As businesses grow and evolve, so do their operational needs.
In industries with complex infrastructures, such as telecommunications, the demand for personalised support and strategic partnerships with data centre providers has never been greater.
At Telehouse, we responded to this shift by introducing Telehouse Customer Plus, a concierge service designed to offer enhanced, tailor-made customer success support. Available in two tiers, our new service provides customers with dedicated account management, personalised service reviews, and even peer-to-peer networking opportunities within the Telehouse ecosystem.
For Tata Communications, a global digital ecosystem enabler powering today’s fast-growing digital economy, Customer Plus has strengthened their operational relationship with Telehouse. What began as a standard account management setup has evolved into a close, collaborative, and long-term partnership.
To explore how Tata has benefitted from the premium customer success service, Melissa (Milly) Heaven, our Senior Customer Success Manager, sat down with Glenn Hewitt, Network Field Operations at Tata Communications to discuss the impact of the service on their day-to-day operations and reflect on the evolving partnership between the two companies.
Milly: Glenn, you’ve been with Tata since 2006. How has your relationship with Telehouse evolved over the years, especially now with the introduction of the Customer Plus service?
Glenn: That’s right! I’ve been here since 2006. We’ve always had a solid working relationship with Telehouse, but I have to say, since the Customer Plus service came into play, it’s been a game-changer for us. Before, we had the usual account management setup, but with Customer Plus, we now have a much more personalised connection and a direct point of contact, which makes our operations so much easier.
Milly: Glad to hear that! What specific benefits have you seen since we started working together through the Customer Plus service?
Glenn: The biggest benefit has been having a dedicated point of contact who truly understands our needs. When we encounter an issue, I can reach out directly, and it’s resolved quickly. What used to take a week can now be solved in just one day. This eliminates lengthy internal steps and back-and-forth communication, significantly improving our efficiency. We’ve also been able to create bespoke processes that help our organisations work together more smoothly. Milly not only knows how Telehouse operates but has developed a deep understanding of Tata’s nuances and processes. This means that complex tasks, which previously required multiple steps and coordination across different teams, are now streamlined and adapted to our specific workflow, fitting our operational needs more closely. This kind of business-aligned support has had a real impact on our daily operations.
Milly: It’s been great to see first-hand how much more efficient things have become. And one thing we aim for with Customer Plus is to really understand our customers’ needs and challenges. Has that helped with any bespoke processes we’ve worked on together?
Glenn: Absolutely. It’s that deeper understanding that’s made a big difference. Take the process we developed for cable replacements. We’ve established a great system that works for both Tata and Telehouse. And it’s not just the technical side and support. You’ve helped us improve the working environment in our data room. It’s a 25-year-old space, and getting things like new floor tiles or better facilities might have been a headache before. I’m not sure we could have done the upgrades without you!
Milly: I’m glad we could help! And on that note, how has your team found the networking opportunities that come with Customer Plus?
Glenn: You know, I’m not much of a “networking guy” and there’s always a moment of hesitation before committing to a mid-week social. But jokes aside, it’s always worth it in the end! I must say the events Telehouse hosts have been really beneficial,
Milly: I remember at one of the Customer Plus Networking Breakfasts, you bumped into someone you’d been working with for years but had never met in person. It’s moments like that which make these events so valuable.
Glenn: Yes, it really does make a difference. Before, we didn’t have much interaction with other customers or even with your senior team. Now, I’ve met people I’ve only ever emailed before, and it’s great to finally put faces to names. It’s nice to feel like we’re part of the wider Telehouse community. And the fact that we’re treated like VIPs now. It’s definitely a nice touch and not just lip service. I mean, who doesn’t like feeling a bit special? We receive regular updates on maintenance, what upgrades you have planned, and anything else that could affect us. That proactive communication helps us plan our work to ensure business continuity.
Milly: It’s all about making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes. From working with you for the last three years, I like to think I have observed that Customer Plus has made managing your infrastructure day-to-day easier. Would you agree?
Glenn: Without a doubt. Having a dedicated Customer Success Manager has been instrumental in addressing our key concerns and keeping everything running smoothly. For instance, some of our Lines of Business were concerned about having all our infrastructure in one location. They didn’t want all their eggs in one basket, so to speak. There was even talk of looking at other data centre providers to mitigate this risk. However through detailed discussions with our dedicated point of contact at Telehouse, we were able to understand how Telehouse South could provide the separation we needed. They collaborated with us to develop a solution involving multi-fibre connections and ILK 1+1 redundancy, which met our operational requirements. Milly took the time to walk us through every aspect, including layouts and roadmaps, to ensure we had all the information we needed to make a confident decision. Thanks to her guidance, we expanded our infrastructure to Telehouse South, which was the ideal solution for us. Without this collaborative effort, those Lines of Business might have gone to a different data centre altogether.
Milly: I remember those conversations well. It’s been great building that close relationship with you and Tata. It’s great to hear that having a dedicated Customer Success Manager has made a significant impact.
Glenn: A massive impact. Having a dedicated manager who’s invested time into really understanding Tata’s business means we’re not just another customer. You’re a true extension of our team. You know exactly what we do, what we need, what technology we use and why it’s important. That kind of relationship is invaluable and hard to replace. Honestly, I’d recommend the Customer Plus service to any business that values a truly collaborative partnership.
If you’d like to learn more about how Telehouse Customer Plus can support your business with tailored, premium service, visit www.telehouse.net/products/customer-plus.