the loyalty that the youths of Dhaka have toward their mobile operators

7/30/2019 the loyalty that the youths of Dhaka have toward their mobile operators

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Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................ 6

1.1 Background............................................................................................................. 6

1.2 Origin of the Report ................................................................................................ 7

1.3 Justification............................................................................................................. 7

1.4 Objectives ............................................................................................................... 8

1.5 Scope of the Study ..................................................................................................8

1.6 Limitations.............................................................................................................. 8

1.7 Literature Review....................................................................................................9

1.8 Research Methodology.......................................................................................... 10

1.8.1 Research Design ................................................................................................ 10

1.8.2 Sampling Method .............................................................................................. 11

1.8.3 Survey Instrument ............................................................................................. 11

1.8.4 Data Collection.................................................................................................. 11

2.0 Data Analysis and Findings ...................................................................................... 12

2.1 Demographic Analysis .......................................................................................... 12

2.2 Types of Users ...................................................................................................... 13

2.3 Past Records of Subscription ................................................................................. 14

2.4 Spending Behavior................................................................................................ 19

2.5 Switching Frequency............................................................................................. 20

2.6 Factors for Switching ............................................................................................ 21

2.7 Nature of the Usage of Multiple SIM Cards .......................................................... 23

2.8 Overall Satisfaction............................................................................................... 23

2.9 Rewards for Loyalty.............................................................................................. 25

2.10 Chances of Switching in Near Future .................................................................... 25

2.11 Attitude of Loyalty................................................................................................ 27

2.12 Average Time Taken to Switch .............................................................................. 27

3.0 Summary of Findings ............................................................................................... 27

4.0 Key Recommendations ............................................................................................. 28

5.0 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 29

6.0 Bibliography............................................................................................................. 29

7.0 Appendix .................................................................................................................. 30


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List of Figures

Figure 1: Percentage of Male and Female Respondents ....................................................... 12

Figure 2: Age Distribution of the Respondents .................................................................... 12

Figure 3: Occupational Status.............................................................................................. 13

Figure 4: Types of Users...................................................................................................... 14

Figure 5: The Length of Subscription .................................................................................. 14

Figure 6: The Fist SIM Card that the Subscribers Had ......................................................... 15

Figure 7: GP Subscribers Who Switched to Other Operators ............................................... 16

Figure 8: Banglalink Subscribers Who Switched to Other Operators ...................................16

Figure 9: Robi (Aktel) Subscribers Who Switched to Other Operators.................................17

Figure 10: Subscribers of Citycel Who Switched to Other Operators ...................................18

Figure 11: Subscribers of Airtel (Warid) Who Switched to Other Operators.........................18

Figure 12: Spending Behavior of the Respondents Who Use Multiple SIM Cards ............... 19

Figure 13: Spending Behavior of the Respondents Who Use Only One SIM Card ............... 20

Figure 14: Switching Frequency of the Youngsters Who Use Only One SIM Card .............. 20

Figure 15: Switching Frequency of the Youngsters Who Use Multiple SIM Cards...............

21

Figure 16: The Factors that Let the Users Switch................................................................. 22

Figure 17: The Factors that Let the Users Stay .................................................................... 22

Figure 18: What Youngsters Do with Multiple SIM Cards ................................................... 23

Figure 19: The Level of Satisfaction of Multiple SIM Cardholders ......................................24

Figure 20: The Level of Satisfaction of Single SIM Cardholders .........................................24

Figure 21: Level of Satisfaction with Loyalty Rewards ....................................................... 25

Figure 22: Will the Users of Multiple SIM Cards Switch to Other Operators in Near Future?

........................................................................................................................................... 26

Figure 23: Will the Users of Single SIM Cards Switch to Other Operators in Near Future? . 26
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1.0 IntroductionAttracting customers and satisfying them is a worthwhile issue to be dealt with and this is the

very reason why any service provider would exist in the market. A critical issue for thecontinued success of any organization is its capability to retain its existing customers and to

make them loyal to its brands. Loyal customers build businesses by buying more, paying

premium prices and providing new referrals through positive word of mouth over time.

With the increasing competition in the telecommunication sector in Bangladesh, customer

loyalty has become a decisive factor in the long-term business profits. The number of loyal

customers as a sign of market share is more meaningful and significant then the number of

customers. More loyal customers means higher profits. Nowadays, as the mobile

telecommunication sector in Bangladesh is heading toward being saturated, the growth rate

will not be higher than that a few years ago. This situation makes mobile telecommunication

companies not only to promote their service quality, but also to change their marketing core

strategy to hold their existing customers by enhancing and optimizing the customer loyalty.

The telecom sector in Bangladesh has seen growth in mobile penetration that has exceeded all

expectations with over 92.5 million subscribers, a penetration rate of 61.5% till Q3 of 2012

versus only 4 million in 2004 (Bangladesh Telecommunications Report Q3 2012, 2012). The

use of cell phones is increasingly becoming popular among the youths of Bangladesh.Availability of cheap handsets and low tariffs offered by the mobile companies have left the

youngsters with ample options to choose from and thus have spurred a rapid and

unprecedented market penetration. Around 65% of the total population of the country

(Ahmed, 2010), the young population of Bangladesh is a big market to be tapped for the

existing mobile operators. This study is aimed at analyzing the nature and extent of loyalty

that the youth segment of the mobile communication market has toward its service providers.

Furthermore, the study will show what factors contribute to build loyalty among the young

subscribers so that it encourages and helps the management of those telcos come up with

innovative product designs that can cater more than ever before to this booming market.

1.1 BackgroundThe number of mobile subscribers has been increased dramatically. The subscriber base had

reached 44 million by mid-2008 and was continuing to grow at an annual rate in excess of

50%. And the strong growth seemed likely to continue with the drive that has been developed

on the back of the government's deregulation process. The competitive environment has

further intensified due to the entry of new operators into the market. Individually,Bangladeshs leading mobile operator Grameen Phone, had 32.824 million customers.


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Banglalink, Robi (Aktel), Airtel (Warid) and Citycel had 20.202 million, 14.488 million,

5.045 million and 1.73 million subscribers respectively, based on a census carried out by

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in 2011. The reasons behind such growth rate was

largely due to declining call rates, falling prices of handsets and rising competition among

operators. Thus it becomes a high concern for the companies to stay alive and win the market

share by making the customer more loyal to their firms. As competition increases, customers

bargaining power gets stronger, and building trust and image becomes more important.

Hence, companies should put more focus on factors affecting loyalty among consumers.

In todays market, a broader challenge for the industry is maintaining revenue growth as

Average Revenue Per User (ARPUs) continues to decline. The next phase of mobile

subscriber addition is likely to be focusing on young subscribers, who are more price

sensitive than any other age segments. Young subscribers have a greater propensity to hold

multiple SIM cards and they tend to engage in switching or arbitrage for the best rates and

hence have lower marginal spending. These users top priority is to stay connected with

friends. Their demands often include other advanced features such as Short Messaging

Service (SMS), Internet connectivity (EDGE, GPRS etc.) and bonus talk times. This is why it

is imperative to understand and analyze the behavior of young subscribers as a sizeable chunk

of revenue can be generated by designing appropriate service plans for them. For this reason,

the purpose of this study is to look into the level of loyalty the youngsters possess for their

mobile operators and what can possibly be done to ensure higher satisfaction and to attract

new young subscribers.

1.2 Origin of the ReportThe report entitled A STUDY ON LOYALTY THAT THE YOUTHS OF DHAKA HAVE

TOWARD THEIR MOBILE OPERATORS has been prepared for Mr. Shakil Huda,

Professor, Marketing Theory and Practices (M501) as a partial requirement for completion of

the course.

1.3Justification

In Bangladesh today, an increasing number of subscribers of cellular services is youths. This

is the segment of the market that is most influenced by information. Young subscribers tend

to experience new services more than any other segment of subscribers. Peer groups and

friends play a significant role in what they will choose and they make quick decisions.

It will be challenging for any operator to retain the young subscriber base unless the operator

has an interest in knowing how many loyal young consumers it has created over the years,

and how frequently they switch and what factors cause them to switch between operators.


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Such valuable information leads to devising effective marketing strategies to retain existing

users, and to attract new ones.

1.4 ObjectivesThe specific objectives of the study are as follows:

To determine the percentage of loyal young subscribers of the different mobileoperators in the country

To have an understanding on the spending habits of this segment of consumers To identify the nature of switching to different operators over the years To enumerate the factors that contribute to becoming loyal and the factors that cause

disloyalty

To get an idea about the usage statistics of the youths who could not stick to oneoperator To know to what percent of them are satisfied with the overall service To see what percent of the young subscribers tend to be loyal or disloyal to their brand

in the long run

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study analyzes the data received only from the young subscribers who reside inDhaka city. The study takes all the major mobile operators (except the government owned

Teletalk) into account.

The study is mostly concerned with the qualitative analysis of loyalty among theyoung consumers.

The analysis and findings of the study are based on an online and questionnaire basedsurvey.

1.6 Limitations The study leaves Teletalk out of the scope of this study as the study has a small

sample size of the respondents. Since Teletalk has a very small young subscriber base,

incorporating it in the survey would have had an insignificant impact on the analysis

of data.

The study does not intend to show the performance of any particular mobile operatoron customer satisfaction and loyalty. Rather, it provides the reader with an overall

picture of satisfaction and loyalty of a particular segment of the market.

The study does not undertake any quantitative or rigorous mathematical analysis ofthe findings.


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Findings and conclusions are based on judgments which are subjective. In the survey, only respondents from different universities took part.

1.7 Literature ReviewMost businesses today recognize or at least pay lip service tothe importance of customers

and their loyalty. Banners and slogans say it. Advertising focuses on it. And customer

service departments have become a standard, to assure customers they care and want to make

things right. But do businesses really understand what a loyal customer is and the reasons

why loyalty is so very important for business success?

Customers make decisions about where to spend their time, money, and effort daily, in fact,

multiple times a day. They might be business buyers between 9 to 5, but consumers the rest

of the time. In any case, the scenario is always the same for the seller to make their product

or service offering the preferred choice. They do this by building offers that will:

Differentiate them from competitors Generate significant demand by customers Demonstrate superior value and Build customers loyalty

But loyalty is more than just behavior. It is a fallacy to assume that a customer is loyal justbecause they continue to buy from you. There are many reasons why a customer repeats

purchasing which have little to do with being really loyal. Loyalty can be defined as

customers continuing to believe that one organizations products/services offer remains their

best option. It meets their value proposition whatever that may be. They take that offer

whenever faced with that purchasing decision (Customer Loyalty: What is it? And, how can

businesses measure it as well as manage it?, 2010).

Moreover, loyalty means hanging in there even when there may be a problem because the

organization has been good to them in the past and addresses issues when they arise. Itmeans that they do not seek out competitors and, when approached by competitors, are not

interested. It also means being willing to spend the time and effort to communicate with the

organization so as to build on past successes and overcome any weaknesses (Bodet, 2008).

Loyal customers are those who are getting the products and services they desire. They are

customers who believe these products and services are superior to those of the competition.

Ideally, they are customers who view their interactions as more than simply transactional.

They believe there is a relationship that is bigger than just the products or services they buy.

Measuring loyalty means measuring the strength of this relationship between buyer andseller, between the organization and its customer (Hallowell, 1996).


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It is challenging to measure the level of loyalty within the relationship which is why

companies so often succumb to simply defining loyalty as the number of purchases made or a

continuing pattern of buy behavior. And asking the customer directly about whether or not

they are loyal does not provide a valid measure. Customers will often say they are loyal

simultaneously-- to multiple service providers.

What is most significant is measuring those attitudes as well as behaviors that we know make

up this concept of loyalty. For example, some of the important attitudes and behaviors

expected of a loyal customer include:

Likelihood to recommend your products and services to others Likelihood to continue purchasing your products and services, at minimum, at the

same level

Likelihood of purchasing other products and services you offer Believing that products and services are superior to others offered in the marketplace Not actively seeking alternative providers to replace the existing service provider Providing the company with opportunities to correct problems and not using these as

a basis for compromising the relationship (Pan, Sheng, & Xie, 2012)

Based on customers responses to questions such as these as well as others that evaluate

specific aspects of their relationship with the company, a loyalty profile of customers can be

created. Loyalty segments categorize customers as Loyal, Neutral and Vulnerable. Business

success means having desirable customers who are loyal to your organization. Monitoring the

number/ percent of your customers in the loyal segment and doing what it takes to increaseloyal customers while decreasing those who are vulnerable should provide the focus of any

organization. However, if customers needs/expectations are sufficiently different from what

the provider is capable of offering, then improving the performance of current offerings may

not be the answer. A providers business model may not coincide with the demands of every

customer segment. Needs-based segmentation technique will be required to determine

whether or not you are serving the wrong customers for your business model. Successful

companies manage customer loyalty by making improvements based on customer input,

identifying desirable customers, and setting goals for increasing the percentage of their

customer base that is loyal (Customer Loyalty: What is it? And, how can businesses measure

it as well as manage it?, 2010).

1.8 Research Methodology1.8.1 Research Design

According to the findings in the literature, this study aims to appraise the loyalty among the

young subscribers residing in Dhaka toward their mobile operators. The purpose of the work


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is to analyze the switching behavior of this segment narrow down the factors that influence

their subscribing behavior and loyalty thereby.

1.8.2 Sampling MethodThis study will use both primary and secondary data. A thorough secondary study would be

conducted first, along with extensive brainstorming, just to have a thorough knowledge on

customer loyalty and nature of loyalty among youngsters. Primary data will include

questionnaire responses obtained by personal interview and online survey from young

subscribers who are currently located in Dhaka. The sample size is 70. The population will be

all the young people in Dhaka who are at the moment subscribing to at least one cellular

service provider. The study particularly targets the educated young adults who have graduated

or who are currently pursuing their undergraduate studies. So, samples will be taken only

from this probability sampling method. In probability sampling method each populationelement is known and has an equal chance of selection. The study will be conducted only in

Dhaka. My sampling technique will be simple random sampling under the time and budget

constraints.

1.8.3 Survey InstrumentI have used various articles, websites and newspapers to get the necessary secondary

information. Questionnaires will enable me to gather specific information relating to mytarget group that cannot be found elsewhere from any secondary information such as books,

newspapers and internet resources. The success of the questions can be measured by the

quality and arrangement of the questionnaire itself. This is because the information we obtain

would be fresh and unique. A structured questionnaire will be used in this study to collect

information from the youngsters so that we can easily utilize the gathered information for the

qualitative analysis.

1.8.4 Data CollectionFirst, secondary information is collected to have an overall idea about telecom industry of

Bangladesh, customer loyalty, and young mobile subscribers so that it leads to preparing a

well-structured questionnaire. Then, primary data have been collected from interview and

online survey. This study is mostly qualitative in nature. After data collection, necessary

screening has been performed before tabulation and graphical presentation. The feedback

given by the respondents have then been analyzed carefully. Finally, based on the findings

and analyses, a conclusion has been drawn along with some pertinent recommendations.


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2.0 Data Analysis and Findings2.1 Demographic Analysis

Figure 1: Percentage of Male and Female Respondents

Figure 2: Age Distribution of the Respondents


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From the figures in the previous page, it is clear that the majority of the subscribers who took

part in the survey happened to be male (74%) compared to only 26% of the respondents who

were female. 96% of the total respondents fell in the age group of 20-30 which indicates that

the survey targeted mostly the young adults. Only 4% happened to be above 30 years of age.

76% of the young people who participated in the survey were student. Around one-fourth

(24%) of the respondents were employed but none of them happened to remain unemployed.

2.2 Types of UsersThe survey reveals that 66% of the participants are using only one SIM card whereas 34% of

the respondents are using either dual SIM cards or more than two SIM cards. When a

subscriber resorts to more than a single SIM card, it implies that the service provider is no

longer capable of meeting varying needs of the customer. The survey result communicates

this apparent dissatisfaction of the young consumers of the mobile operators in the country.

At the same time, it should also not be taken into account that all of the 66% respondents who

are currently using only one SIM card are loyal to their brands. Past records of the frequency

of switching to other operators service and nature of usage will indicate loyalty which later

part of the analysis incorporates. The figure showing the percentage of the types of users is on

the next page.

Figure 3: Occupational Status


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2.3 Past Records of Subscription

Figure 5: The Length of Subscription

Figure 4: Types of Users


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The survey shows us that 50% of the youngsters have been subscribing to their mobile

operators since the last 6-8 years. On the other hand, 12% of the respondents say that they

have been subscribing for a longer period of time (more than 10 years). There are young

subscribers who have already subscribed for 8-10 years. They constitute 28% of the total

respondents. Though there are as few as 10% participants who claim to have subscribed for

4-6 years, there are none whose length of subscription is less than 4 years.

When the respondents are asked to give the names of the very first SIM cards they had,

maximum 52% of the respondents say that they had GPs SIM card. Next, SIM cards of

Banglalink were held by 26% of the subscribers in the survey. These percentages are

reflections of market share of the above mobile operators. There are equal percentage (10%)

of the subscribers who used SIM cards of Citycel and Robi (Aktel). As Airtel (Warid) is a

new entrant in the market, only 2% respondents had a SIM card of Airtel (Warid) initially.

Next, the young respondents are asked to tell about their past history of switching to different

operators. Out of the 52% of the GP subscribers 39.4% are still using only GP. 12.1% of the

young subscribers have switched to Banglalink, 6.1% to Robi (Aktel), 18.2% to Airtel

(Warid). 24.2% of the subscriber could no longer be happy with using only one GP SIM card.

They started using other SIM cards along with that of GP. There was not a single instance of

any customer who subscribed to GP initially have switched to Citycel.

Figure 6: The Fist SIM Card that the Subscribers Had


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What is exciting to notice here is the fact that out of the 26% of the young subscribers who

subscribed to Banglalink 47.1% of them switched to GP. It is a clear indication that

Banglalink lost a good number of young consumers who could have been loyal to it had the

service met the expectation of them. Only 35.3% of the respondents are still using Banglalink

Figure 7: GP Subscribers Who Switched to Other Operators

Figure 8: Banglalink Subscribers Who Switched to Other Operators


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and another 11.8% are using Banglalink and other SIM cards simultaneously. None of the

Banglalink subscribers have ever switched to Robi (Aktel) or Citycel.

Almost similar is case with Robi (Aktel) as 41.7% of its initial young subscriber stopped

subscribing and switched to GP later on. Only 25% of its initial 10% subscribers still

continue to receive the service. A significant 16.7% of the respondents switched to

Banglalink. The remaining others started subscribing other operators solely or together with

Robi (Aktel).

The respondents must have been very much disappointed with the service of Citycel as it can

be noted that 50% of them switched to GP later on and only 12.5% remained loyal to Citycel.

25% switched to Banglalink and 12.5% to Airtel (Warid). There was no respondent who used

Citycel and other operators simulateneously. So there was no scope for a consumer to stay

with Citycel if the service was inadequate.

After GP, Airtel (Warid) seems to have created a good number of loyal customers till date as

37.5% of youngsters who subscribed to Airtel (Warid) first say that they are still with Airtel

(Warid). Another 12.5% of them say that they have to keep other SIM cards too. A total 50%

of its initial subscribers have switched to Banglalink and GP.

See the figures on the next page.

Figure 9: Robi (Aktel) Subscribers Who Switched to Other Operators


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An interesting revelation is that when 60.6% of the initial subscribers of GP have resorted to

some other operators service, a total 38% of respondents who subscribed to other operators

in the beginning have switched to GP. Besides GP, other operators gained young consumers

Figure 10: Subscribers of Citycel Who Switched to Other Operators

Figure 11: Subscribers of Airtel (Warid) Who Switched to Other Operators


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almost in the similar fashion. The startling fact is less than half of the young subscribers of

any operator end up staying with their mobile operators. The rest just keeps changing their

operators.

2.4 Spending Behavior

The spending behavior can reveal the opportunity loss for a mobile operator when the

consumer starts using multiple SIM cards. This survey reveals that 45.45% of the respondents

who use multiple SIM cards spend Tk. 100 - Tk. 300 per month per SIM card. Had the

consumer used only one SIM card an additional revenue of Tk. 100 Tk. 300 would have

been credited to that mobile operator. Around 22.73% of these respondents spend Tk. 300

Tk. 500 per month per SIM card. None of them can afford to spend beyond Tk. 1000 per

month on each SIM card.

On the other hand, the same question was asked to the users who subscribe to only one SIM

card at the moment. 59% of the respondents spending ranges between Tk. 100 and Tk. 500.

17.9% of them spend Tk. 500 Tk. 1000. 12.8% of the respondents from this group can

afford to spend more than Tk. 1000 per month. The mobile operators should aim at

maximizing and retaining such consumers who would stick to their service. Such an objective

will require new product and pricing strategies that understand the needs of the young

customers and give them maximum benefit. See the figure on the next page.

Figure 12: Spending Behavior of the Respondents Who Use Multiple SIM Cards


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2.5 Switching Frequency

Figure 13: Spending Behavior of the Respondents Who Use Only One SIM Card

Figure 14: Switching Frequency of the Youngsters Who Use Only One SIM Card


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It has been mentioned earlier that using only one SIM card in no way is an indication of

loyalty to any particular brand. The survey shows us that only 37.8% of the 66% respondents

who use only one SIM card have never switched to some other operator. So it is this 24.95%

of all the respondents who can be labelled as loyal to their operators. 48.6% of the young

respondents of this group have switched up to four times since they owned their SIM cards.

8.1% of them report switching frequency of more than four times.

The users of multiple SIM cards seem to have a tendency to switch between operators more

than the users who have only one SIM card. Out of the 34% respondents who keep multiple

SIM cards only 28.6% of them are still keeping those SIM cards. 19% of them changed more

than four times till date. The remaining 52.4% of the respondents report to have switched up

to four times.

2.6 Factors for SwitchingThe study concerned to know why the young subscribers feel the need to switch between the

operators. We asked both single and multiple SIM card users. Cost reduction has been the

most significant factor that cause the youngsters to opt for multiple SIM cards. In 52.2%

cases cost reduction played its role in making the decision to switch. Next, its the better

network and connectivity that gets the priority. It has got a rating of 26.1%. Business needs

got priority of only 4.3% in making the respondents mind to switch.

Figure 15: Switching Frequency of the Youngsters Who Use Multiple SIM Cards


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When the subscribers who are still using their first SIM card are asked why they are still

subscribing to the same operator, in 37.8% cases better network and connectivity tops other

factors. Reduced cost gets only 10.8% priority over other factors. Surprisingly, the trouble of

letting others know the new number didnt let the subscribers to switch to a different operator

in 32.4% cases. This is hilarious which implies that the subscribers might have switched to a

different operator had there been an easy way of communicating the new number among the

people in the contact list.

Figure 16: The Factors that Let the Users Switch

Figure 17: The Factors that Let the Users Stay


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2.7 Nature of the Usage of Multiple SIM CardsThose who keep multiple SIM cards are also asked for what purpose they use multiple SIM

cards. It is the need of calling that got response from 64% of the multiple SIM users. This

indicates that calling has several aspects associated with it and the need for which cannot be

satiated with only one SIM card. This means there has to be a tariff plan that caters to meet

the varying demands of the young consumers. There has to be enough options open for them

so that they do not have to recourse to other operators to have the additional benefits. SMS

and internet are becoming increasingly important for the youngsters and 28% of them use

alternate SIM cards to avail such services.

What do the consumers feel about keeping multiple SIM cards all the time? When asked,

56% of the participants feel that having multiple SIM cards is troublesome. 8% of them feel it

is troublesome yet they have to keep those. On the other hand, 36% of respondents feel

carrying multiple SIM cards is not a trouble for them. This connotes that most of the

consumers do not readily want to have multiple SIM cards. Since, there is no other way to

maximize their benefit from a single operator they have to resort to multiple SIM cards.

2.8 Overall SatisfactionAre the young subscribers still satisfied with the overall service received after changing

service providers several times and having multiple SIM cards?

Figure 18: What Youngsters Do with Multiple SIM Cards


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44.4% of the multiple SIM cardholders think they are satisfied and 22.2% of them are

somewhat satisfied whereas 33.3% are still not satisfied with the overall service after doing

all sorts of experiments with multiple SIM cards. On the other hand, 56.7% of single SIM

cardholders are just somewhat satisfied with the service from those operators. This is

alarming as such sneaky dissatisfaction can cause loss of many consumers in the future if

competitors come up with an innovative service package that can meet unmet needs of the

users.23.3% of such subscribers are not at all satisfied whereas only 20% of them are content

with the service.

Figure 19: The Level of Satisfaction of Multiple SIM Cardholders

Figure 20: The Level of Satisfaction of Single SIM Cardholders


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2.9 Rewards for LoyaltyIt is important to know whether the consumers get rewarded for their loyalty whatsoever

toward their brands. 42% of the respondents claim to have been rewarded by their operators

for their loyalty whereas 58% of them have not had any such reward for loyalty. Out of the

42% respondents who have been rewarded, 54.5% of them have been rewarded more than

three times. But, is loyalty rewards enough to keep the young subscribers subscribing the

operators? 30% of the respondents say it does not play any role. 36% of them think that

loyalty rewards may somewhat be a motivator. It is only the 34% of the participants in the

survey who actually think loyalty rewards can be a good motivator to keep them having the

service for long. The reason behind such pattern of thinking might be unattractive rewards

that do not tempt the young subscribers to subscribe more.

2.10Chances of Switching in Near FutureThose who are holding multiple SIM cards now, 42.1% of them are sure of not switching

their operators in the near future whereas 26.3% of the respondents of the same category

think they will have to switch different operators. 31.6% of them are not pretty sure and will

probably switch again.

In case of those who are holding single SIM cards now, 30.3% of them are determined to

switch again. This is consistent with our previous findings that shows single SIM cardholders

Figure 21: Level of Satisfaction with Loyalty Rewards


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are just somewhat happy with whatever services they are receiving. 48.5% of the

respondents belonging to this group may also switch in near future. It is only 21.2% of them

who will not switch to any other operator in the short run.

Figure 22: Will the Users of Multiple SIM Cards Switch to Other Operators in Near Future?

Figure 23: Will the Users of Single SIM Cards Switch to Other Operators in Near Future?


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2.11Attitude of LoyaltyWhen a customer is happy with any service, s/he would of course recommend the service to

others. This is a clear implication of loyalty. This study asks the respondents whether they

have recommended their operators service to anyone. 59.4% of the respondents did not feel

the need to share or recommend the service. It is the service quality that should have

encouraged the respondents to recommend. But unfortunately, maybe majority of the

respondents do not see anything of that significance in the service. Moreover, loyal

consumers have the tendency to try out different products/ services offered by the service

provider. 56.3% of the respondents say that they tried out several services offered by their

cellular service providers. This ensures that the consumers are purchasing repeatedly and are

being loyal to the brand.

2.12Average Time Taken to Switch13% of the respondents take almost immediately to a few days time to switch to a different

operator upon being dissatisfied with the existing service. 17.4% of them take a few weeks

time for the same. Majority of the respondents wait for some time to see whether they get any

better service for the existing operator. So, they take a months or even more to finally decide

whether to switch or no. 69.6% of the respondents take such a long time. This is enough time

for a marketer to realize the dissatisfaction. That is why it is expected that the service

provider will do something by this time to let the subscriber not switch.

3.0 Summary of FindingsBased on the analysis after the survey the following findings can be summarized:

In most cases, the young subscribers of Dhaka cannot be loyal to their serviceproviders.

There has not been a service package that can take care of all their different needs. Youngsters are price sensitive and hence price should always be on mind while

developing any product.

Hardly could the young subscribers continue to be satisfied with their initialoperators. In most cases they had to abandon their initial operators.

Majority of the respondents find keeping multiple SIM cards is troublesome. It is thenature of the service that force them to have multiple SIM cards.


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Instead of sharing the satisfaction out of the service the young subscribers share theirdissatisfaction most. This can be destructive as young people listen more to their

friends than anything or anyone else and they would even not try the service if they

happen to get negative information on the service.

After all, the young subscribers are not much satisfied with the overall service. Sothere is still room for many development and innovations.

Existing rewards for loyalty are not tempting the young subscribers to subscribe more.The loyalty programs need to be more attractive and convincing.

4.0 Key RecommendationsTaking note of these findings, here are a few recommended actions operators can take to

increase customer loyalty.

Mobile operators are increasingly fighting against customer churn, and mobile providers have

a significant opportunity to differentiate their online service offering as a way to increase

loyalty. Operators also must look for ways to drive a consistent and satisfying experience

throughout the customer lifecycle, and across each of the various channels to market. It is

essential that customer interactions are consistent across each of the contact channels so the

customer remains at the center of any engagement with the brand. Above all, operators need

to find ways to leverage what they know about their customers to ensure a satisfying and

ultimately profitable relationship.

Operators must look for ways to constantly increase individual customer satisfaction and,

perhaps most importantly, to encourage repeat purchase and interactions with the brand. Not

only will this maintain loyalty, but it will also help to attract prospects. Service providers

should take previous customer interactions into account when providing service next.

In such a fiercely competitive market, operators need to pull out the stops if they are to keep

and expand their customer base. After all, when young consumers are satisfied with their

experience they are more likely to return, making them good candidates for cross-selling and

up-selling in later interactions. Essentially operators need to offer something different from

the competition. An obvious way to do this is by deploying technologies for presenting the

youngsters with all the information they need so they can make the most informed decisions

possible. The benefits this brings in terms of deeper customer engagement and increased

satisfaction cannot be ignored.


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5.0 ConclusionAs more and more youngsters are getting connected using cell phones mobile operators

therefore need to implement solutions that allow them to deliver targeted content, whether in

the form of a promotion, a personalized recommendation, or relevant product informationbased on each individual customers profile and the context of their shopping experience.

This approach cuts through the white noise of information overload, providing customers

with a more relevant and personalized experience.

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0-11-30

Bangladesh Telecommunications Report Q3 2012. (2012, May 29). Retrieved December 9,

2012, from Market Research.com: http://www.marketresearch.com/Business-Monitor-

International-v304/Bangladesh-Telecommunications-Q3-7011765/

Bodet, G. (2008). Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Service. Journal of Retailing and

Consumer Services, 156-162. Retrieved December 10, 2012

Customer Loyalty: What is it? And, how can businesses measure it as well as manage it?

(2010). Retrieved December 10, 2012, from Loyalty Research Center:

http://www.loyaltyresearch.com/index/

Hallowell, R. (1996). The Relationships of Customer Satisfaction, Customer Loyalty and

Profitability.International Journal of Service Industry Management, 7(4), 32-42.

Retrieved December 10, 2012

Pan, Y., Sheng, S., & Xie, F. T. (2012, January). Antecedents of Customer Loyalty: An

Empirical Synthesis and Reexamination.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,

19(1), 140-150. Retrieved December 10, 2012


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7.0 Appendix

the loyalty that the youths of Dhaka have toward their mobile operators

Documents

Transcript of the loyalty that the youths of Dhaka have toward their mobile operators