Spark migrates 25 years of data to new CRM

New Zealand telco Spark shifted 25 years of legacy customer data to a new CRM platform over the weekend, completing the second major stage of its re-engineering program.

The data was previously housed in decades-old legacy systems.

"In a lot of cases, that means we have moved on from old-fashioned green-screen customer service systems centred on the copper-wire connection to leading-edge systems centred on our full relationship with each customer," Spark managing director Simon Moutter said.

Under its old brand Telecom New Zealand, Spark made a commitment to Oracle's CRM technology, basing much of its new system on Oracle's Siebel CRM software. The company is also using Oracle's RightNow to ensure that information is consistent and relevant to both staff and customers.

Spark's Siebel CRM reportedly runs on a platform that includes Oracle DBMS and SPARC servers running Solaris.

"It's a quantum leap that gives us significantly better customer management capabilities, with all our customers on one system and their information accessible across all our customer touch points.

"This means we are able to understand our customers better, and know their history, preferences, and needs."

Spark is well past the halfway point in the re-engineering program, it said, after investing around NZ$70 million per year over three years.

Successive phases will continue to improve the customer experience and lay the foundation for the delivery of new digital services.