One unified portal simplifies technology buying across Africa
Overview
A leading pan-African technology group operating across 14 countries recognized that their legacy ordering systems were creating friction for enterprise customers. Existing processes were unable to meet rising expectations for speed, transparency and control.
The tech giant partnered with us to reimagine customer engagement through a Salesforce-powered Experience Cloud implementation. With an intuitive self-service platform, the transformation delivered measurable results to access essential technology services more efficiently, accelerating their own growth and digital innovation.
The Challenge
Legacy processes presented key obstacles to the technology group’s growth ambitions:
- Manual ordering processes: Customers couldn't place orders online directly, requiring time-consuming manual intervention for every request
- Extended lead times: Even straightforward connectivity services took longer to provision than competitors' offerings, delaying business initiatives
- Limited self-service capabilities: Customers lacked the ability to manage their services independently after implementation
- Disconnected customer journey: The experience from ordering to service management was fragmented across multiple systems and interfaces
- Untapped automation potential: Legacy systems couldn't leverage the capabilities of software-defined networks (SDN) for faster provisioning
These operational constraints not only frustrated customers but also limited the company’s ability to scale their services across the market.
The Solution
We delivered a comprehensive Salesforce Experience Cloud implementation to unify and modernize the customer experience:
- Self-service ecommerce portal: Built a integrated digital storefront on Experience Cloud that connected seamlessly with the existing CRM platform
- Intuitive user experience: Developed modern, user-friendly interfaces using the Lightning Web Component framework for fast performance and the Lightning Design System to ensure a consistent look and feel across devices
- Personalized engagement: Created persona and brand-based experiences that delivered customized interfaces for different customer segments
- Unified data architecture: Leveraged existing customer data models, business processes and product configurations for a cohesive experience
- End-to-end accountability: Provided comprehensive services from UX design through deployment and operations, including marketing support
This integrated approach transformed manual processes into an intuitive digital experience that empowered customers while enabling the company to fully leverage its software-defined network capabilities.
The Impact
The Salesforce Experience Cloud implementation delivered significant, measurable improvements to both customer experience and business operations.
- 10% reduction in operational costs: Streamlined processes and unified platform eliminated redundant systems and reduced total cost of ownership
- 15% increase in sales pipeline: Enhanced digital presence and improved customer experience generated stronger demand for services
- Accelerated connectivity provisioning: Self-service capabilities dramatically shortened lead times for standard service requests
- Enhanced customer engagement: Real-time visibility and automated notifications improved communication throughout the service lifecycle
Beyond the Numbers
The shift from manual processes to digital self-service created a more responsive experience that aligns with how modern organizations expect to procure and manage technology infrastructure.
Business customers particularly benefit from the reduced lead times, gaining faster access to essential connectivity services that underpin their own digital initiatives. This acceleration enables them to respond more quickly to market opportunities and implement new capabilities without the delays previously associated with technology provisioning.
The platform's unified nature also enables deeper insights into customer needs and usage patterns, supporting more targeted service development and marketing efforts that address the specific requirements of different African markets.
Celebrating Success
At HCLTech, we are proud to be a trusted technology partner across the African continent, working alongside forward-thinking enterprises to accelerate innovation and improve how they connect with customers. Our growing presence in the region reflects a shared commitment to building smarter, more agile businesses that are ready for what’s next.
This transformation with a pan-African technology leader is just one example of how we’re helping organizations rethink customer experience and unlock real business value. By modernizing platforms, enabling self-service and streamlining operations, we’re creating the kind of digital foundations that drive growth. Not operations, we’re creating the kind of digital foundations that drive growth. Not just for today, but well into the future.
