Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Telecommunication Sector in Nepal

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Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction In Mobile Telecommunications Industry of Nepal Business Research Project Report Submitted to Kathmandu University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Business Administration By Ayush Man Tamrakar A011935-10 Under the supervision of Ritesh Kumar Thakur, Faculty of Statistics June, 2014

Transcript of Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Telecommunication Sector in Nepal

Page 1: Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Telecommunication Sector in Nepal

Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction

In Mobile Telecommunications

Industry of Nepal

Business Research Project Report

Submitted to

Kathmandu University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

Bachelor of Business Administration

By

Ayush Man Tamrakar

A011935-10

Under the supervision of

Ritesh Kumar Thakur,

Faculty of Statistics

June, 2014

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Declaration

I, the undersigned declare that this research project is a result of my study carried out

in the year 2014. It has not been previously submitted to any other university or any

other examinations.

Signature

Ayush Man Tamrakar

BBA 2010-2014

KU Registration: A011935-10

Kathmandu College of Management

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Acknowledgement

I would like to express my gratitude to all those who gave me the opportunity to

explore and complete this research study. First and foremost, I would like to thank

Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) for providing this excellent

research opportunity to the students of undergraduate Bachelors in Business

Administration (BBA) program.

I express my special gratitude to my academic supervisor, Mr. Madhu Sudan Gautam.

It was his encouragement, patience, and valuable feedback that enabled me to

complete this work. I am also deeply indebted to my research supervisor, Ritesh

Kumar Thakur. The support that he provided motivated me to think more broadly

about the associated concepts and constructs, and helped expand my understanding of

research as a discipline. Invaluable discussions we held stimulated my enthusiasm and

imagination in the research process.

I would also like to give my sincere gratitude to Ms. Jashmina Pradhananga and all

my friends and colleagues who supported me with the information required to

complete this research effectively. Likewise, I thank all the respondents who filled in

the survey, without which this research would be incomplete.

This project would not have been possible without the kind support and help of many

individuals. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them.

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Executive Summary

In the present customer driven market, the concept of customer satisfaction is

regarded as a fundamental marketing concept in any kind of business. Previously, it

used to be an unpopular and overlooked concept; and business houses and companies

were hind-sighted with the motive to widen the customer base than to retain the

existing customers. However, today the same business houses and companies have

begun to shift their focus on incorporating customer relationship management to

sustain their business. With the inclusion of customer relationship management as an

independent unit in the organization structure, the businesses have encompassed the

responsibility of delivering customer satisfaction in their priority zone. The need of

this customer relationship management and the fulfillment of the expectations of the

customers cannot be neglected in the mobile telecommunications industry.

With the on-going modernization and in the age of information, the students,

especially those pursuing their higher level studies are one of the most dominant

customers in the mobile telecommunication industry from the social as well as the

economic facets. The students of age group 16 to 35 are the most aware and well

informed generation in the society. With the quick access to information about the

mobile telecommunications service around the world and high expectations from the

service providers, these students have a mixture of perceptions about the services

provided by the mobile telecommunication sector in Nepal. This diverse nature of

perception held by the students is the reason behind this investigation on the influence

of socio-economic and service factors on the satisfaction level of students.

This research follows the definition of customer satisfaction as an experience-based

assessment of the customer through the difference in his/her own anticipations

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regarding the overall functionality of the services and fulfillment of the service

obtained from the seller. The research’s antecedents, which refer to the cause

elements, include buyer requirements and anticipations, service quality, observed

assessment, internal fulfillment and complaint administration.

This research study was conducted by administering 150 questionnaires to students of

age group 16 to 35 pursuing higher secondary level in various disciplines, bachelors

level, masters level and above in Kathmandu through the online social media sources.

The questionnaire survey administered to the respondents was divided into two

sections. Section I includes questions on socioeconomic factors; and section II covers

questions on service features, service performance and overall customer care.

From the results obtained from the research, it was revealed that 55% of the

respondents are satisfied and 8% of the respondents are highly satisfied with the

mobile telecommunications industry of Nepal. The findings showed that the grouping

of the mobile service features exhibited a moderate relationship with satisfaction

while the socioeconomic variables demonstrated a very weak relationship.

Based on the findings of this research, the implication that can be drawn for mobile

service providers is that, there is a need to improve and customize their services in

order to achieve higher level of customer satisfaction. It can be affirmed that through

the enhancement of the features of the mobile telecommunication services, the level

of customer satisfaction can be increased effectively. Along with this, the mobile

service providers must create segments in the market to formulate plans and policies

to fulfill the requirements of its demographically diversified customers and enhance

the level of customer satisfaction through customization and better service quality.

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Table of Contents

Declaration ...................................................................................................................... i

Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................... ii

Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... iii

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................... v

List of Tables ............................................................................................................... vii

List of Figures ............................................................................................................ viii

List of Acronyms .......................................................................................................... ix

Chapter I: Introduction ................................................................................................... 1

1.1. Background of the Research ........................................................................... 1

1.2. Problem Statement .......................................................................................... 3

1.3. Objectives of the Research .............................................................................. 4

1.4. Organization of the Report .............................................................................. 5

Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................ 6

2.1. Definitions ........................................................................................................... 8

2.2. Antecedents ......................................................................................................... 8

2.3. Socioeconomic Variables and Customer Satisfaction ....................................... 11

Chapter III: Methodology ............................................................................................ 12

3.1. Sample Selection ............................................................................................... 13

3.2. Research Instrument .......................................................................................... 13

3.3. Conceptual Framework ................................................................................. 14

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3.4. Operational Definition................................................................................... 16

Chapter IV: Results ...................................................................................................... 17

4.1. Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 17

4.2. Customer Satisfaction among the Socioeconomic Groups ................................... 24

4.3. Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction ........................................................... 28

4.4. Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Socioeconomic Variables ....... 34

Chapter V: Summary, Discussions, and Implications ................................................. 39

5.1. Summary ........................................................................................................... 39

5.2. Discussions ........................................................................................................ 40

5.3. Implications ....................................................................................................... 41

References .................................................................................................................... 43

Appendix ...................................................................................................................... 45

Appendix 1: Questionnaire Format .......................................................................... 45

Appendix 2: Frequency Table of Weekly Allowances ............................................ 48

Appendix 3: Frequency Table of Weekly Expenses ................................................ 49

Appendix 4: Frequency Table of Weekly Mobile Services Expenses ..................... 50

Appendix 5: Frequency Table of Mobile Service Providers .................................... 51

Appendix 6: Frequency Table of Customer Satisfaction ......................................... 52

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List of Tables

Table 1: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Weekly Allowance... 24

Table 2: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Weekly Expenses ..... 25

Table 3: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Mobile Expenses ...... 26

Table 4: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Service Providers ..... 27

Table 5: Result of Regression Analysis between CS and Quality of the Network ...... 28

Table 6: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Billing ................ 30

Table 7: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Validity .............. 31

Table 8: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Customer Care ... 32

Table 9: Result of Regression between CS and Network, Billing, Validity and

Customer Care ............................................................................................................. 33

Table 10: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Allowance ........ 35

Table 11: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Expenses .......... 36

Table 12: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Mobile Expenses

...................................................................................................................................... 37

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of the Research ...................................................... 15

Figure 2: Pie Chart of Weekly Allowances ................................................................. 18

Figure 3: Pie Chart of Weekly Expenses ..................................................................... 19

Figure 4: Pie Chart Representation of Weekly Mobile Services Expenses ................. 20

Figure 5: Pie Chart Representation of Mobile Service Providers ................................ 21

Figure 6: Pie Chart Representation of Overall Customer Satisfaction ........................ 22

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List of Acronyms

BBA Bachelors in Business Administration

BS Bikram Sambat

CS Customer Satisfaction

D Dissatisfied

GSM Global System of Mobile Communications

KCM Kathmandu College of Management

KUSOM Kathmandu University School of Management

NDCL Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited

NO No Opinion

NTC Nepal Telecom Corporation

S Satisfied

SMS Short Message Service

SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences

UTL United Telecom Limited

VD Very Dissatisfied

VS Very Satisfied

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Chapter I: Introduction

1.1. Background of the Research

The mobile telecommunication industry is one of the thriving service industries of the

modern day world. With the up-surging importance of information in the day to day

activities, this industry is also expanding swiftly. With this swift change, the mobile

telecommunication service providers are able to provide the customers with new

advanced features and updated technology at reasonable prices. The ever growing

needs of customers have compelled the companies to go for the search of possible

developments that can be undertaken and focus on the concept of customer

satisfaction, since this is the key to maintain stability in the industry in terms of

market share.

The Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) is a second-generation digital

technology, which was initially incorporated in Europe and in less than ten years after

its launch, it developed into world’s leading and fastest growing mobile standard

(GSM Association , 2006).

In Nepal, operation of telecommunication service dates back to B.S. 1970. However,

telecommunication service was formally provided mainly after the establishment of

‘Mohan Akashwani’ in B.S. 2005. (Telecom, Brief Introduction, 2014). After serving

the nation for 29 years, Nepal Telecommunication Corporation got transformed into

Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (NDCL) starting Baisakh 1, 2061. NDCL is a

state owned company registered under the Companies Act 2053 with 85%

government share. However, the company is popularly known to the general public by

the brand name Nepal Telecom (NT) as a registered trademark (Telecom, Brief

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Introduction, 2014). Ncell (previously Mero Mobile) broke the monopoly held by the

state-owned Nepal Telecom, by building a new arena in mobile telephony services.

Despite the economic and social benefits of the mobile telecommunications to the

economy and the market of Nepal, there is not much research prospect in this sector,

unlike the developed countries, due to the lack of appropriate information. However,

it is possible that the mobile operators may have conducted satisfaction surveys and

other marketing research. Even so, the interaction with the mobile service providers

for any additional insight yielded no new information than that available in the

internet.

This absence of specific investigation in the mobile telecommunications sector may

have stopped it from creating the pool of information beneficial for its growth. The

measurement of customer satisfaction level addresses both users and public interests.

Such studies if carried out can assist in economic and social development (Turel,

2006). Therefore, there is necessity to gain more understanding in the area of

customer satisfaction.

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1.2. Problem Statement

The telecommunication industry of Nepal is at present facing the major hurdles of

constantly increasing oligopoly market rivalry as well as the increasing customers’

expectation of the service quality. Customers have the choice of selection among the

mobile telecommunication companies based on the level of satisfaction, the degree of

affordability and the quality level of service being provided. This pattern of customer

demand and tight competition is forcing the mobile telecommunications companies to

reject the traditional customer satisfaction model and to accept new practical

strategies which will definitely enable them to take a major portion of the market

share. Thus, the objective of this research study is to identify the factors that are

prevalent among the mobile telecommunication users to exhibit the eagerness to reject

the exiting service provider and also those ready to continue with the existing mobile

service provider.

With the present scenario of modernization and entrance into information age,

students, especially who are pursuing their higher level studies are one of the most

dominant customers of the mobile telecommunication services from the social as well

as the economic aspects. The students from age group 16 to 35 are the most conscious

and well informed generation in the society. With this information in hand, there are

various perceptions of the services provided by the mobile telecommunication sector

in Nepal. This research examined the level of influence of socioeconomic and mobile

service determinants on the satisfaction level of students.

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1.3. Objectives of the Research

The objectives of the research are:

1. Determine the major determinants for overall customer satisfaction in the

mobile telecommunication industry of Nepal for students from age group 16 to

35 residing in Kathmandu.

2. Evaluate the relationship between customer satisfaction and quality of the

network, billing, period of validity, and customer care support

3. Evaluate the relationship between customer satisfaction and various

socioeconomic behaviors of students such as weekly allowances, weekly

expenses and weekly mobile expenses.

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1.4. Organization of the Report

This research was conducted to find out the customer satisfaction level of students of

Kathmandu from age group 16 to 35 in the telecommunications industry of Nepal.

The research is outlined in five chapters.

Chapter I starts with the introduction of the research topic including the problem

statement of the research along with the research objectives and the research

questions. This chapter describes the rationale of the research.

Chapter II intends to provide the literature review related to the topic. This section

tries to relate different concepts and ideas related to the research from different

perspective. It includes how researches have been conducted as well as what previous

researches elicit.

Chapter III describes about the research methodology and strategy used to fulfill the

research objectives. It contains the theoretical framework as the foundation for the

research as well as includes the description of the collection and analysis tools along

with justification of the sample chosen for the data collection.

Chapter IV sets analysis of the data collection from the field to be used for the

findings in the research. It covers quantitative and qualitative data analysis method for

the research analysis.

Chapter V includes the findings of the research from the primary and secondary data.

It also includes the reasons for the outcomes seen as well the implications that can be

observed by those situations and further sets the base for other researches. Latter part

of the research contains references and the appendices for additional perusal.

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Chapter II: Literature Review

Customer satisfaction and its concepts and constructs have been categorized as an

essential aspect in the marketing field for a very long period. According to Keith, the

marketing is defined as the process of satisfying the requirements and desires of the

customers.(The Marketing Revolution, 1960).

As cited by Dr. Eniola, studies have shown that it requires five times the cost to gain a

new customer which is required for retaining an existing customer (Naumann, 1995).

This, thus, makes business houses and companies focus more into maintaining strong

customer relationships. Similarly, many companies both in large and small scale are

accepting the concept customer satisfaction as their operational aspect though which

they maintain an effective business framework. With this motive, companies today

have made huge investments in database mining and relationship marketing along

with customer management and planning to have good relationships with its

customers. (Feciková, 57 - 66) Thus, it is generalizable that the main objective for

companies today is maintaining strong customer relationship management,

Furthermore, direct effect in the market share of companies, can be seen through

increasing customer satisfaction which leads to increased profitability, positive word

of mouth, lower marketing expenses, and significantly impact the commercial image

and existence (Pizam, 1999).

Customers are value-maximizers, thus, they estimate which will offer most value and

chose that particular product. Whether the product offers live up to the expectation or

will affect neither satisfaction nor repurchase probability (Kotler, 2000).

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Customer delivered value is the variance between overall customer value and overall

customer cost. Further, total customer value refers to the bundle of benefits customers

expect from a given product or service. And, total customer cost refers to the bundle

of costs customers expect to incur while evaluating, using and disposing of the

products and services (Kotler, 2000).

Total customer value includes four sources: product value, service value, and personal

value along with image value. Whereas, total customer cost includes monetary cost,

time cost and energy cost along with psychic cost (Kotler, 2000).

Satisfaction is a person’s feeling of liking or frustration that results from comparing

the actual performance of a product or service to its expectations from an overall point

of view. Similarly, buyers form their expectations from past buying experience,

advice from friends and associates; and information from marketers and competitor.

(Kotler, 2000).

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2.1. Definitions

As cited by Gekara in ‘Measurement of Consumer Satisfaction during Post Merger

Period’, the perception of customer satisfaction has been presented in two preliminary

definitional approaches: as a process and as a consequence of a consumption

experience. (Gekara, 2011)

As a process, customer satisfaction, is referred as an assessment between what was

received and what was expected. This emphasizes the perceptual, evaluative and

psychological processes which makes a contribution to customer satisfaction.

(Gekara, 2011)

2.2. Antecedents

As cited by Ode Egena, customer satisfaction is preceded by numerous causes and

these causes strongly impacts the degree of customer satisfaction. (Customer

Satisfaction in Mobile Telephony, 2013) The antecedents are:

Perceived Value

Perceived value, in simple, is the anticipated benefit which is derived from the

customers’ perception regarding the product and service. The customers’ perceived

value is derived from the tangible, psychological and social benefits. Since, the

demand for a product is affected by the above benefits, the perceived value is taken

into consideration when determining the feasibility of the prices (Customer Perceived

Value, 2014).

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Customer Requirements and Expectations

There is a high level of interrelationship between the level of customer satisfaction

and the understanding of customer requirements and expectations (Samuel, Customer

Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry in Nigeria, 2006). Furthermore,

the requirements and expectations of the customers are divisible into three: basic

requirements, expected requirements and excitement requirements.

First, basic requirements are the obvious requirements of customers and achieving

these requirements may not be enough for customer satisfaction. Second, expected

requirements are the significant requirements that customers are fully aware of and

satisfaction is expected in every purchase. Third, excitement requirements are

unconscious and understood requirements of clients. By recognizing and sustaining

such requirements, businesses shall have added great importance to customers and can

earn faithful clients. (Farokhian, 2011).

Service Quality

The service quality is a measurement of the subjective aspects of customer service,

which depends on the level of anticipated benefits and observed outcomes of the

service. Thus, the expectations of customers are dependent upon the service they

obtain and the capability of the service providers. At present, the business houses and

companies provide benefits in their products and service along with offerings which

also delight them in the highest manner. This approach of delighting customers is

intended to exceed the customers’ expectation. (Service Quality, 2008).

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Complaint Management

Handling complaints, a satisfactory business practice can assure excellent customer

service in a company. Complaint management is the course of how organizations

handle, manage, respond to and report customer objections in the moment of

confusion and need of assistance. (What Is a Complaint Management System?, 2014).

Internal Satisfaction

Internal satisfaction is a phenomenon related to customers’ emotion and attitude

rather than objective measurement of satisfaction. A customer who is satisfied with a

purchased product or service hired will make regular payments; these regular

payments improve the cash flow of the business. Thus, customers who are highly

satisfied will purchase more and benefit the company’s brand image. (Total Quality

Management, 2008).

This literature review elaborates the significance of the research study to make a clear

understanding of service performance assessment by customers. The service

performance is based on their past involvements, benefits acquired, level of service

superiority and treatment of complaints and queries. Through the investigation of

quality of network, billing, period of validity and customer care support of the

telecommunication industry of Nepal, the customer satisfaction of students of

Kathmandu with the mobile telecommunication services will be measured.

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2.3. Socioeconomic Variables and Customer Satisfaction

Socioeconomic status refers to a person's or group's situation within a categorized

community structure. It depends on a grouping of variables, including profession,

income, wealth, education, and residence. Sociologists frequently use socioeconomic

position as a means of predicting performance (Socio Economic Status, 2013).

This literature review conveys the information that consumers differ to each other in

in terms of their behavior and background; and the major determinants for this change

are the socioeconomic characteristics of the individual customer and the environment.

Thus, the need for exploration of the socio economic factors and its impact in the

customer satisfaction with respect to mobile telecommunications industry of Nepal is

highly essential. These factors are important characteristics of the general people and

it strongly affects their views, way of life and standard of living. Further, the detailed

study of the impact of these factors on the customer satisfaction of students with

mobile telecommunications services in Nepal will give accurate insights to understand

the needs and expectations of customers with various socioeconomic background and

behavior.

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Chapter III: Methodology

In this research, the explorative and comparative research methods were employed to

meet the objectives.

1. Primary Sources:

a. In-depth Interview

b. Questionnaire Survey

c. Pilot testing

2. Secondary Source:

a. Company Profile of NTC, NCell, Smart Cell and UTL

b. Company Websites

c. Publications by Nepal Telecommunications Authority

d. Articles by Sparrow SMS and various other companies.

The purpose of this research design was to understand customer satisfaction of student

of age group 16 to 35 residing in Kathmandu with the performance of the mobile

telecommunication industry of Nepal. Similarly, it also aimed to identify factors that

influence customer satisfaction for student in Nepal regarding the services of mobile

telecommunication service providers.

The questionnaire survey consisted of questions which were based on the independent

variables: mobile services features and socioeconomic characteristics. The mobile

services features include quality of the network, billing, and period of validity and

customer care services; similarly the socioeconomic variables include weekly

allowances, weekly expenses and mobile recharge. The questions were self-

constructed and answers were based on the rating scale which varied from ‘very

satisfied’ to ‘very dis-satisfied’.

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3.1. Sample Selection

This research was conducted by administering 150 questionnaires to students of age

group 16 to 35 of various institutions pursuing higher secondary level, bachelors

level, masters level degree and above in Kathmandu through the online sources. The

students were be targeted from various fields of study such as medicine, law,

engineering, technology, tourism and business based on convenience sampling.

3.2. Research Instrument

The research instrument used in this research study to collect the data was through the

administration of questionnaire survey to the sample selection. The questionnaire

survey form used fixed-response alternate questions that involved the respondent to

select from a fixed set of answers to every question. This type of survey method is the

most common and popular technique of primary data collection in marketing research.

(Samuel, Customer Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry in Nigeria,

2006)

The surveys were administered randomly to the sample students through the internet

using Google forms. The use of social media sources such as Facebook was highly

useful in making contact with the samples. Information regarding the samples were

easily available through the social media sources, thus, sample selection was made

quicker.

The questionnaire which was administered is divided into two sections; I and II.

Section I has questions on socioeconomic factors and the section II includes questions

on service features, overall customer care, service performance and the service

operator. The questionnaire survey form included several questions and the options

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for answers were very satisfied, satisfied, no opinion, dissatisfied and very

dissatisfied. For referral, the questionnaire survey form is placed at Appendix 1.

3.3. Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of this research examined the level of customer

satisfaction of the mobile telecommunication services of students from age group 16

to 35 residing in Kathmandu. The research aimed to explore the relationship between

customer satisfaction and specific socioeconomic variables of the students.

As cited by Dr. Samuel Eniola, in his research, previous researches on mobile

telecommunication services recommended that essential characteristics of the mobile

telecommunication services are quality of the network, billing validity and customer

care. (Samuel, Customer Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry in

Nigeria, 2006).. Figure 1 presents the theoretical structure of this research. Hence, this

research study used these variables in its analysis.

The research sought to find the answers to whether the students of Kathmandu from

age group 16 to 35 are satisfied with the mobile telecommunication sector in Nepal,

whether socioeconomic factors such as weekly allowances, weekly expenses and

weekly mobile expenses of students has strong relationship with the level of customer

satisfaction; and if the quality of the network, billing, period of validity and customer

care support have strong relationship with customer satisfaction.

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Source: (Samuel, Customer Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry in Nigeria, 2006)

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of the Research

Similarly, Figure 1 illustrates the purpose of this research to explore the level of

customer satisfaction of students of age group 16 to 35 with the factors of mobile

telecommunications industry of Nepal and socioeconomic factors.

The theoretical framework used in this research is similar to the research study

conducted by Samuel Eniola on Customer Satisfaction in Mobile

Telecommunications Industry in Nigeria.

Customer

Satisfaction

Network Availability

Billing

Period of Validity

Customer Care

Weekly Allowances

Weekly Expenses

Weekly Recharge on

Mobile Services

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3.4. Operational Definition

Quality of network can be defined as the call quality which is perceived by

consumers. It contains call clarity while making and receiving calls and coverage of

the network.

Billing refers to the price of recharging balance and making expenses of the incurred

balance. It comprises of various types of recharge schemes and payment options.

Validity period refers to the duration wherein, after every balance recharge and due

balance payments, a customer can make calls or receive calls.

Customer care can be defined as the complaint managing systems with the capability

to get attendant quickly, response of the attendant and provide a solution along with

the customer support offered.

Customer satisfaction can be defined as an experience-based valuation assessed by the

buyer of how different his/her own anticipations regarding the overall functionality of

the facilities and the characteristics gained from the seller have been satisfied.

(Samuel, Customer Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry in Nigeria,

2006)

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Chapter IV: Results

4.1. Data Analysis

The responses of 150 respondents were analyzed though the SPSS 20.0 and Microsoft

Excel 2013. In the research, the descriptive statistics was applied to evaluate the

degree of customer satisfaction. The relationship between customer satisfaction; and

the mobile services characteristics and certain socioeconomic variables were analyzed

with the linear regression model. Similarly, customer satisfaction and all the mobile

services characteristics were also analyzed using the multiple regression analysis.

The descriptive frequency was cross tabulated with the dependent variable though the

SPSS package. And, the representation of the data in pie chart was done through

Microsoft Excel 2013. Similarly, Microsoft Excel was also used to code the options of

the answers though ‘Find’ and ‘Replace’ tools.

In the SPSS package, the linear regression model was used to compare the value of

the dependent variable with one or more predictors. In the results of regression

analysis, the model summary table interprets the relationship power of the dependent

variable and the model. R value symbolizes the strength of the relationship. R2

symbolizes the proportion of the variation in the dependent variable explained by the

regression. Beta value symbolizes the coefficient value of the model which states the

percentage of change in dependent variable with 1 percent change in the independent

variable. Both R and R2, range from 0 to 1 with larger values indicating stronger

relationship (Samuel, Customer Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry

in Nigeria, 2006). . And, significance level was taken at 95% confidence level, which

denoted the level of significance between the dependent and independent variables.

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4.1.1. Frequency Statistics

From Figure 2 to Figure 5, the frequency statistics of the socioeconomic variables are

presented.

Weekly Allowances

Source: Field Survey

Figure 2: Pie Chart of Weekly Allowances

Figure 2 represents the fact that the majority of the sample have weekly allowances

from Rs. 101 to Rs. 1000 cumulatively holding 65% of the total sample. In contrast

only 3% of the samples have weekly allowances below 3%.

This result states that most of the students of Kathmandu from age group 16 to 35

receive weekly allowances from Rs. 101 to Rs. 1000.

Below Rs. 100 per week

3%

Rs. 101 to Rs.

500 per week

27%

Rs. 501 to Rs.

1000 per week

38%

Rs. 1001 to Rs.

2000 per week

12%

Rs. 2001 to Rs.

5000 per week

9%

Rs. 5001 and

above

11%

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Weekly Expenses

Source: Field Survey

Figure 3: Pie Chart of Weekly Expenses

Figure 3 represents the fact that the majority of the sample have weekly expense of

Rs. 101 to Rs. 1000 cumulatively holding 65% of the total sample. In contrast only

3% of the samples have weekly expenses below 3%.

This result states that most of the students of Kathmandu from age group 16 to 35

spend weekly expenses from Rs. 101 to Rs. 1000.

Below Rs. 100 per week

3%

Rs. 101 to Rs.

500 per week

32%

Rs. 501 to Rs.

1000 per week

33%

Rs. 1001 to Rs.

2000 per week

14%

Rs. 2001 to Rs.

5000 per week

9%

Rs. 5001 and

above

9%

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Weekly Mobile Expenses

Source: Field Survey

Figure 4: Pie Chart Representation of Weekly Mobile Services Expenses

Figure 4 represents the fact that 27% of the sample spends Rs. 100 on mobile

services. Similarly, other 22% and 23% of the sample spend Rs. 200 and Rs. 50

respectively on the weekly mobile services consumption.

This result states that most of the students of Kathmandu from age group 16 to 35

spend Rs. 50 to Rs. 200 on weekly mobile recharge.

Rs. 10

10%

Rs. 50

23%

Rs. 100

27%

Rs. 200

22%

Rs. 500

14%

Rs. 1000

2%

Rs. 2000 and

above

2%

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Mobile Telecommunications Service Provider

Source: Field Survey

Figure 5: Pie Chart Representation of Mobile Service Providers

Figure 5 interprets the information regarding the current preference of the mobile

service providers in Nepal. The students from age group 16 to 35 of Nepal are mostly

users of Nepal Telecom which constitutes over 70% of the sample. Similarly the

students have given the secondary preference to NCell. In contrast, UTL and

SmartCell constitute a very less percentage of the total sample, cumulatively only 5%.

This result states that most of the students of Kathmandu from age 16 to 35 prefer

Nepal Telecom as their mobile service providers.

Nepal

Telecom

70%

Ncell

25%

UTL

1%

SmartCell

4%

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4.1.2. Analysis of Customer Satisfaction

For the data analysis, the dependent variable i.e. customer satisfaction was

investigated with the descriptive frequency. Figure 6 presents the result of the

analysis of the overall customer satisfaction.

Source: Field Survey

Figure 6: Pie Chart Representation of Overall Customer Satisfaction

The pie-chart, in Figure 6, represents the results of the analysis of the students’

customer satisfaction with the mobile telecommunications services in a frequency

distribution.

This result interprets the fact that 55% of the respondents are satisfied, and 8% very

satisfied with the mobile telecommunications services in Nepal. Hence, it answers the

question of this research that students were satisfied with the mobile

telecommunication sector of Nepal. This score is highly above average because it

resembles a mobile telecommunication sector that is in a developing phase.

Very

Dissatisfied

3%Dissatisfied

21%

No Opinion

13%

Satisfied

55%

Very Satisfied

8%

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23

The interpretation of this result might be that students of Kathmandu are certainly

satisfied with the mobile service performance and its impact. The result presented that

customers are satisfied with their experiences of consumption of the mobile

telecommunication services.

This satisfaction degree might also result from lack of strong opponent companies that

the customers can compare services with. It might be also due to the fact that

respondents are in a way new to satisfaction measurement and they may not have

been able to express their perceptions accurately. Thus, there is need for continuous

measurement of customer satisfaction to accurately record the customers’ perceptions

of the mobile telecommunication services.

This result validates the fact that the students of Kathmandu are certainly satisfied

with the performance mobile telecommunication industry of Nepal. This degree of

satisfaction must have resulted due the presence of very less number of

telecommunication service providers in Nepal; these service providers are few in

number, and the price competition is at a stagnant phase. Due to this reason,

customers have to accept whatever they are being offered and are not yet susceptible

to new developments and technology in telecommunications sector. Another reason

might be that students are not able to express their perception well in terms of the

variables.

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4.2. Customer Satisfaction among the Socioeconomic Groups

The socioeconomic variables were examined alongside customer satisfaction using

the cross tabulation of the descriptive frequency to show the assessments of customer

satisfaction among various categories of the socioeconomic variables. The result of

the investigations can be elaborated in the following tables.

Table 1: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Weekly Allowance

Satisfaction

Total

V.D. D N.O S V.S.

W. Allowance

Below Rs. 100 per week 0 0 1 4 0 5

Rs. 101 to Rs. 500 per week 1 8 5 23 4 41

Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week 2 14 7 33 0 56

Rs. 1001 to Rs. 2000 per week 0 8 1 8 0 17

Rs. 2001 to Rs. 5000 per week 1 0 3 10 0 14

Rs. 5001 and above 1 1 2 5 8 17

Total 5 31 19 83 12 150

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Table 1 represents the cross tabulated data of the weekly allowance and customer

satisfaction encountered by the respondents. The highest numbers of respondents,

which add to 33 and who received Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week, were satisfied with

the mobile services. Similarly, the respondents were rarely very dissatisfied with the

mobile services despite of their differences in allowances. However, the respondents

receiving Rs. 5000 and above as allowance were very satisfied and 8 in number.

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Table 2: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Weekly Expenses

Satisfaction

Total

V.D. D N.O S V.S.

W.

Expense

Below Rs. 100 per week 0 2 1 1 0 4

Rs. 101 to Rs. 500 per week 1 6 9 30 2 48

Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week 2 14 5 28 1 50

Rs. 1001 to Rs. 2000 per week 0 8 1 11 2 22

Rs. 2001 to Rs. 5000 per week 1 1 2 7 2 13

Rs. 5001 and above 1 0 1 6 5 13

Total 5 31 19 83 12 150

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Table 2 represents the cross tabulated data of the weekly expenses and customer

satisfaction encountered by the respondents. The highest numbers of respondent is 58,

who spent Rs.101 to Rs. 1000 per week were satisfied with the mobile services.

Similarly, the respondents were rarely very dissatisfied with the mobile services

despite of their differences in expenses. However, the respondents spending Rs. 5000

and above and who are both satisfied and very satisfied are 11 in number.

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Table 3: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Mobile Expenses

Satisfaction Total

V.D. D N.O S V.S.

W. Recharge Rs. 10 0 1 1 7 7 16

Rs. 50 1 11 5 16 1 34

Rs. 100 0 6 4 27 3 40

Rs. 200 2 8 6 16 1 33

Rs. 500 1 5 2 13 0 21

Rs. 1000 0 0 0 3 0 3

Rs. 2000 and above 1 0 1 1 0 3

Total 5 31 19 83 12 150

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Table 3 represents the cross tabulated data of the weekly mobile expenses and

customer satisfaction encountered by the respondents. The highest numbers of

respondents, who spent Rs.50 to Rs. 200 per week and were satisfied with the mobile

services, add to 59. Similarly, the respondents were rarely very dissatisfied with the

mobile services despite of their differences in expenses. However, the respondents

spending Rs. 10 as mobile expenses were very satisfied and 7 in number.

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Table 4: Cross Tabulation between Customer Satisfaction and Service Providers

Satisfaction Total

V.D. D N.O S V.S.

M. Operators Nepal Telecom 4 25 16 58 2 105

Ncell 1 6 2 25 4 38

UTL 0 0 0 0 1 1

Smart Cell 0 0 1 0 5 6

Total 5 31 19 83 12 150

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Table 4 represents the cross tabulated data between users of mobile services with their

level of satisfaction. The table represents that 58 of the respondents using NTC as

their mobile service providers were satisfied while 16 had no opinion and 25

expressed dissatisfaction. Similarly, 25 users of Ncell among the respondents were

satisfied with its service.

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4.3. Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction

For the data analysis measures, the relationship between mobile services features and

customer satisfaction were investigated by using the linear regression model. R value

varies from 0 and 1 with larger values and representing strong relationship at 95 %

confidence level. The following divisions elaborate the resulted findings:

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Quality of the Network

In table 5, a variation of .351 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (quality of the network). It is

seen that the predictor variable of quality of the network is significant because its p-

value is 0.000. Similarly, customer satisfaction is expected to increase by .593 when

the quality of the network increases by one.

These findings specify that there is a moderate relationship between customer

satisfaction and quality of the network. This finding means that quality of the

network has moderate significance over mobile services features in students of

Kathmandu. Since, Kathmandu is a crowded location; the network is at times

unmanageable and faces disturbances in the calls.

Table 5: Result of Regression Analysis between CS and Quality of the Network

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .593a .351 .347 .819

a. Predictors: (Constant), Network

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29

Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 1.677 .208 8.067 .000

Network .545 .061 .593 8.956 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Billing

In table 6, a variation of .186 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (billing). It is seen that the

predictor variable of billing is significant because its p-value is 0.000. Similarly,

customer satisfaction is expected to increase by .593 when billing increases by one.

These outcomes validate that there is a moderately weak relationship between billing

and customer satisfaction. This finding means that billing has moderately negligible

significance over mobile services features in students of Kathmandu. The reason for

his might be due to the fact that the tariffs which are offered by the mobile service

providers are not very affordable and the services in regards to billing are not

adequate, since there are a lot of internet call applications which gives free voice calls

over the internet.

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Table 6: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Billing

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .431a .186 .180 .917

a. Predictors: (Constant), Billing

Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 2.299 .210 10.938 .000

Billing .371 .064 .431 5.813 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Period of Validity

In table 7, a variation of .142 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (validity period). It is seen that

the predictor variable of validity period is significant because its p-value is 0.000.

Similarly, customer satisfaction is expected to increase by .377 when validity period

increases by one.

These findings validate that there is a weak relationship between the period of validity

and customer satisfaction. The irrelevance of this finding also means that period of

validity has negligible significance over mobile services features in students of

Kathmandu. The reason for this might be due to the fact that the period of validity

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31

offered by the mobile telecommunications service providers is very less and the

expiry date is stipulated in every schemes.

Table 7: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Validity

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .377a .142 .136 .942

a. Predictors: (Constant), Validity

Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 2.183 .265 8.226 .000

Validity .352 .071 .377 4.947 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Customer Care Support

In table 8, a variation of .204 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (customer care). It is seen that

the predictor variable of customer care is significant because its p-value is 0.000.

Similarly, customer satisfaction is expected to increase by .451 when customer care

increases by one.

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The result determines that there is a moderately weak relationship between customer

care and customer satisfaction. The inference of this result is that customer care

service has negligible significance over mobile services features in Nepal. The reason

for this might be due to the fact that mobile service providers in Nepal do not offer

good customer relationship management and the complaint handling is very tiresome

and requires a long time.

Table 8: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Customer Care

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .451a .204 .198 .907

a. Predictors: (Constant), Customer Care

Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 2.190 .216 10.124 .000

Customer Care .406 .066 .451 6.150 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

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Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Quality of the Network,

Validity, Billing, and Customer Care Support

In table 9, a variation of .457 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (quality of the network, validity,

billing and customer care). It is seen that the predictor variable of quality of the

network, validity and customer is significant because its p-value is less than 0.05

whereas billing is insignificant because its p-value is greater than 0.05. Similarly,

customer satisfaction is expected to increase by 0.388, 0.141, 0.171 and 0.226 when

the quality of the network, billing validity and customer care increases by one.

The result validates that the interaction of the mobile services features have a

moderately weak relationship with customer satisfaction. The interpretation of this

result is that the associated mobile services features is adequately significant to the

assessment of the customer satisfaction with mobile services. Therefore, customer

satisfaction in regards to mobile telecommunications services in Nepal is a purpose of

the assessment of quality of the network, billing, and period of validity and customer

care service. Thus, mobile service providers should emphasize on improving mobile

services characteristics to enhance customer satisfaction.

Table 9: Result of Regression between CS and Network, Billing, Validity and Customer Care

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .676a .457 .442 .757

a. Predictors: (Constant), Customer Care, Billing, Validity, Network

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Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients T Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) .716 .269 2.664 .009

Network .356 .071 .388 5.042 .000

Billing .121 .063 .141 1.938 .055

Validity .160 .061 .171 2.604 .010

Customer Care .203 .061 .226 3.328 .001

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

4.4. Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Socioeconomic

Variables

Similarly, for the further data analysis measures, the relationship between socio

economic variables and customer satisfaction were investigated by using the linear

regression model. R value varies from 0 and 1 with larger values and representing

strong relationship at 95 % confidence level. The following divisions elaborate the

resulted findings.

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Weekly Allowances

In table 10, a variation of .011 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (weekly allowance). It is seen

that the predictor variable of weekly allowance is insignificant because its p-value is

greater than 0.05. Similarly, customer satisfaction is expected to increase by .104

when the weekly allowance increases by one.

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These findings reveal that there is a very weak relationship between weekly allowance

and customer satisfaction and hence, the interpretation of the result is that weekly

allowance has an insignificant impact on customer satisfaction. The reason for this

might be due to the fact that students receive limited allowance and would rather

spend it more on other consumptions rather than mobile services, and thus are

dissatisfied.

Table 10: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Allowance

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .104a .011 .004 1.011

a. Predictors: (Constant), W. Allowance

Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 3.184 .218 14.606 .000

W. Allowance .078 .061 .104 1.268 .207

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Weekly Expenses

In table 11, a variation of .020 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (weekly expenses). It is seen

that the predictor weekly expense is insignificant because its p-value is greater than

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36

0.05. Similarly, customer satisfaction is expected to increase by .140 when the weekly

expense increases by one.

The result demonstrates that there is a weak relationship between weekly expense and

customer satisfaction. This means that weekly expense has negligible influence on

customer satisfaction. The reason for this might be due to the fact that students in

Nepal, put less emphasis on consumption of mobile services although they spend high

amount of money on other personal services.

Table 11: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Expenses

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .140a .020 .013 1.007

a. Predictors: (Constant), W. Expense

Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 3.087 .221 13.994 .000

W. Expense .110 .064 .140 1.724 .087

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

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Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Purchase of Recharge Cards

In table 12, a variation of .029 was seen in the dependent variable (customer

satisfaction) as predicted by the independent variable (weekly recharge). It is seen that

the predictor variable of weekly recharge is significant because its p-value is 0.039.

Similarly, customer satisfaction is expected to decrease by .169 when the weekly

recharge increases by one.

The result demonstrates that there is a very weak and inverse relationship between

expenses on recharge cards and customer satisfaction and hence. This insignificance

means that expenses on recharge cards have negligible influence on customer

perception of mobile services performance. The reason for this might be due to the

fact that students in Nepal, are getting familiar with free internet communication

services as an alternative of mobile services. So students spend less on mobile

telecommunication services.

Table 12: Result of Regression between Customer Satisfaction and Mobile Expenses

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .169a .029 .022 1.002

a. Predictors: (Constant), W. Recharge

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Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized

Coefficients

t Sig.

P Value B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 3.837 .207 18.524 .000

W. Recharge -.124 .059 -.169 -2.085 .039

a. Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Source: SPSS Results from Analysis of the Responses

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Chapter V: Summary, Discussions, and Implications

5.1. Summary

This study was initiated with the intention to examine the level of satisfaction of

customers with the mobile telecommunications industry. Here, the customers

primarily imply students between the age group of 16 to 35 years of Kathmandu,

Nepal. The research further attempts to identify the determinants influencing

contentment with the mobile service providers and the extent of association with

various socioeconomic variables.

As per the research undertaken in regard to the investigation and analysis of the level

of customer satisfaction, the outcomes established the fact that the customers were

contented with the service provided by the mobile telecommunications industry and

its performance in Nepal. Within the groups segmented on the basis of weekly

allowance, the majority of customers who received allowance between Rs. 500 to Rs.

1000 were comparatively more satisfied than those who received weekly allowances

less than Rs. 500. Similarly, there is dominance of satisfied students in the category of

those who spent Rs. 100 to Rs. 1000 as their weekly expenses than those who spent

below or above that range. Lastly, larger number of students who recharged their

mobile accounts with Rs. 50 to Rs. 200 was found to be more satisfied than those who

spent above or below that range; while only few of the respondents expressed higher

level of satisfaction as regards to this aspect. In totality, however, these three

socioeconomic variables seem to have low influence on satisfaction because even the

respondents mentioned as majority above seemed to be only moderately satisfied with

these factors.

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Among the mobile service features that were identified to have impact on the level of

customer satisfaction, quality of the network demonstrated to have highest impact

amongst others. In contrast, billing, customer care and period of validity showed

relatively weak influence on customer satisfaction. The results indicate that the four

features of mobile service have low significance on the level of customer satisfaction.

The results, thus, validated that customer satisfaction level varied among diverse

socioeconomic groups. For this very reason, mobile service providers need to

improve, better comprehend these market fragments and customize their services as

much as possible to meet the expectations of the diverse socioeconomic groups in

order to take maximum advantage out of customer satisfaction which in turn can help

retain customers and induce a sense of loyalty among them.

5.2. Discussions

From the research findings, we could make number of inferences regarding the

various results that the research has concluded. Firstly, the reason for the customers

being satisfied with their mobile telecommunications service providers could be that

the students of Kathmandu were in fact pleased with the service performance or it

could be because of the lack of availability of alternative service providers in the

industry.

Secondly, the low level of satisfaction among the students who received less than Rs.

500 could be because of the less talk time and recharge cards they could purchase

with that amount of money given that they had to spend it on other weekly

expenditures. Thirdly, the high satisfaction level among the students who spent Rs.

100 to Rs. 1000 as their weekly expense could be because of the belief and

contentment that the service they were being provided was worth the amount they

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41

were paying. The same reason could be inferred for the high level of satisfaction

among the students who recharged their mobile accounts with Rs. 50 to Rs. 200.

Moreover, the reason for the quality of the network being considered as the most

significant determinant for customer satisfaction could be because customers do not

want their calls to be interrupted in between, sought for clarity during calls and prefer

service that has wide network coverage. The other mobile service features do not

seem to have much influence on customer satisfaction as much as quality of the

network. Today, in the age of technology, people prefer internet to mobile services for

communication purpose as it is cheaper and billing has become easier through online

payment systems. Also validity period do not seem to have positive impact on

customers as the prepaid cards have short validity periods with expiry dates. Lastly,

talking about the customer care, the reason for this feature having low impact could

be that not only mobile telecommunications industry but even other industries do not

have proper, quick and effective customer care services; so people tend to neglect this

aspect.

Overall, the changing structure of Nepalese society and advancement in internet and

telecommunications services could be considered as the reasons for the low level of

satisfaction among the customers of mobile telecommunications industry.

5.3. Implications

Mostly, the inference of this research study for mobile service providers is that the

mobile operators must not just rely on profit margins for a good indicator of business

outcomes. They should, rather, develop strategies that better capture student’s

expectations of their service offerings. Such strategies help businesses to match their

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42

performance against customer standards, compare consumer standards against internal

process and identify prospects for improvement.

In addition, to maximize customer satisfaction, mobile service providers must

emphasize on refining mobile services features by investing in equipment to enhance

call quality and exposure, offer rational appraising and price reductions, offer

reasonable period of validity and enhance customer care through routine personnel

training and provision of better customer-friendly equipment.

Lastly, for the improvement of customer satisfaction, particularly for students, in the

mobile telecommunications industry, there is requirement for collaboration between

academic organizations and mobile service providers in order to achieve better

customer-oriented mobile services.

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Samuel, D. E. (2006). Customer Satisfaction in Mobile Telecommunications Industry

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Appendix

Appendix 1: Questionnaire Format

1. What is your average weekly allowance?

The amount of money you either receive from your parents as pocket money or you

earn as income.

o Below Rs. 100 per week

o Rs. 101 to Rs. 500 per week

o Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week

o Rs. 1001 to Rs. 2000 per week

o Rs. 2001 to Rs. 5000 per week

o Rs. 5001 and above

2. What is your weekly average expense?

The amount of money you spend on a personal basis on average. Example: Money

spent in restaurants, movies, games, hangouts, fuel expenses and other daily personal

expenses.

o Below Rs. 100 per week

o Rs. 101 to Rs. 500 per week

o Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week

o Rs. 1001 to Rs. 2000 per week

o Rs. 2001 to Rs. 5000 per week

o Rs. 5001 and above

3. How much do you spend on weekly on the recharge of mobile

telecommunications?

This refers to the average amount of balance you recharge every week.

o Rs. 10

o Rs. 50

o Rs. 100

o Rs. 200

o Rs. 500

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46

o Rs. 1000

o Rs. 2000 and above

4. Which of the mobile service providers do you subscribe to

o Nepal Telecom

o NCell

o UTL

o SmartCell

5. Are you satisfied with the QUALITY OF THE NETWORK of the service

provider?

Quality of the network refers to the call quality as perceived by customers and

includes; call clarity when calling and receiving and the coverage.

o Very Satisfied

o Satisfied

o No Opinion

o Dissatisfied

o Very Dissatisfied

6. Are you satisfied with the BILLING of the service provider?

Billing refers to the cost, variety, affordability, freedom of choosing the recharge

cards and speed of recharging.

o Very Satisfied

o Satisfied

o No Opinion

o Dissatisfied

o Very Dissatisfied

7. Are you satisfied with the VALIDITY period of the service provider?

Validity refers to the period in which you can make calls and or receive calls after

every recharge.

o Very Satisfied

o Satisfied

o No Opinion

o Dissatisfied

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o Very Dissatisfied

8. When you call to complain or query anything, how satisfied are you with the

OVERALL CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE?

Overall customer care service refers to the medium of service, value and facilities of

customer care provided.

o Very Satisfied

o Satisfied

o No Opinion

o Dissatisfied

o Very Dissatisfied

9. Overall, how satisfied are you with the use of this service?

Are your expectations of the service you are paying for being met?

o Very Satisfied

o Satisfied

o No Opinion

o Dissatisfied

o Very Dissatisfied

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Appendix 2: Frequency Table of Weekly Allowances

Response Frequency Percentage Cumulative %

Below Rs. 100 per week 5 3% 3.33%

Rs. 101 to Rs. 500 per week 41 27% 30.67%

Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week 56 38% 68.00%

Rs. 1001 to Rs. 2000 per week 17 12% 79.33%

Rs. 2001 to Rs. 5000 per week 14 9% 88.67%

Rs. 5001 and above 17 11% 100.00%

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Appendix 3: Frequency Table of Weekly Expenses

Response Frequency Percentage Cumulative %

Below Rs. 100 per week 4 3% 2.67%

Rs. 101 to Rs. 500 per week 48 32% 34.67%

Rs. 501 to Rs. 1000 per week 50 33% 68.00%

Rs. 1001 to Rs. 2000 per week 22 14% 82.67%

Rs. 2001 to Rs. 5000 per week 13 9% 91.33%

Rs. 5001 and above 13 9% 100.00%

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Appendix 4: Frequency Table of Weekly Mobile Services Expenses

Response Frequency Percentage Cumulative %

Rs. 10 16 10% 10.67%

Rs. 50 34 23% 33.33%

Rs. 100 40 27% 60.00%

Rs. 200 33 22% 82.00%

Rs. 500 21 14% 96.00%

Rs. 1000 3 2% 98.00%

Rs. 2000 and above 3 2% 100.00%

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Appendix 5: Frequency Table of Mobile Service Providers

Response Frequency Percentage Cumulative %

Nepal Telecom 105 70 70.00%

Ncell 38 25 95.33%

UTL 1 1 96.00%

SmartCell 6 4 100.00%

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Appendix 6: Frequency Table of Customer Satisfaction

Response Frequency Percentage Cumulative %

Very Dissatisfied 5 3% 3.33%

Dissatisfied 31 21% 24.00%

No Opinion 19 13% 36.67%

Satisfied 83 55% 92.00%

Very Satisfied 12 8% 100.00%