With Microsoft Azure, Terragon helps businesses leverage insights and target customers with the right messages at the right time

Founded in 2009, Terragon has grown into Africa's leading and largest data-powered marketing cloud ecosystem. Providing a deeper understanding of African consumers through its data marketplace, Terragon drives growth by enabling businesses to gain deeper understanding of their customers using data, in order to deliver more intelligent and meaningful experiences to customers on mobile. Its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform helps businesses unify and analyze customer data across various touchpoints, properly segment customers, and provide relevant product recommendations. "Today, over 8,000 small-and-medium and 30 large enterprises across Africa rely on our platform to deliver superior customer experience across various channels, including SMS, WhatsApp, and mobile apps," shares Osarugue Awani, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at Terragon.

Early on, Terragon recognized the growing trend of digital channels, which only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Consumers were adopting multiple channels; leaving digital footprints across touchpoints and devices,” Awani explains. “It only made sense to help businesses process that data and make sense of it to understand customers more holistically." Without marketing intelligence, consumers would be spammed with irrelevant messages, while businesses would spend a lot of money to see low returns. “We help businesses eliminate that waste by providing the marketing intelligence they need to deliver the right message at the right time,” adds Awani.

Solving for the treasure trove of data

Initially using on-premises infrastructure, Terragon soon realized that the quantity of consumer data and the need for rapid processing necessitated a change. "We needed more computing power and storage, as well as enhanced security posture and streamlined operations," adds Awani. “Today, customers expect to receive notifications within seconds after their transactions. And if we want more speed, efficiency, and security, moving to the cloud is a no-brainer.”

Having migrated to Microsoft Azure, Terragon leveraged the technology to improve efficiency. Namely, Terragon used Azure Functions to run small tasks without the hassle of handling complex computer systems. Applying Azure Kubernetes Services also made sure that services clusters worked harmoniously, simplifying software delivery. Using Azure Service Bus, Terragon set up a reliable messaging system in the cloud, helping different computer systems of their customers communicate smoothly with each other.

Microsoft supported Terragon staff throughout the implementation, including with training and upskilling of Terragon's engineers. "From the engineering side, Microsoft helped us improve our platform’s reliability and our team’s efficiency,” Awani elaborates. “From a sales and marketing perspective, the Microsoft brand has been priceless, with referrals, marketing support, and increased exposure for the brand at trade shows and conferences. Plus, a number of our customers already use or are considering using Azure, making the adoption of our platform simpler for them."

Accelerating time to value

Terragon's shift to Azure enabled it to deliver solutions faster. Awani illustrates, "For instance, when we were on-premises, deployment of our solution within a customer's environment would take anywhere between four to six weeks. Now, it takes about seven days. This enables us to cut costs and free up our staff."

Terragon’s security posture also improved. Before, Terragon’s cybersecurity team had to put in considerable manual effort to mitigate risks. "With Azure, we can more easily trace and action incidents,” Awani notes. “We've also seen a lot less security incidents."

"The increase in speed, efficiency, and reduced downtime also positively impacted the consumers' experience," Awani notes. For instance, imagine a consumer attempting to buy a household item via an eCommerce app who is notified of insufficient funds. They can quickly be prompted to sign up for an overdraft service from their bank, as well as an insurance package based on their profile, including their credit history and loan status. This way, the bank—Terragon’s client—has obtained consent from the customer, engaging with them at the right time with the most relevant offer and message.

The customer profiling is done using AI, ensuring scale and accuracy, and minimizing the risk for the bank. “With Azure, it takes our clients half the time to process this data and engage the right customers at opportune times at scale,” highlights Awani.

Delivering more memorable moments

Looking ahead, Terragon aims to share the rewards reaped from its migration to cloud-based solutions. "Many enteprises are wary of the cloud migration process due to lack of expertise, technical support and perception of costs. But Terragon helps them through the cloud migration process by providing much needed technical support (expertise and tools) to improving their productivity and outcomes; as well as helps them to leverage their customer data and use this as a major asset in improving customer experience and ROI on marketing expenses. A cloud migration is a win-win for all parties," sums up Awani. “Microsoft has demonstrated commitment in strengthening businesses in Africa, helping them scale more efficiently with the cloud. With Microsoft’s continued support, we can help enterprises maximize the value of their data assets within the cloud by empowering them to create memorable and relevant customer experiences and save as much as 40% on costs.”