Final

Research

Project

Report

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF VODAFONE

Submitted for Partial fulfillment of Award of MASTER DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION of Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar

By

GURPREET SINGH

Roll No: 95202239166 MBA 2nd Year, 4th Semester ARYABHATTA COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY BARNALA (PUNJAB)

DECLARATION

I, GURPREET SINGH here-by declare that the project report A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF VODAFONE submitted for the partial fulfillment of the requirement of my course from PTU is an original work and that has not been submitted to any other University / Institute previously.

HOWEVER, I ACCEPT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY POSSIBLE ERROR OR OMISSION

GURPREET SINGH Roll.No.95202239166

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Research Project entitled A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF VODAFONE, for the award of MASTERS DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION from Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, has been carried out by GURPREET SINGH ,bearing Roll No. 95202239166, under my supervision and guidance. The report embodies result of original work and studies carried out by the student himself / herself and the contents of the report do not form the basis for award of other degree to the candidate or to any body else.

Mr. Kamaljeet singh Assist. Prof. & Class -In-Charge Date. Aryabhatta College of Management &Technology

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. Gurpreet singh bearing Roll No. 95202239166 has carried out the Research Project work presented in this report entitled A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF VODAFONE. The results embodied in the Report are original and not submitted to any other University / Institute for the award of any degree / Diploma.

Date ..

Dr. A.K. Verma Dean (Management) Aryabhatta College of Management & Technology

SR CONTENTS . 1 Chapter 1 2 Introduction Objectives of the study Scope of the study Importance of the study Research Methodology

PAGE NO: 6-15 7-8 9 10 11 12-15 16-19

Chapter 2 Literature Review

Chapter 3 Theoretical Perspective

20-40

Chapter 4 Data Analysis and Interpretations Chapter 5 Findings Recommendations Conclusions Limitations

41-62

63-67 64 65 66 67 68 69-72

6 7

Bibliography Annexure

i) ii) iii) iv) v)

INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES SCOPE IMPORTANCE RESEARCH METHOFOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO TOPIC

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF VODAFONE:

critical analysis: analysis is getting information to solve the problems in the corporation, going out and seeking opinions on optimals,actuals,feelings, cause and solutions. So on the other hand critical analyses means appraisal based on careful analytical evaluation. And in simlpe words, a serious examination and judgment of something; "constructive criticism is always appreciated"

The purpose for writing a critique is to evaluate somebody's work (a book, an essay, a movie, a painting...) in order to increase the reader's understanding of it. A critical analysis is subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or evaluation of a text. Analysis means to break down and study the parts.

So this is a depth study of markiting activities of vodafone as well as careful analytical evaluation of vodafone markiting activities and the examination and evaluation of the relevant information to select the best course of action from among various alternativesWriting a critical paper requires two steps: critical reading and critical writing.

Critical reading:
1. Identify the author's thesis and purpose 2. Analyze the structure of the passage by identifying all main ideas 3. Consult a dictionary or encyclopedia to understand material that is unfamiliar to you 4. Make an outline of the work or write a description of it 5. Write a summary of the work 6. Determine the purpose which could be o To inform with factual material o To persuade with appeal to reason or emotions o To entertain (to affect people's emotions)

7. Evaluate the means by which the author has accomplished his purpose

If the purpose is to inform, has the material been presented clearly, accurately, with order and coherence? If the purpose is to persuade, look for evidence, logical reasoning, contrary evidence If the purpose was to entertain, determine how emotions are affected: does it make you laugh, cry, angry? Why did it affect you?

Consider the following questions: How is the material organized? Who is the intended audience? What are the writer's assumptions about the audience? What kind of language and imagery does the author use?

SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR CRITICAL ESSAY

After the passage under analysis has been carefully studied, the critique can be drafted using this sample outline.

I. Background information to help your readers understand the nature of the work o A. Information about the work 1. Title 2. Author 3. Publication information 4. Statement of topic and purpose o B. Thesis statement indicating writer's main reaction to the work II. Summary or description of the work III. Interpretation and/or evaluation o A. Discussion of the work's organization o B. Discussion of the work's style o C. Effectiveness o D. Discussion of the topic's treatment o E. Discussion of appeal to a particular audience

Objective of Study:
Following are the main objective to study about the customer satisfaction on Vodafone. 8

 To study customer satisfaction level of Vodafone. To study various Marketing activities provided by Vodafone. To study the various services provided by Vodafone.

Scope of the study

To conduct this research the target population was the mobile users, who arousing GSM technology. Targeted geographic area of Barnala Sample size of 100 respondents was taken. 9

To these 100 respondents a questionnaire was given, the questionnaire was a combination of both open ended and closed ended questions. Finally the collected data and information was analyzed and compiled to arrive at he conclusion and recommendations given. During the study, on many occasions the respondent groups g a v e u s a c o l d shoulder. Some retailers/whole sellers refuse to cooperate with the queries. Money played a vital factor in the whole project duration

Importance of the study

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There are many benefits related to take this study. Some of the benefits of taking this study are as follows: By analyzing this information, the company would be able to better design schemes & services & target right prospects needs & wants. More people will get aware about Vodafone that will increase profit level of Vodafone. This study helps to identify the behavior of consumer when there are no offers & schemes from Vodafone.

Research mothodology
Marketing research means the systematic gathering, recording, analyzing of data about problems relating to the marketing of goods and services

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Marketing research has proved an essential tool to make all the need of marketing management. Marketing research therefore is the scientific process of gathering and analyzing of marketing information to meet the needs of marketing management. But gathering of observation is must be systematic. The systematic conduct of research requires: Orderliness, in which the measurements are accurate. Impartiality in analysis and interpretation.

All of research can be categorized into basic and applied. 1. BASIC RESEARCH: - Basic Research is that intended to expand the body of knowledge for the use of others. 2. APPLIED RESEARCH: - Applied Research is one, which is carried out to find the solution for a particular problem or for guiding a specific decision. It is usually private in nature. My research on Vodafone is carried on for guiding specific decisions and its results are useful only to Vodafone for taking particular decision regarding product quality, staff and security. Hence the nature of my research study is APPLIED RESEARCH .

RESEARCH DESIGN:
Research design indicates the methods and procedure of conducting research study. Research design can be done in following three types:1 Exploratory Research:12

Exploratory research focuses on the discovery of new ideas and is generally based on secondary data. 2 Descriptive Research:Descriptive research is undertaken when the researcher want to know the characteristics of certain groups. 3 Causal or Experimental Researches:An experimental research is undertaken to identify causes and effect relationship between two variables. The Research Design is: Descriptive Research Design

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Data Collection and Sampling: A) Sources of Data Collection:Basically there are two types of data i.e. secondary and primary: Primary Data: Primary data comprises of direct responses or firsthand data collected from different respondents for Swift car. Questionnaire was used as the major tool in collecting primary data for our research. Primary data also collected through the direct interview with the respondents. Secondary Source: Secondary data is the data, which is not gathered for the immediate study at hand but for some other purposes. Secondary data for the research is collected through magazines like Business World, newspapers, Auto magazines and internet etc. Therefore both the types of data were used in order to collect information for the study.

B) Data collection Tools:

To conduct a survey, the Researcher has selected a structured questionnaire as an instruction for gathering valuable information from the customers. Questionnaire, which is used for the survey, is consisting of questions and checklist questions to check the customer feedback.

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C) Sampling Plan:
The researcher has design a sampling plan that is consist of four decisions. I) Sampling unit: Who is to be surveyed? The Researcher has selected youngsters, businessmen, and housewives, employees to conduct survey and to measure satisfaction level.

II) Sample Size: Sample size means limited numbers of respondents covered under the research study from a population and the researcher has taken a survey of 100 respondents to know the satisfaction level of customer.

III)

Sampling Area: The researchers area for survey was: S D college Barnala Vodafone Store, K C Road. Barnala

IV)

Sampling Unit:

Here the researcher has randomly selected the respondents of the Barnala

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LITERATURE REVIEW

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Article- 1
Want To Keep Customers & Create Profits? These 5 Positivity Pointers Can Help You Enhance Your Customer Experience By JoAnna Brandi Theres no doubt about it; customer loyalty is key to profitability. A mere five percent increase in your customer retention could as much as double your bottom line profits! On the flip side, it costs anywhere from 6-30 times more to get new customers than it does to keep the ones you have that is, if theyll stay! Here are 5 positivity pointers to keep in mind so you can reap the rewards of creating more awesome experiences for your customers, co-workers and yourself: 1. Positive thinking is a habit. Some people are born with a positive outlook; others have to work hard at shifting their focus away from depressing media stories and from the things that are going wrong in their own lives. 2. Positive thinking is a choice. As with the creation of any new habits, the first step is to choose to do it, to commit to and intend to be positive. At first, learning what keeps you in a positive state of mind and remembering to make time to use those tools can be challenging especially when youre focused on professional or personal goals that require a lot of your time and energy. 3. A Positive Attitude makes change easier to take. Change happens all the time in every aspect of life and its happening especially fast in

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todays business world. If we dont keep up, we fall behind and no business today has that luxury. 4. Positive thinking is chock-full of benefits! Optimistic people people who believe the world is inherently good - are healthier than pessimists. Lets count the ways: They have higher energy levels, stronger immune systems and, no surprise, tend to live longer. Their faith in themselves enables them to more quickly learn from their mistakes. They interpret problems as challenges - not obstacles. That means they experience less distress and more easily access the emotional boost they need to get through tough times. 5. No one likes you when youre grumpy. Sure the people who love you still love you even when you go through a grumpy spell. But that doesnt mean anyone likes you while youre in a foul state of mind. Customers dont like a grump, co-workers dont like a grump, bosses dont like a grumpnobody likes a grump! altitude!

Article 2 No Guts, No Glory: 10 Ways to Ease Into Empowerment By: JoAnna Brandi In todays business world this kind of performance cannot be achieved without empowerment. Its a word thats gotten a bad rap in the last few years as companies without a full understanding of what it really means attempted to push power, without authority, to the front lines. When implemented poorly as a one time event, empowerment initiatives do more harm than good. When implemented as an ongoing

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process, it liberates the brilliance of your workforce, re-energizes your organization and thrills your customers! In its broadest sense, say Dennis T. Jaffe and Cynthia Scott, authors of Take This Job and Love It, empowerment means, "the organization shifts from limiting the power to determine its future and how it will get there to a few top executives, to include every level of the organization in the process." It takes guts to do this, to create and sustain an empowerment process. It requires courage to look within, challenge old assumptions and embrace new ideas from people at every level. Article-3 True Customer Care At the start of another year, many of us make resolutions for the forthcoming year. For me, the time has led me to reflect back on 2003 and self-assess. Personally, 2003 has been a tough year, having become an orphan with the passing of both of my elderly parents. (We also lost a cherished feline friend in the fall.) The passing of a loved one opens up emotional wounds, but it's also a time when those wounds are healed by family, colleagues, and friends who reach out. Until one walks in those shoes, the meaning of that caring cannot be understood or appreciated. It lends new perspectives even for our business lives. Fred Van Bennekom, Dr.B.A., Principal Great Brook Consulting

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THEORETICLE PROSPECTIVE

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Vodafone
Vodafone is a mobile network operator headquartered in Berkshire, England, UK. It is the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world by turnover and has a market value of about 75 billion (August 2008). Vodafone currently has operations in 25 countries and partner networks in a further 42 countries. The name Vodafone comes from Voice data fone, chosen by the company to "reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones." As of 2006 Vodafone had an estimated 260 million customers in 25 markets across 5 continents. On this measure, it is the second largest mobile telecom group in the world behind China Mobile. In the United States, Vodafone owns 45% of Verizon Wireless.

2.2) Mission:
Vodafone is primarily a user of technology rather than a developer of it, and this fact is reflected in the emphasis of our work program on enabling new applications of mobile communications, using new technology for new services, research for improving operational efficiency and quality of our networks, and providing technology vision and leadership that can contribute directly to business decisions.

2.3) Vision:
Our Vision is to be the worlds mobile communication leader enriching customers lives, helping individuals, businesses and Communities be more connected in a mobile world.

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VODAFONE:

Today, in India, becomes Vodafone. Now, the pink color logo of Hutch is replaced by Vodafone Essars corporate red colored one. In 2005-06, the Orange brand in Mumbai was phased out to introduce (now Vodafone). The company also changed the colors of its logo from orange to pink and then red. After acquiring 67 per cent of stake (around Rs. 250 crores) in ison Essar from Hong Kong-based ison Whampoa, Vodafone Essar is expecting to touch over 35 million customers across 400,000 shops and thousands of s own employees along with employees of its business associates. Vice chairman, Ravi Ruia, Vodafone Essar, said Weve had a good innings as in India and today marks a new beginning for us, not as a departure from the fundamentals that created , but an acceleration into the future with Vodafones global expertise. Vodafone CEO, Marten Pieters of the Vodafone Essar will be landing in India for the meeting that would discuss branding exercise, expansion plans, spectrum requirements for its expanding subscriber base and future plans. Vodafone offers a host of premier value added services (VAS) including national and international roaming in over 70 countries in over 160 networks, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), short message service, voice mail service, auto roam, fax and data, cricket updates, M-banking, general information, tarot line, etc. The company launched

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WAP in Delhi in October 2000, much before its rival Bharti. It has 5000 WAP customers, as in December 2000. The company has been a prime mover in introducing these valueadded services in the Delhi circle. The values are stated simply. To be fair and transparent in what they do and how they do it. To provide the quality services with more customer friendly practices. To make ones communications experience simple, pleasurable and fun. Where he doesn't simply get technology - but technology that is relevant. Where solutions are not just promised in the future - but delivered in the present.

Vodafone Logo

Services: Staying connected becomes a lot easier with Vodafone. We have a wide range of services you can access right from your Vodafone phone. From cell banking to flight updates to call management services, get all that you want, instantly.

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Prepaid services(latest): Vodafone Essar, one of Indias leading cellular service providers announced a

new Bonus Card 25 for its prepaid customers in Punjab. With this new bonus card, Vodafone customers can enjoy the benefit of unlimited national SMS at just 20paisa/SMS. The new bonus card comes with 30 days validity. Postpaid services(latest):

- Vodafone Essar, one of Indias leading cellular services providers has launched
three new monthly rental plans - Budget 500, Budget 750 and Budget 1000 - for its postpaid customers in Kolkata and West Bengal. These Budget plans offer combinations of free minutes over local and STD calls along with free local SMS. This offer is valid for new and existing customers.

Value added services: Vodafone Essar, one of Indias leading cellular services providers, has announced a special offer for Zoozoo fans across India. Vodafone customers can now get special Zoozoo DVDs from a Vodafone Store and watch these adorable characters from Vodafone Essars recent television commercials as they live lifes little moments in their inimitable style. Vodafone Prepaid customers can get the DVD through a recharge of above Rs 300 at the Vodafone Store. Vodafone Postpaid customers can enroll for Direct

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Debit or activate Callertune or Vodafone Alerts at the Vodafone store to get the Zoozoo DVD.

Dial 600 to activate: To activate these values added services on your Vodafone phone simply dial 600 and access our Interactive Voice Response system. SMS: Message your family and friends through Vodafone SMS Services. It's convenient and affordable. Communicate with cell phone users in over 100 countries and anywhere in India - by sending and receiving text msg. Pay just Rs. 1.50 per message for sending SMS anywhere across the country. Vodafone Online:

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Get all the useful information you need directly on your

Vodafone phone - with

Vodafone Online. Including cricket, finance, entertainment, weather, astrology and more. Simply go to the Vodafone Online menu on your Vodafone phone. If you do not see the Vodafone Online menu on your phone, send HELP to 123. We will send you the list of keywords. Scroll to the topic on which you need information. Select the information and key input as requested on the screen.

You will be charged Rs. 2 per outgoing message. Incoming messages are free. MTNL Directory: With this facility you can get to know the address and telephone no. of MTNL users.you will be charged Rs.2 per outgoing message. STD / ISD Codes: You don't need to look up your diary or a phone directory to find out STD and ISD codes. You can find it directly through your Vodafone phone.

Ringtones & Logos:

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Now you can change the ringtone on your Vodafone phone according to your moods. You can download logos as well. With the Vodafone and Yahoo! tieup you have hundreds of tunes and logos to choose from. For every ringtone downloaded, you will charged Rs. 7.00 (including the cost of SMS sent). For every logo/picture message downloaded, you will charged Rs. 3.00 (including the cost of SMS sent). Dial-in Services Vodafone brings you more conveniences at your fingertips. Use our Dial-in-Services to check cricket scores, horoscope, up-to-the minute news and other relevant information on services that touch your everyday life. All Dial-in-Services carry a flat charge of Rs 6 per minute (1 min pulse). Here's a shortlist of services you can access

Service

Number

NDTV Online Info Line Dial-n-Deliver

123 301 306

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Cricket Online Tarot Line Cell Rashi Dial-a-Pizza Dial-a-Cab Voice Response Service

123 314 315 303 335 123

There are occasions when you may not want to take a call, or your Vodafone phone maybe busy or simply unreachable. By paying a nominal monthly access fee, you can now retrieve your messages at your convenience. Even if you are roaming, you can retrieve your messages from your voice mailbox through a fixed line, anywhere on earth.

Your Vodafone voicemail can Hold up over 17 messages at a time. Receive a message that lasts up to 90 seconds. Store a message for as long as you want. You can also record your voice signature and welcome message.

Call Management Services

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There may be occasions when you need to conference with up to six people at a time or talk to just two. Or you are speaking to someone and want to forward an incoming call to another phone. With your Vodafone phone, you can do this and more. Vodafonehelps you manage your calls effortlessly so that you stay in control of your conversations, always.

Voice Response Get your Vodafone phone to respond directly to your commands. Custom designed to recognize Indian voices and accents, the Voice Response service makes your life more convenient. You can get the latest updates on news, stocks, cricket and your horoscope. Airtime charges will be Rs.6 per minute (1 minute pulse).

Voice Messaging Voice Messaging has become even more affordable. You can now send voice messages to cellular phones as well as fixed telephone lines in USA or Canada for just Rs.3.95 per min* (as against Rs.4.95 per min earlier). Voice messages within India across select networks will cost you Rs. .95 per min only. Also, recipients of the cellular Voice Messaging service have the option of replying back to the messages, which get returned back as return Voice Mail messages, facilitating twoway (though not simultaneous) voice communication.

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Yahoo! Messenger For SMS You do not have to wait to get a PC to use the Yahoo! Messenger. With the exclusive Vodafone-Yahoo! tie-up, you can easily get connected through your Vodafone phone.This unique messenger comes with a lot of exciting features. You can connect with all Yahoo! Messenger users, send, receive and reply to instant messages, view and manage your friend list and also manage authorization requests. All this and more just by using SMS. You will be charged Rs. 2 per outgoing message. Incoming messages are free.

Cell Banking Vodafone now puts the bank in your pocket with Cell Banking. Access your bank account and transact directly on your Vodafone phone by sending text messages. The first of its kind in India, this service enables you to conduct your banking without having You can to do visit Cell the Banking bank from or over 90 making countries a call. worldwide.

You will be charged Rs. 2 per outgoing message. Incoming messages are free. Roaming Now you can always stay connected, no matter where you are. With the Vodafone Roaming facility, you can use your Vodafone phone in over 100 countries worldwide and over 1000 cities, towns and highways across India. Vodafone Roaming makes life easy and convenient for you. 30

- Vodafone Essar, one of Indias leading cellular services providers, today

announced significant reduction in international roaming rates for its Postpaid customers traveling to South Africa during the upcoming DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament. Vodafone Essar is the official partner to DLF IPL 2009 One number across the globe Your Vodafone phone number and PIN number remains the same whether you are in Delhi, Chandigarh, London, Paris or anywhere else in the world.

National and International Roaming on Vodafone Prepaid Roaming on Vodafone Prepaid gives you the most extensive coverage in over 1000 cities, towns and highways across India, and in over 100 countries around the world. Enjoy Roaming on your Vodafone Prepaid card and stay in touch wherever you go.

Yahoo! Mail For SMS

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You can now directly access your email account on Yahoo! Mail on your Vodafone phone. Whats more, you do not need a WAP enabled handset for this service as it is based on SMS. So gain freedom from your PC and access your Yahoo! mails anytime, anywhere on your Vodafone phone. You will be charged Rs. 2 per outgoing message. Incoming messages are free.

WAP With WAP, you can have the Internet directly in your pocket. So if you are looking for quick and easy delivery of information and services, your Vodafone phone can show it all. Use it to check out news, finance, shopping, entertainment, travel, entertainment and city service information etc. To access this service all you need is a WAP enabled handset and WAP services activated on your Vodafone phone. This service comes to you at a nominal charge of Re. 1 per minute (1 min pulse). Group Messaging Party invitations, movie outings, festive greetings... whatever be the occasion, you can send your message to all your friends at one go! With Group Messaging from Vodafone, you can thus save yourself the bother of painstakingly sending your message to one person at a time whether you are on Vodafone Prepaid or Postpaid.

Vodafone4help

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Vodafone4help now lets you take advantage of a lot more services than before. You can connect to the nearest fire brigade or mechanic or florist or even order a pizza. If you are stranded in the middle of the road, or if you you need immediate medical attention or if you are looking for a police station close by, Vodafone4help gives you instant access to your nearest source of help, anywhere in Delhi or the NCR. All the help services are charged@Rs.6/min. while for police and fire help only local airtime charge is applicable.

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2.5) VODAFONE ESSAR

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2.5.1) Introduction:
Vodafone Essar, previously Hutchison Essar is a cellular operator in India that covers 21 telecom circles in India. Despite the official name being Vodafone Essar, its products are simply branded Vodafone. It offers both prepaid and postpaid GSM cellular phone coverage throughout India and is especially strong in the major metros. Vodafone Essar provides 2G services based on 900 MHz and 1800 MHz digital GSM technology, offering voice and data services in 22 of the country's 23 licence areas.

2.5.2) Ownership:
Vodafone Essar is owned by Vodafone 52%, Essar Group 33%, and other Indian nationals, 15%. On February 11, 2007, Vodafone agreed to acquire the controlling interest of 67% held by Li Ka Shing Holdings in Hutch-Essar for US$11.1 billion, pipping Reliance Communications, Hinduja Group, and Essar Group, which is the owner of the remaining 33%. The whole company was valued at USD 18.8 billion. The transaction closed on May 8, 2007.

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Incidentally, China's ZTE, which is looking to set-up a manufacturing unit in the country, is expected to provide several Vodafone handsets in India. Earlier this year, Vodafone penned a global low-cost handset procurement deal with ZTE

Vodafone 3G services in India

Vodafone Essar one of the largest service providers in India has announced 3G Services roll-out in India with the partnership of Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericsson India. In the latest developments Vodafone has gaven a three-year contract estimated at $500 million, on Wednesday, to the gear manufacturers who are also the companys existing equipment vendors( Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericsson India). This partnership will vodafone to roll-out its 3G services in its licensed circles in India. The nine licensed circles where vodafone can provide 3G includes Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (East) and West Bengal which covers most of the vodafone indias customer base. With the implementation of the 3G roll out, more than 113.8 million Vodafone users will be able to avail high-end services such as video calling, interactive gaming and highspeed internet on mobile phones by late December. According to the latest press release from vodafone Globally, Vodafone already provides enhanced 3G services to a large number of customers. Now India is ready for 3G, and we are committed to bringing these benefits to our Indian subscribers, said Marten Pieters, managing director, Vodafone Essar. Nokia Siemens Networks is the 3G leader and we view our relationship as a strategic alliance built around delivering and maintaining the high-quality service which Vodafone customers expect. We are committed to implementing a smart 3G network for Vodafone Essar based on combining our global experience with local expertise and resources, said Urs Pennanen, head of Nokia Siemens Networks in India. We are fully geared-up for a speedy implementation of the 3G network, optimizing existing GSM technology to reduce the

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total cost of ownership for the operator. Subscribers can expect exciting new mobile broadband services and seamless interoperability between 2G and 3G networks.

Group History and Recent Developments

Vodacom Group and Vodacom SA were incorporated in South Africa in 1993 as a joint venture between Telkom, Vodafone and VenFin Limited ("VenFin"). The Group launched one of Africa's first GSM networks in South Africa in 1994. Vodacom Group's shareholders recognised the need for BEE investors and in 1996 a 5% stake in Vodacom Group was sold to a BEE company, Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited ("HCI") (through Descarte Investments No 8 (Proprietary) Limited) for R118 million. Six years later in 2002, HCI sold its stake back to Vodafone and VenFin for R1.5 billion, making it one of the most successful BEE deals implemented in South Africa to date. Until the implementation of the Vodacom BEE transaction, Vodacom Group held 100% of Vodacom SA. The Vodacom BEE transaction was finalised on 8 October 2008 when Royal Bafokeng Holdings (Proprietary) Limited ("Royal Bafokeng") and Thebe Investment Corporation (Proprietary) Limited ("Thebe"), through their subsidiaries, the black public (as defined in the BBBEE Codes), business partners and employees acquired in aggregate 6.25% of Vodacom SA. The black public, business partners and employees obtained ownership in Vodacom SA through YeboYethu. YeboYethu owns 3.44% of Vodacom SA while Royal Bafokeng and Thebe own 1.97% and 0.84% of Vodacom SA, respectively through their subsidiaries. Prior to 20 April 2006, the entire issued share capital of Vodacom Group was held as follows: 15% by VenFin, 35% by VHSA and 50% by Telkom. On 20 April 2006, Vodafone Group acquired the entire issued share capital of VenFin, resulting in a change in the shareholding of Vodacom Group, with the issued Vodacom Group shares being held as follows, 50% (in aggregate) by VHSA and VTI, indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Vodafone, and 50% by Telkom. Vodacoms history shows a track record of innovation in the early adoption of new technologies and in being first to market to offer new services to our customers.

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2010 First to launch 3G in INDIA 2009 Sale of Telkoms 15% interest to Vodafone Unbundling of Telkoms Vodacom shares Listing on the JSE Limited \2008 Sale of 6.25% in Vodacom SA to BBBEE shareholders Vodacom Business launched Acquisition of Gateway 2007 Acquisition of an interest in WBS (iBurst) 2006 Vodacom Ventures formed First to launch HSDPA in South Africa 2005 Launch of Vodafone live! in South Africa 2004 First to launch 3G in South Africa 2003 Vodacom launches GSM network in Mozambique 2002 First to launch GPRS and MMS in South Africa network in the DRC 2001 Launch of Vodacoms youth product 4U in South Africa 2000 Vodacom launches GSM network in Tanzania 1996 Sale of 5% stake in Vodacom Group to BEE shareholders first prepaid service on an IN platform 1994 Vodacom launches GSM network in South Africa 1993 Vodacom Group incorporated in South Africa Launch of worlds Vodacom launches GSM

Vodacom launches GSM network in Lesotho

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Marketing Strategies

1. Vodafone
Vodafone has given birth to the Zoo zoo: a special character created specifically to convey a value added service (VAS) offering in each of the newly released commercials. Vodafone has come with creative advertising campaign for its various plans. This strategy has captured the imagination of millions. The strategy is a buzz that lives up to the brand image of great creatives and clever marketing. In the first 10 days of IPL (Indian premier league) it has reached a cumulative of 89 million people. This is a wonderful strategy adopted by Vodafone. This has helped the company to raise not only its profits through sales but has also tremendously increased its brand value. Zoo zoos have become so popular that Vodafone has succeeded in its effort of viral or buzz marketing. Their add campaign has gained so much popularity all over the world. The viewership for the add is highest among all the adds. Whats interesting is that there are some 25 such commercials planned under this campaign, 10 of which are already on air. The aim is to release approximately one ad a day, to sustain interest till the end of the IPL

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DATA ANALYSES AND INTREPRETATION

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Q1) Do you have a mobile phone?

Suggestions No. of respondents

Yes 93

No 7

Interpretation:
93% of the respondents are have a mobile phone. 7% of the respondents do not have a mobile phone.

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Q2) Are you aware about telecommunications services?

Suggestions No. of respondents

Yes 95

No 5

Interpretation:
95% of the respondents are aware about telecommunications services. 5% are not aware.

2(a) Which operators service do you use?

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Operators service name Vodafone Airtel Idea Reliance BSNL Tata Indicom

No. of respondents 87 29 17 21 5 3

Interpretation:

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54% of the respondents use Vodafone. 18% of the respondents use Airtel. 10% respondents use Idea. 13% of the respondents use reliance. 4% and 2% respondents use BSNL and Tata Indicom respectively.

Q3) From which source you came to know about Vodafone? Sources Advertisements Hoardings Newspapers Mouth Publicity No. of respondents 63 52 35 26

Interpretation:
36% of the respondents are aware about Vodafone through Advertisements.

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29% are aware because of Hoardings. 20% and 15% of the respondents are aware because of Newspapers and Mouth Publicity respectively.

Q4) Since how long you are using Vodafone Services? Time period Less than 1 month 2-6 months 6-12 months More than 1 year No. of respondents 12 19 22 34

Interpretation:
39% of the respondents use Vodafone services from past more than 1 year. 46

14% of respondents using Vodafone services less than 1 month.

22% of respondents using Vodafone services from 2-6 months.

25% of respondents using Vodafone services from 6-12 months.

Q5) Which of the following services do you use of Vodafone? Services Pre-Paid Post-paid No. of respondents 73 14

Interpretation:

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84% of the respondents use pre-paid service. 16% of the respondents use post-paid services.

Q7) Which services are more helpful to you while using Vodafone Services?

Services Call Rates SMS Rates Network Value Added Services

No. of respondents 27 48 36 19

Interpretation:
37% of the respondents use Vodafone for SMS services.

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14% of the respondents use Vodafone for Value Added Services. 28% of the respondents use Vodafone for network.

Suggestions No. of respondents

Yes No 76 11

21%

of

the

respondents

use

Vodafone for call rates.

Q7) Do you call at customer care?

Interpretation:
87% of the respondent calls at customer care. 49

13% respondents do not call at customer care.

If yes, how often you call at customer care? Time Period Daily Once a week Once a month Occasionally No. of respondents 5 12 24 35

Interpretation
46% respondents here call customer care occasionally.

50

31% respondents respondents call customer care once a month. 16% of respondents call once a week. 7% daily respectively.

Q9) For what reason you call at customer care? Reasons Value Added Services Information regarding new schemes Complaining Other queries No. of respondents 21 23 42 36

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Interpretation:
34% of respondents call at customer care for complaining purpose. 30% of respondents call customer care for other queries. 19% of respondents call customer care for information regarding new schemes 17% value added services respectively.

Q10) Rate the following on the basis of your satisfaction. Services Network SMS Rates New Excellent Very Good 31 6 29 19 14 Fairly Good Average Poor 17 35 27 7 24 33 3 3 10

schemes 3

and offers Customer Care Recharge Outlets Call Rates Value Services 2 20 24 43 29 19 19 3 6 6 12 32 28 29 31 15 14 5 2

Added 9

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Rate to Network:
.

Service Network

Excellent 31

Very Good 29

Fairly Good 17

Average Poor 7 3

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Interpretation:
36% respondents are satisfy with Vodafones network excellent 33% respondents are rated very good, 20%rate for fairly good, 8% rate for average good 3% rate it poor.

SMS Rates: Service Excellent Very Good 19 Fairly Good 35 Average Poor 24 3

SMS Rates 6

Interpretation:

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40% respondents are not rated in fairly good with the SMS rates of Vodafone 28% rate it average 22% rate it very good 7% of respondents rate it excellent 3% rate it poor.

New Schemes and Offers: Service Excellent Very Good 14 Fairly Good Average Poor 27 33 10

New schemes 3 and offers

Interpretation:
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38% respondents rated average for new schemes and offers 31% respondents rated as fairly good 16% rated very good 12% and 3% rate it as poor and excellent respectively.

Customer Care:

Service

Excellent

Very Good 32

Fairly Good Average Poor 29 15 5

Customer Care 6

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Interpretation:
37% respondents rate it as very good for customer care service. 33% rated fairly good for customer care service. 17% rated average for customer care service. 6% and 7% rate it as poor and excellent respectively

Recharge Outlets:

Service Recharge Outlets

Excellent 12

Very Good 28

Fairly Good Average Poor 31 14 2

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Interpretation:
Recharge outlets of Vodafone are majorly rated on fairly good and very good basis. 36% of the respondents rate it as fairly good. 32% rate it as very good. 16% rate it as average. 14% rate it excellent. 2% respondents rate it as poor.

Call Rates: Service Call Rates Excellent 2 Very Good 20 Fairly Good Average Poor 43 19 3

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Interpretation:
49% of respondents rate call rates of vodafone as fairly good, 23% rate it as very good 22% rate it as average while 4% and 2% respondent rate it as poor and excellent respectively

Value Added Services:

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Service

Excellent

Very Good 24

Fairly Good Average Poor 29 19 6

Value Added 9 Services

Interpretation:
33% respondents rate it as fairly good. 28% rate it as very good. 22% rate it as average. 10% rate it as excellent, 7% poor respectively.

Q12) Why you are not using Vodafone Services?

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Reasons Lack of awareness High Prices Poor Services Poor Network

No. of respondents 2 6 3 2

Interpretation:
6 dont use Vodafone services because of high prices. 3 respondents dont use Vodafone services because of poor services. 2 respondents each dont use vodafone services because of lack of awareness and network. poor

Q13) Would you like to recommend Vodafone to others?

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Suggestions No. of respondents

Yes 78

No 9

Interpretation:
90% of the Vodafone customers would like to recommend Vodafone services to others 10% of the Vodafone Customers wont recommend to others.

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Age analysis:

Age Respondents

Below 18 4

18-25 54

26-50 23

51 or above 6

Interpretation:
62% of the respondents belong to age group of 18-25. 26% respondents belong to age group of 26-50.

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7% of respondents belong to 51 or above age group. 5% of the respondents belong to age group of below 18 years.

i)

FINDINGS RECCOMENDATIONS

ii)

iii) CONCLUSSIONS iv) LIMITATIONS

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Findings
93% of the respondents are have a mobile phone while 7% of the respondents do not have a mobile phone. 54% repondents are using vodafone 16% of the respondents use airtel in our sample area 36% of the respondents are aware about Vodafone through Advertisements, 29% are aware because of Hoardings while 20% and 15% of the respondents are aware because of Newspapers and Mouth Publicity respectively. 39% of the respondents use Vodafone services from past more than 1 year. 84% of the respondents use pre-paid services while only 16% of the respondents use post-paid service. 37% of the respondents use Vodafone for SMS services while only 14% of the respondents use Vodafone for Value Added Services. 31% respondents respondents call customer care once a month while 16% and 7% of respondents call once a week and daily respectively. 34% of respondents call at customer care for complaining purpose while 30%, 19% and 17% of respondents call customer care for other queries, information regarding new schemes and value added services respectively.

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 90% of the Vodafone customers would like to recommend Vodafone services to others .

Conclusion
From the above analysis the researcher concludes that major respondents are dissatisfied with some of the major services like call rates, SMS rates and new schemes & offers. Major respondents from all respondents use services of Vodafone. Major customers of Vodafone are old customers so many of the respondents are satisfied with the services of Vodafone and thus they would like to recommend Vodafone to others. Major respondents using Vodafone use pre-paid services compared to post-paid services. Major respondents are youngsters so they need more SMS facilities and low call rates, but Vodafone dissatisfies these age group (18-25) as their call rates and SMS rates are much high.

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Suggestions
Vodafone should provide more offers to Post-Paid customers so that the number of Post-Paid customers increase. Vodafone should bring introduce some new SMS schemes for the youngsters. Vodafone should introduce more schemes and offers. Vodafone should provide more schemes and offers to its old customers. Vodafone should decrease call rates of STD and ISD.

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Limitations

The study was restricted to only those clients who were related to Vodafone

telecommunications.

The study was confined within specific regions of Barnala city only.

The sample size was limited so the results obtained from the study may not be

generalized for the whole population.

The time period of the study was not sufficient to measure the consumers

response effectively and reach to a more valid conclusion.

Many of the respondents may not have given the correct information due to

personal bias.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Websites:
http://www.vodafone.com/start/media_relations/news/local_press_releases/po rtugal/portugal_press_release/vodafone_had_highest.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_satisfaction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutch_(Indian_cellular_company) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodafone

http://bora.nhh.no/bitstream/2330/1919/1/Saplitsa%202008.pdf www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=606658

www.iimcal.ac.in/community/consclub/reports/telecom.pdf

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ANNEXURE

Name: ________________ Age: ___ years Sex: Male/Female Contact no.: ___________ Signature: __________
Q1) Do you have a mobile phone? o Yes o No

Q2) Are you aware about telecommunications service? o Yes o No

If yes, then which operators Service do you use? o Vodafone o Airtel 70 (Multi-choice)

o Idea o Reliance o BSNL o Tata Indicom ( If not Vodafone then go to Q12 )

Q3) From which source you came to know about Vodafone? o Advertisement o Hoardings o Newspapers o Mouth Publicity (Multi-choice)

Q4) Since how long you are using Vodafone services? o Less than 1 month o 2-6 months o 6-12 months o More than 1 year

Q5) Which of the following services do you use of Vodafone? o Pre-paid o Post-paid

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Q6) Which services are more helpful to you while using Vodafone services? o Call rates o SMS service o Network o Value Added Services (Multi-choice)

Q7) Dou you call at customer care? o Yes o No If yes, how often you call at customer care? o Daily o Once a week o Once a month o Occasionally

Q8) For what reason you call at customer care? o Value added services o Information regarding new schemes o Other queries o Complaining (Multi-choice)

Q9) Rate the following services on the basis of your satisfaction. Services Network SMS rates Excellent Very Good Fairly good Average Poor

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New schemes and offers Customer Care Recharge outlets Call Rates Value Added Services

Q10) Why you are not using Vodafone services? o o o o Lack of awareness High Prices Poor Services Poor network (Multi-choice)

Q11) Would you like to recommend Vodafone to others? o Yes o No

Q12) Give your suggestions to help in serve you better. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ___

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