that are all-encompassing. “The telecom industry as a whole
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E
Duncan Macdonald Duncan Macdonald is currently Vice President of Consumer Solutions and Digital Transformation at Liberty Global, as well as Chief Information Officer (CIO) of UPC Switzerland, a key brand under the Liberty Global umbrella. Prior to working with Liberty Global, he was a Senior Manager at Accenture. Currently, he is responsible for the creation and implementation of a five-year digital transformation strategy to evolve Liberty Global from a telecoms provider to a digital service provider.
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘VP CONSUMER SOLUTIONS AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AT LIBERTY GLOBAL ON PARTNER RELATIONSHIP’ 09 continues to transform,” he says.
changed the way we consume content
““Liberty is currently updating its TV,
and shifted customer expectation,
broadband and mobile products which
creating fierce competition for the
are driving a high customer NPS (net
traditional telco. “Everyone is on a similar
promoter score) and are being very
journey at the moment – and a key
well received by customers. Now that
aspect is digital,” says Macdonald
our products are driving excellent
Macdonald’s closest affiliate, UPC
customer experience around access-
Switzerland, is currently undergoing
ing and using our products, we want
a three-year digital transformation jour-
to drive the same high quality and
ney. “We’re going to change the way
personalized customer experience
the business is structured, putting in
across all channels and communica-
brand new capabilities to drive a more
tions that interact with our customers.”
personalised experience,” he explains.
Indeed, on-demand offerings from the
Along with safety and security, on-
likes of Netflix and Amazon have
demand and personalisation are the w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
INFOSYS & LIBERTY GLOBAL
Liberty Global, the world’s largest international TV and broadband company, leverages technology to make communication products and services more fluid, flexible, and fast. Liberty Global has become the world’s largest international cable provider, operating across Europe including 10 countries including a key market operating under the UPC brand in Switzerland. Anand Swaminathan, global leader of Communications, Media and Technology, Infosys spoke with Duncan Macdonald, CIO, UPC Switzerland to explore his current experiences and thinking around the next steps for digital transformation in UPC Switzerland.
An innovation partner for the digital world How would you describe the UPC Switzerland and Infosys digital partnership? Duncan: Liberty Global and Infosys have been collaborating for over six years now and have really started to increase our collaboration in Switzerland in the last year. We are engaged in an exciting new piece of work around digitizing Switzerland and for this, Infosys has developed an Adobe-based online experience layer and are now working on a customer care layer to drive continuous improvement in the customer experience. It’s great to be working in partnership with Infosys (and Brilliant Basics, a global design and innovation studio of Infosys), alongside our IT and business teams to transform the way we imagine our customers’ journeys. How has this digital transformation helped UPC Switzerland customers? Duncan: From a business perspective, our partnership is improving customer engagement through personalised Omni
Channel customer-centric journeys. This will drive the customer experience, reduce unnecessary contact and increase in first call resolution, increase in online sales, increased average revenue per user (ARPU), and faster time-to-market for pricing or proposition offers – which we can see directly through revenue or through KPIs such as improved Net Promoter Score™ (NPS). What’s the future on customer and digital journey going forward? Duncan: UPC Switzerland is always looking to engage more deeply with customers – personalization with appropriate Big Data and Analytics is going to be a real focus. So, together with Infosys, we are harnessing the latest technologies and solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as part of the data analytics. We see Infosys as a reliable partner guiding us in our digital journey, while also adapting to the needs of business, in our journey towards a true digital ecosystem.
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘DUNCAN MACDONALD FROM LIBERTY GLOBAL TALKS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION ACROSS PORTFOLIOS’
order of the day when catering to the
Telcos are at the centre of this trans-
needs of the 21st century customer,
itional period in industry. “There’s a need
and Macdonald argues this isn’t just
to move quickly when getting new
an issue for telcos. “The lines between
services to market,” Macdonald warns.
industries are becoming blurred,” he
“Digital is the only answer to this – but
explains, outlining that transformation
we need to be very careful on how we
must be viewed in layers across the
use data too. Security and privacy are
business and wider industry, as opposed
our number one priority and we must
to transforming an isolated department
tread carefully.”
or sector. “When you speak to a lot of
On this issue, Liberty isn’t resting
companies they’re only digitising across
on its laurels. “We have relationships
certain layers – primarily online layers
of trust with our customers and strong
and apps, but they’re not properly
brands in the form of Virgin Media,
digitising the company.”
UPC and Telenet. So natural trust w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
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“In the future, the whole point of digital is sharing. It’s an ecosystem. People want to talk to you through their user interfaces like Facebook or Google, so you have to integrate” — Duncan Macdonald, VP Consumer Solutions and Digital Transformation at Liberty Global 14 exists and relationships have been
architecture, where LG does not directly
there for a long period of time and it’s
provide the user interface but still fulfils
absolutely crucial that we continue in
the interaction, whichever user interface
this vein,” Macdonald explains. “In the
(UI) the customer wants to connect to
future, the success of digital will be
the company; e.g. Facebook or Siri.
seamlessly integrating our services
This will mean companies can reach
and channels into the way our custom-
end users through their choice of
ers live and work. It’s an ecosystem.
platform while maintaining quality, trust
People want to talk to you through their
and security as a constant. “We need
user interfaces like Facebook or Google,
to ensure we have very, very safe inter-
so you have to integrate with those
faces built into them, being very con-
third parties – and you have to be very
trolled and careful with what we share.”
careful how you do that; it must be
To achieve all of this, strict data govern-
secure. In the future, I think having your
ance, availability of realtime data, com-
own app or website will be less impor-
prehensive identity management and
tant,” he adds, explaining that a ‘headless’
secure APIs are an absolute necessity.
TRANSFORMING ACROSS A VAST PORTFOLIO
across all 10 affiliates – but now as we
How, then, does Liberty Global manage
how to implement those in the right
to make digital work across a plethora
way for each market. There was a lot
of brands and platforms, with each of
of research involved here, foremost
its markets all demanding different
around ‘what is digital?’ I believe ‘digital’
things? “There’s a healthy tension,”
is all about personalisation,” Macdon-
Macdonald laughs, “but there’s one
ald argues. “It depends on the individu-
thing nobody disagrees on: the impor-
al customer and may not be about tech-
tance of delivering a great customer
nology at all – a customer may still want
experience.”
a piece of paper. “If people are just
“We took a very brave step centralising all the technology strategy and delivery – ensuring an alignment around architectures successfully
become more mature we must consider
‘doing digital’ to save costs, they’re not ‘doing digital’ – they’re ‘doing’ cost efficiency. The correct order to do things is understand the data
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defining the customer context; understand the needs of the customer segment; understand market conditions; and then really understand the journeys to give a customer what they want within the best possible experience. If people do want a personal touch, if they want to speak to someone, that is part of the digital journey.” As digital not only transforms the world around it, but also transforms itself, meaning companies within Liberty Group’s portfolio need to think with agility about what they’ll need to be w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
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“ I know people say it’s overhyped but I think in the next two or three years AI will be absolutely key to personalisation” — Duncan Macdonald, VP Consumer Solutions and Digital Transformation at Liberty Global
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Let’s put customers first. Together. Netcracker partners with the world’s leading operators to ensure they have access to the tools, skills and resources they need to successfully transform into next-generation, digital service providers. Find out more at netcracker.com.
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘DUCAN MACDONALD, VP CONSUMER SOLUTIONS & DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, LIBERTY GLOBAL ON THE POWER OF AI’ 21 ready to embrace in the future. “It’s
transformations, it is important to note
important to make sure we don’t close
they cannot be led by technology
any avenues or create barriers to future
alone, but must be driven by the business
markets. So when we started creating
itself and how it can be transformed.
our enterprise solution, we did this in
Citing advice from Severina Pascu,
a way that was ultimately flexible. We
CEO of UPC Switzerland, Macdonald
didn’t force businesses to make deci-
explains the layout of a successful
sions or close doors, we just said ‘we’re
transformation: “It starts with defining
going to work with you on this journey’
what the company wants to become,
– so once a business figured out where
the culture it wants – you really have to
it wanted to go next, it could move at
focus on the culture, the vision, and the
speed to implement it.”
values you want to drive before you go
Although the journeys Virgin Media,
any further. Once you define all that,
UPC and other brands have embarked
you then move down to technology,
on are underpinned by technology
capability and organisation.” w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
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COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP
tried to get vendors for a fixed price to
To move along the Digital Transforma-
deliver a piece of work we specified,
tion journey at speed, collaboration
which was stressful. The future is
with software providers, platforms,
a partner that sits side-by-side with
vendors and partners will be key to the
you, owns the problem and is willing
success of any company – and Liberty
to flex on a daily basis.”
Global is certainly no exception.
Rather than trying to buy off the shelf
Macdonald is keenly aware of this and
or develop a one-size-fits all solution,
argues that the relationship must be
Liberty Global prefers to work with its
fluid and flexible. “Vendors have to go
partners toward a particular KPI, which
on a journey as well,” he explains. “It’s
Macdonald says “empowers people
key to find vendors that have to change
massively”. Owning a KPI and develop-
the way they work – in the past, we’ve
ing trust requires flexibility. “I want w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
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partners that are here for the journey.
involved with Virgin Media to help develop
We’re not going to define our require-
real-time services as part of a three-
ments or deliveries, but we will figure it
year journey. “If you make a change, you
out as we go.”
want it to happen right now,” Macdonald
This is a challenge, but a fresh per-
explains. “Sigma has been core in deve-
spective builds healthier relationships
loping that. It’s taking traditional telco
and more successful, tailored solutions
provisioning and changing it into a real-
which benefit the end user, the company
time digital platform.” Currently, Liberty
and the vendor too. “I don’t believe
is looking at how it can work alongside
anyone in the industry is happy with the
Sigma to develop other platforms to try
way things work. The partners I work
to answer the questions. “How do you
with now are very open, mature and ener-
support any digital service you want in
getic – they want to go on a journey.”
the future?”
One such partner is software company Sigma, which has been particularly
Another key partnership was built out of a relationship with digital identity
“Liberty has an interesting combination of being a massive global company but also a place where you can get things done. There’s energy, ability and drive” — Duncan Macdonald, VP Consumer Solutions and Digital Transformation at Liberty Global
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company UXP systems, which earlier
goes hand in hand with a rapidly chan-
this year was bought out by Amdocs.
ging portfolio across an M&A landscape.
Now, Amdocs is a key partner in fulfilling identity management needs in line with
AI AND THE USER EXPERIENCE
Liberty’s philosophy of working on
Will one technology in particular be
entire layers rather than silos. Heavily
vital to that stage? “I’m getting abso-
involved in the Telenet digital transfor-
lutely obsessed with artificial intelli-
mation has been BSS (business support
gence (AI) at the moment,” says Mac-
systems) provider Netcracker, with the
donald. “But it all comes down to what
Netcracker 12 platform being instru-
you define as AI – I don’t think there’s
mental in replacing legacy stacks and
any one platform for all the tasks you
adding digital layers – something which
need. The understanding layer is at the w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
top – do I understand speech and free text? – that’s one value, and the other is self-learning. In the future there will be convergence, but you’ve got to find the right AI for the right circumstance. It’s key that we don’t get tied into the wrong AI.” This is where the layers Macdonald talks about come in to build a digital enterprise. “You have to be able to put in and remove building blocks of digital capability as they develop, and you achieve this by being disciplined in the way you store data 26
and knowledge. I think AI is going to be massive,” he adds. “I know people say it’s over-hyped but I think in the next two or three years it will be absolutely key to detailed personalisation.” In this area, a particularly productive relationship has been with Afiniti, which worked alongside Liberty to improve
the ability to run the data science on
Virgin Media’s contact centres. Afiniti
that is a key need in every market.
utilises AI to allow a customer to be
“Shouldn’t everything be a conver-
assigned with the correct profile of
sation? You can solve anything through
agent so the optimum conversation
a conversation,” says Macdonald. “If
can take place for both consumer and
I have a question or a need, I just want
business. Afiniti has an interesting
to ask someone for the answer and
offering beyond just care calls: they
the whole journey can be led through
have a powerful data science capability.
a conversation. It’s much easier for
In a digital world, data is everything but
everyone.” In this way, Macdonald is
2005
Year founded
10,000+
Approximate number of employees
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convinced AI will be instrumental in
Accenture is another company
the digital transformation of the
Macdonald has a history with, as the
customer experience away from ‘click
global consultancy is one of the main
and search’. Another partner, Live
system integrator he works with.
Person, is being used here primarily
“They’ve done a lot of work across
in customer care – but Macdonald is
Europe, partnering with early digital
keen to explore other avenues with
work and helping us figure out our archi-
the AI element. “If we get the right AI
tecture and our layers.” Another globally
behind that channel, it’s going to be
recognised name in the software space
very powerful.”
is Infosys, which has been involved in w w w.l i be r t ygl o b a l. com
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the development of Telenet’s online space and app development.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE “I think all big companies that have been around for 20+ years are going to have the same journey with the same challenges,” Macdonald continues. “People are going to have to be really brave in every industry. There will be a delicate balance of maintaining the quality roadmap on existing products and services while digitally transforming at speed to improve customer service.” This change, even in the way industries are viewed as a more homogenous layer of digital transformation, will mean people have to adapt. “The skill sets we have valued won’t go away, but people will have to change their way of working,” Macdonald adds. “Digital is a massive industry right now, and Liberty has an interesting combination of having the reach of a global company but also a place where you can get things done. There’s energy, ability and drive. You’ve just got to do your thinking: where is the market going? How do we support our customers on this journey? There’s a lot of good energy. Good stress. And that drives creativity and innovation!”
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Griffin House 161 Hammersmith Road London W6 8BS United Kingdom www.libertyglobal.com