ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I wish to express my sincere thanks to our beloved correspondent Mrs. T. JAYALAKSHMI., M.A.

, who is

generous in providing me all the necessary facilities in carrying out this work. I wish to express my deep and profound sense of gratitude to my guide Mr. J. SHANMUGAN, M.B.A., PG DIP PMIR., Lecturer, Department of Management Studies for his expert and valuable guidance, and kind encouragement through the entire phase of the project. My heartfelt and sincere thanks to Prof. A.E.THIYAGARAJAN, M.Sc., M.B.A., Principal, Sree Amman Institute of Management & Research and also the other teaching staffs of our department. I express my gratitude to Mr. S. GURUNAATHAN, Managing Director, Thaai Enterprises, Erode for permitting to do this project work in his concern. My loving thanks to my parents, friends and all those who were associated with this project work and who were a source of encouragement throughout my study. K.U.SHAJI

CONTENTS

Chapter No.

Particulars

Page No.

LIST OF TABLES LIST OF CHARTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 INTRODUCTION COMPANY PROFILE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION FINDINGS SUGGESTIONS CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY ANNEXURE QUESTIONNAIRE 1 17 19 20 21 24 48 51 54

LIST OF TABLES

Table No.

Title

Page No. 25 27 29 31 of 33

1 2 3 4 5

Age group of the respondents Area of residence Educational qualifications Business status of respondents Reasons cellular inducing the purchase

6 7

Mode of payment Relationship of age and views about the performance Relationship between occupation and price of cellular Relationship between Area Residence and service offered of

35 37

40

42

10

Relationship between cost of services and occupation Relationship between educational qualification and troubles occurred in

44

11

46

mobile

LIST OF CHARTS

Chart No.

Title

Page No. 26 28 30 32 of 34

1 2 3 4 5

Age group of the respondents Area of residence Educational qualifications Business status of respondents Reasons cellular inducing the purchase

6 7

Mode of payment Relationship of age and views about the performance Relationship between occupation and price of cellular Relationship between Area Residence and service offered of

36 39

41

43

10

Relationship between cost of services

45

and occupation 11 Relationship between educational qualification and troubles occurred in mobile 47

PREFACE

In the modern civilized world the marketer should give more importance for relationship marketing. The main aim of marketing management is to satisfy the needs and wants of the consumers. When the sales is over, the marketer should not forget the consumer. He must give prompt reply for the complaints of the consumers. Then only the level of consumer will recommend others to purchase the same brand.

In the busy world, to minimize time for their activities people look in the instant communication. Mobile phone is one of the latest way of communication through which people would communicate from where they are to the entire world. The author is very much interested to determine attitudes and consumer satisfaction with BPL mobile service.

INTRODUCTION

Marketing Concept

Marketing concept is a corporate stage of mind that insists on the integration and co ordination of all marketing functions which in turn welded with all other corporate functions, for the basic objective of producing maximum long range corporate profits.

The marketing concept is a consumer orientation backed by integrated marketing aimed at generating customer satisfaction as the key to satisfying organizational goals.

Marketing is indeed an ancient art; it has been practiced as one form or the other since the days of Adam & Eve. Its emergence as a management discipline, however is of relatively recent origin.

Consumerism and the Marketing Concept

Consumerism is a relatively recent phenomenon starting in the sixties in the affluent societies like the U.S.A. We now see it emerging in India as well. It is an organized movement of the consumers a movement that seeks to protect the consumers from unfair practices of

the producers and marketers. In many cases the governments of the societies concerned one also on the side of the side of the consumers in this raging battle. Consumer is the essence of the marketing concept.

Only because several firms functioned against the tenets of the marketing concept, consumerism gained ground. That is why drunker said that consumerism is the shame of marketing. If marketing is practiced as per the marketing concept, the very motive for consumerism will disappear. A firm practicing the marketing concept would not only be sensitive to consumer attitude, but would also anticipate these attitudes and adjust its marketing accordingly; and it would proceed on the assumption that what is good for the consumer is good for the firm.

Building a profile of the Indian consumer is a difficult task.

The Essence of Marketing

Many thinking firms organize from time to time, about what marketing actually means to them.

Few of the literature Gurus appears to view business as a total system. They concentrate their attention upon specified areas. The one guru who always seems to view businesses in a holistic way is peter drunker.

Peters and watermans book in search of excellence (1982) views enterprises from a holistic vantage point & has created a stir by forcing many managers and corporate strategistic to gaze at their corporate navels and ask themselves may searching questions about the main element of corporate excellence.

Definition and Significance of Marketing

Marketing has been defined in various ways. It will be to our advantage to quote initially a few such definitions that are commonly used;

Marketing is the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producer to consumer of user. (American marking association).

Marketing is the economic process by which goods & services are exchanged and their values determined in terms of money price. (Duddy & Revzan).

Marketing is the place of business activity through which human wants are satisfied by the exchange of goods & services. (J.F. Pyle).

Marketing is the business process by which products are matched with markets and through which transfers of ownership are effected.

Understanding the Critical Role of Marketing on Organizations and Society

Companies cannot survive today by simply doing a good job. They must do an excellent job if they are to succeed in markets characterized by slow growth and fierce competition at home and abroad. Consumer and business buyers face an abundance of choices in seeking to satisfy their needs and therefore look for excellence in quality or value or cost when they choose their suppliers. Recent studies have demonstrate that knowing and satisfying the customers with competitively superior offers is the key to profitable performance. And marketing is the company function charged with defining customer targets and the best way to satisfy their needs and wants competitively and profitably.

Marketing has its origins in the fact that humans are creatures of needs and wants. Needs and wants create a state of discomfort in people, which is resolved through acquiring products to satisfy these needs and wants. Since many products can satisfy a given need, product choice is guided by the concepts of utility, value, and satisfy a given need, product choice is guided by the concepts of utility, value and satisfaction. These products are obtainable in several ways: self

production, coercion, begging, and exchange. Most modern societies work on the principle of exchange, which means that people specialize in producing particular products and trade them for other things they need. They engage in transactions and relationship building. A market is a group of people who share a similar need. Marketing encompasses those activities that represent working with markets, that is, trying to actualize potential exchanges.

Marketing management is the conscious effort to achieve desired exchange outcomes with target markets. The marketers basic skill lies in influencing the level, timing, and composition of demand for a product, service, organization, place, person, or idea.

Five alternative philosophies can guide organizations in carrying out their marketing work. The production concept holds that

consumers will favour products that are affordable and available, and therefore managements major task is to improve production and distribution efficiency and bring down prices. The product concept holds that consumers favour quality products that are reasonably priced, and therefore little promotional effort is required. The selling concept holds that consumers will not buy enough of the companys products unless they are stimulated through a substantial selling and promotion effort. The marketing concept holds that the main task of

the company is to determine the needs, wants, and preferences of a target group of customers and to deliver the desired satisfactions. Its four principles are market focus, customer orientation, coordinated marketing, and profitability. The societal marketing concept holds that the main task of the company is to generate customer satisfaction and long run consumer and societal well being as the key to satisfying organizational goals and responsibilities.

Interest in marketing is intensifying as more organizations in the business sector, the nonprofit sector, and the international sector recognize how marketing contributes to improved performance in the market place.

A Broad Sketch of the Indian Consumer

As the country is highly popular, the consumers of India from a large mass. As the country is vast geographically, the consumer of India are scattered over a vast territory. As the country is vast geographically the consumers of India are scattered over a vast territory. As the country is marketed by great diversity in climate, religion, language, literacy level, customs and calendars, life styles and economic status, the consumers of India present a complex and bizarre

group. The heterogeneity holds many implications to a marketer, especially, to one going in for national marketing.

Consumer Markets and buyer Behavior

Consumer markets and consumer buying behavior have to be under stood before sound marketing place can be developed.

The consumer market buys goods and service for personal consumption. It is the ultimate market for which economic activities are organized. The market consists of many sub markets, such as black consumers, one needs to know the occupants, the object, and the buyers objectives, organization, operations, occasions, and outlets.

The buyers behavior is influenced by four major factors: cultural (culture, subculture, and social class); social (reference groups, family, and roles and statuses); personal (age and life cycle stage, occupation, economic circumstances, life style, and personality and self concept); and psychological (motivation, perception, learning and beliefs and attitudes). All of these provide clues as to how to reach and serve the buyer more effectively.

Before planning its marketing, a company needs to identify its target consumers and the type of decision process they go through. While many buying decisions involve only one decision market, other

decisions may involve several participants, who play such roles as initiator, influence, decider buyer and user. The marketers job is to identity the other buying participants, their buying criteria, and the amount of influence they have on the buyer. The marketing program should be designed to appeal to and reach the other key participants as well as the buyer.

The amount of buying deliberateness and the number of buying participants increase with the complexity of the buying situation. Marketers must plan differently for four types of consumer buying behavior; complex buying behavior, dissonance-reducing buying

behavior, and variety seeking buying behavior. These four types are based on whether the consumer has high or low involvement in the purchase and whether there are many or few significant difference among the brands.

In complex buying behavior, the buyer goes through a decision process consisting of problem recognition, information search,

evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post purchase behavior. The marketers job is to understand the buyers behavior at each stage and what influences are operating. This understanding allows the marketer to develop a significant and effective marketing program for the market.

Organizational Markets and Buyer Behaviour

Business markets consist of all the individuals and organizations that buy goods for purposes of further production, resale, or redistribution. Businesses (including government and nonprofit

organizations) are a market for raw and manufactured materials and parts, installations, accessory equipment, and supplies an services.

The industrial market buys goods and services for the purpose of increasing sales, cutting costs, or meeting social and legal

requirements. Compared with the consumer market, the industrial market consists of fewer buyers, larger buyers, and more

geographically concentrated buyers; the demand is derived, relatively inelastic, and more influences are involved. Industrial buyers make decisions that vary with the buying situation or buy class. Buy classes consist of three types; straight re-buys modified re-buys, and new tasks. The decisions making unit of a buying organization, the buying center, consists of persons who play any of six roles: users, influences, buyers, deciders, approvers, and gatekeepers.

The industrial marketer needs to know: who are the major participants? In what decisions do they exercise influence? What is

their relative degree of influence? and What evaluation criteria does each decision participants user? The industrial marketer also needs to understand the major environmental, organizational, interpersonal, and individual influences operating in the buying process. The buying process itself consists of earliest stages called buy phases; problem recognition, general need description, product specification, supplier search, proposal solicitation, supplier selection, order-routine

specification, and performance review. As industrial buyers becomes more sophisticated, industrial marketers must upgrade their marketing capabilities.

The reseller market consists of individuals and organizations that acquire and resell goods produced by others. Resellers have to decide on their assortment, suppliers, prices, and terms. They face three types of buying situations new items, new vendors, and new terms. In small wholesale and retail organizations, by a whole purchasing department. In a modern supermarket chain, the major participants include headquarters buyers, storewide buying committees, and individual store mangers. With new items, the buyers go through a buying process similar to the one whom for industrial buyers; and with standard items, the buying process consists of routine for reordering and renegotiating contracts.

The government market is a vast one that annually purchases over a trillion dollars worth of products and service-for the pursuit of defense, education, public welfare, and other public needs.

Government buyers operate under the watchful eye of Congress, the bureau of the budger, and several private watchdog group. Hence they tend to fill out more forms, require more signatures, and respond more slowly in placing orders.

The Role & Importance of Advertising

The importance of adverting has been summed up in the pithy statement advertising telling and selling. There is a large assortment of studies and literature on the advertising discipline. In the last two decades in particular, its growth has been so tremendous that advertising has evolved into a special field of study.

Marketing Information Systems and Marketing Research

Marketing information is a critical element in effective marketing as a result of the trend toward national and international marketing, the transition from buyer needs to buyer wants, and the transition from price to non price competition. All firms have a marketing information system connecting the external environment with its executives, but

the systems vary greatly in the level of the sophistication. In too many cases, information is not available or comes too late or cannot be trusted. An increasing number of companies are not tasking steps to improve their marketing information.

A well-designed marketed information system consists of four subsystems. The first is the internal reports system, which provides current data on sales, costs, inventories, cash flows, and accounts receivable and payable. Many companies have developed advanced computer-based internal reports systems to allow for speedier and more comprehensive information.

The second is the marketing intelligence system, which supplies marketing executives with every day information about developments in eh external marketing environment. Here a well-trained sales force, special intelligence personnel, purchased data from syndicated, sources, and an intelligence office can improve the marketing intelligence available to company executives.

The third system is marketing research, which involves collecting information that is relevant to a specific marketing problem facing the company. These marketing research process consists if five steps; defining the problem and research objectives, developing the research

plan, collecting the information, analyzing the information and presenting the findings. Good marketing research is characterized by the scientific method, creativity, multiple methodologies, model building, and cost/benefit measures of the value of information.

The fourth system is the analytical marketing system, which consists of advanced statistical procedure and models to develop more rigorous findings from information.

Marketing scientists use describe or decision models and verbal, graphical, or mathematical models to come to grips with marketing problems.

Marketing Environment

The marketing environment is the place the company must start in searching for opportunities and monitoring threats. It consists of all the actors forces that affect the companys ability transact effectively with a target market. We can distinguish between the companys microenvironment and macro environment.

The companys microenvironment consists of the actors, in the companys immediate environment that affect its ability to serve its

markets;

specifically

the

company

itself,

suppliers

market

intermediaries, customers, competitors, and publics. The company itself consists of several influential departments, all of which have an influence on marketing managements decision making. Suppliers, through their influence on the cost and availability of needed inputs, also have an influence on marketing decisions. The company converts these supplies into useful products and services and uses marketing intermediaries(middlemen, physical distribution facilitators, marketing service agencies, financial intermediaries) to help it find customers and deliver the goods. The target market itself may consists of consumers, producers, resellers, or government agencies hare or abroad. In carrying out its marketing task, the company faces several types o competitors, desire competitors.

The company also has to deal with various publics that have an actual or potential interest in or impact on the companys ability to achieve its objectives, financial, media, government citizen action, and local, general, and internal publics. All of these actors make up the companys microenvironment.

The companys macro environment consists of six major forces impinging on the company, demographic, economic, physical,

technological, political / legal, and social / cultural. The demographic

environment shows a worldwide explosive population growth, a U.S. birthrate slowdown, and ageing U.S. Population, a changing American family, a rise of non family households, geographical population shift, a more educated and white collar population, a changing ethnic and racial population, and a shift from a mass market to micro markets. The economic environment shows a slowdown in real income growth, low savings and high debt, and changing consumer expenditure patterns. The physical environment shows potential shortages of certain raw materials, unstable cost of every, increased pollution levels, and a changing role of government in environmental protection the technological environmental protection. The technological

environment exhibits accelerating technological change, unlimited innovational opportunities. High R & D budgets concentration on minor improvements rather than on major discoveries, and increased regulation of technological change. The political / legal environment shows substantial business regulation, strong government agency enforcement and the growth of public fulfillment, immediate gratification, the easy life, informal and open relationships, and a more secular orientation.

The

interaction

between

the

marketing

environment

and

company marketing system and strategy is illustrated for a major candy company that produces as candy bar for the mass market.

COMPANY PROFILE

Thaai Enterprises, Erode

The company started functioning

in the year 1998 July with

business contracts obtained from BPL India Limited.

At first the company was promoting and selling nearly all the products of BPL brand in and around Erode district. In a short period a tremendous growth has been shown by the company management.

At present it is professionally managed organization under the headship of Managing Director.

Being a promoter and associate for BPL Ltd., the company is not engaged in any other business. When mobile is introduced in this area the company readily did all marketing survey and showing a fast

growing business.

Because

of

various

schemes

available

in

BPL

mobile

in

comparative with all other mobile services offered in this area, marketing has become very easy and now-a-days each and every one

is having BPL mobile and many customers shifted to BPL from other companies.

Now the organization is functioning with total scientific look out of continues market survey and satisfying the customer needs. The investment in the capital is getting increase year after year as they are plowing back the capital in the business. Man power is also increased to 50% within one year. There is no doubt that his organization has got a very good future.

ORGANISATION CHART

Chairman (Owner) Managing Director

General Manager

Area Marketing Manager (North)

Area Marketing Manager (East)

Area Marketing Manager (West)

A rea Marketing Manager (South)

Sales Officer Sales Representatives

Sales Officer Sales Representatives

Sales Officer Sales Representatives

Sales Officer Sales Representatives

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study are

1. To evaluate and find out the facilities offered mobile.

by the BPL

2. To analyse the strength and weakness of different schemes available with BPL mobile.

3. To compare the services with other mobile services.

4. To find out customer satisfaction regarding BPL mobile service.

5. To analyse and suggest customer oriented services

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

As this is a survey method the respondents are limited

to a

small sample size. And therefore it cannot be assured the results obtained is 100% reliable with the universe.

Because of the limited span of time (8 weeks) approaching all the customer and getting information is not possible.

The area selected for the study is limited to Erode district only. SO that an elaborate study could not possible to understand all the customers of BPL in other districts.

Regarding secondary data the available and allowed information only could be processed. Because the company is not ready to provide certain information of secret nature.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This is focused mainly on customers to find out the satisfaction regarding the product they used and therefore it is decided to take up and administrate the survey method of research.

Primary Data

The primary data is to be collected from the sample size through questionnaire method. A questionnaire is prepared for a pilot study and that is re-model and redesigned after analyzing the pilot study report.

All the questions in questionnaire are closed in nature to facilitate the respondents to answer without any hesitation or deep thinking.

And moreover for analyzing these type of question and responses are very easy and the results are accurate.

Secondary Data

Apart from primary data it is decided to collect information from the company regarding the technical and non-technical futures available in the product. Certain marketing and sales information is also collected from the company for comparison statistics. These information are available with the company records and certain information are collected from published literature from

advertisements and pamphlets.

In addition the company executives in the field of marketing are interviewed casually and friendly to gather information regarding the present marketing trend and customers satisfaction about the product.

The collected information through primary and secondary data are tabulated to analyse the information easily and the report in the study even an laymen to understand. For this purpose the simple statistical and mathematical tools are employed.

Findings

The analysed information are chartered and grouped to arrive at the findings of the study.

Based

on

the

findings

the

possible

suggestions

and

recommendations are to be made.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

For this study 125 respondents are selected at random and made as a sample size.

It is observed that there are nearly 600 customers using BPL mobile and the sample size is nearly one third of the population. This size has been selected taking into view of various factors such as age, qualification, occupation, etc.

The sample is more or less equally distributed among all the factors. The data are analyzed using simple analysis. Simple analysis is based on logical reasoning and sound judgement, to ensure the

accuracy of simple analysis used. Then the data were entered in a master table for easy reference and analysis.

Based on the findings from the analysis, recommendation and suggestion are presented in this report.

Table No. 1

AGE GROUP OF THE USERS Age No. of respondents Below 30 30 40 40 50 Above 50 Total 10 45 55 15 125 8.00 36.00 44.00 12.00 100 %

Inference

It is clear that most of the respondents more than 50% are coming under the age group of 40 - 50. This shows that the mobile phone is being used among people of this age group. The next falls in the age group of 30 40. It is understandable that people between the age of 30 50 are very busy with their occupation and required communications an important tool.

Graph showing the age group of the respondents

45 40 35 30

Percentage

25 20 15 10 5 0 Below 30 30 - 40 40 - 50 Above 50

Age Group

Table No. 2

AREA OF RESIDENCE

Area

No. of respondents

Urban Semi-urban Rural Total

70 30 25 125

56.00 24.00 20.00 100

Inference

As anticipated more than 70% of the respondents are in urban area, because they are the people fully engaged in business and other professional activities. The next category comes as semi-urban, and following rural.

Graph showing the area of residence

70

60

50

Percentage

40

30

20

10

0 Urban Semi-urban Rural

Area

Table No. 3

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

Qualification

No. of respondents

H.Sc. Degree Master Degree Diploma Total

20 55 25 25 125

16.0 44.0 20.0 20.0 100

Inference

Most of the respondents above 60% are degree holders , it shows that people engaged themselves in business are other profit earning activities after obtaining a degree.

The

master

degree

holders

and

diploma

holders

are

in

professional assignment and they need very less help from mobile.

Graph showing the educational qualification

45 40 35 30

Percentage

25 20 15 10 5 0 H.Sc Degree Master Degree Diploma

Qualification

Table No. 4

BUSINESS STATUS OF RESPONDENTS

Job

No. of respondents

Business Profession Institution College students Total

55 15 25 30 125

44.0 12.0 20.0 24.0 100

Inference

It is very clear that mobile phone is being used mostly by business people. And next by college students. Institution comes thirdly.

So that it is assessed that mobile telephone is very important for business man to take immediate decisions. As a matter of fact college students used mobile as a prestigious instrument to show themselves high important of their friends.

Graph showing the business status of the respondents

45 40 35 30

Percentage

25 20 15 10 5 0 Business Profession Institution College Students

Job

Table No. 5

REASONS INDUCING THE PURCHASE OF CELLULAR

Reason

No. of respondents

Advertisement Company image Friends and Relation Social Prestige Guarantee Quality Total

15 30 10 45 15 10 125

12.00 24.00 8.00 36.00 12.00 8.00 100

Inference

It is very interesting to note that most of the respondents own mobile to keep up the prestige in the society. And the next category falls to maintain the image of the company they are in. Again it s interesting that less importance is given to advertisement , quality and guarantee.

Graph showing the reason inducing the purchase of cellular

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Advertisement Company image Friends & Relation Social Prestige Guarantee Quality

Percentage

Reason

Table No. 6

MODE OF PAYMENT

Mode

No. of respondents

Cash Installment Total

80 45 125

64.0 36.0 100

Inference

It is known that all the mobile phone companies insist on cash payment. But it is unavoidable in certain critical situation to offer

credit or installment. Only people of political, social and anti-social in nature are getting mobile in installments.

Graph showing the mode of payment

70

60

50

Percentage

40

30

20

10

0 Cash Installment

Mode

Table No. 7

RELATIONSHIP OF AGE AND VIEWS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

Age in years Below 30 30 40 40 50 Above 50 Total

HS 5 3 8

S 5 20 35 10 70

N 2 10 12 5 29

DS 3 5 3 11

HD 5 2 7

Total 10 45 55 15 125

% 8.00 36.00 44.00 12.00 100.0 0

6.40

56.0 0

23.20

8.80

5.60

100.0 0

Inference

Again it is noted that people between the age frequency of 30 50 have highly satisfaction in the performance of the BPL mobile. As a whole most of the respondents irrespective of the age are satisfied with the performance of BPL mobile.

To note the point it is a controversial observation that only very respondents that too between the age of 30 50 are highly dissatisfied with the performance.

This

is because that people within this age group have

considerable experience in all aspect of life and they developed their own policy and hence sum of them looked into certain facilities that are not available in the mobile they have.

Graph showing the relationship age and views about the performance
35 30 25

Percentage

20 15 10 5 0 Below 30 30 - 40 40 - 50 Above 50

Age in years HS S N DS HD

Table No. 9

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AREA OF RESIDENCE & SERVICE OFFERED

Area Urban Semi-Urban Rural Total %

HS 10 10 8.00

S 15 10 25 20.0 0

N 25 15 5 45 36.00

DS 20 5 10 35 28.00

HD 10 10 8.00

Total 70 30 25 125 100

% 56.00 24.00 20.00 100

Inference

The services offered by BPL mobile are same, but because of certain problems they face in Creation of towers and misunderstanding with competitor mobile, they could not offer equal services to all Urban and semi-Urban and Rural areas.

Graph showing the relationship area of residence and service offered

25

20

Percentage

15

10

0 Urban Semi Urban Rural

Area HS S N DS HD

Table No. 8

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OCCUPATION AND PRICE OF CELLULAR

Occupation Business Profession Institution College students Total %

HS 30 -

S 8 9 6 2

N 10 3 5 -

DS 5 2 12 21

HD 2 1 2 7

Total 55 15 25 30

% 44 12 20 24

30 24.00

25 20.0 0

18 14.40

40 32.00

12 9.60

125 100

100

Inference

It is already observed that business people using the mobile phone most than all other category of job. In this table it is noted that people engaged in business occupation are highly satisfied with the price of BPL mobile. This is because the communication between person to person, organization to organization, nation to nation has become shortened and instant it saves a lot of time for the people with busy engagement.

Graph showing the relationship between occupation and price of the cellular
30

25

20

Percentage

15

10

0 Business Profession Institution College Students

Occupation HS S N DS HD

Table No. 10

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COST OF SERVICES AND OCCUPATION

Occupation Business Profession Institution College students Total %

HS 25 -

S 10 5 20 -

N 15 5 5 20

DS 5 5 5

HD 5

Total 55 15 25 30

% 44.00 12.00 20.00 24.00

25 20.00

35 28.0 0

45 36.00

15 12.00

5 4.00

125 100

100

Inference

It is an interesting fact to note that respondents engaged is business do not worry much about the cost of services offered by BPL. This is because they save a lot by using BPL mobile.

But

people

in

the

profession

of

monthly

salary

have

dissatisfaction and moderately satisfaction with the cost of services. This is because they pay for the services from the salary packet.

Graph showing the relationship between occupation and cost of services

25

20

Percentage

15

10

0 Business Profession Institution College Students

Occupation HS S N DS HD

Table No. 11 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION AND TROUBLES OCCURRED IN MOBILE Qualification H.Sc Degree Master Degree Diploma Total % HS S 10 30 10 5 55 40.0 0 N 10 15 5 10 40 32.00 DS 10 5 5 20 16.00 HD 5 5 10 8.00 Total 20 55 25 25 125 100 % 16.00 44.00 20.00 20.00 100

Inference

It is inevitable that occasional or frequent depending on the environmental factors troubles in the services of connection and

transaction occurred. But this type of troubles faced by people with qualification of graduation find it very irritable.

Where as people with other qualification do not take it as irritable. This is because people with qualification between H.Sc and P.G are engaged in self employment by inventing hard work and money.

Graph showing the relationship between Educational Qualification & Troubles occurred in mobile
30

25

20

Percentage

15

10

0 H.Sc Degree Master Degree Diploma

Educational Qualification HS S N DS HD

FINDINGS

It is very evident that this study one among a very few studies made in India on this aspect, as mobile phone is a very recent development in telecommunication.

Within the natural limits and by analysis the following findings are arrived.

1.

Most of the respondents using mobile phone are within the age group of 30-50. And it is inferred that they use their mobile phone and earnings. during the peak hours for their business

2.

This natural limits and analysis reveals that most of the respondents using mobile are in the urban area where business and profession are very common.

3.

Respondents

with

the

basic

degree

and

occupying

themselves in self assignment of business and profession are using mobile more than others.

4.

Having a mobile phone is a social prestige as view by many of the people and hence most of the respondents have mobile phone in addition to DOT.

5.

Though the present scheme of giving connections of mobile on hard cash. Some of the respondents are social respect of positive or negative got mobile on installment basis.

6.

Age and use of the respondents regarding the performance and the relationship between the occupation and the cost of price are highly satisfied and dissatisfied in the age group of 30-50 engaged in business.

7.

As anticipated the relationship between the area and service offered by the company highly satisfied in urban. This is because of the problem in towers and transportation facilities are available at that time.

8.

Most of the business people do not mind much about the cost of services offered as they are earning lot and saving more by using mobile. But people in profession are to pay the amount from the pocket or salary find it costly.

9.

When educational level is growing and stability of job is assured the self-employed or profession people think of

the difficulties faced by the others in doing business and compromise themselves in understanding and get satisfied with their services offered and view the troubles occurred in services then and there.

SUGGESTIONS Mobile phone communication is a new venture very recently started in India, but established in more or less in nook and corners. It is observed that there are number of private people engaged in this business occupying certain areas of their own.

But still because of DOT (department of telecommunication) in relationship with all mobile operations. The customers are satisfied within mediate communication.

Taking

into

view network

of

the the

preventing following

situation

in and

telecommunication

suggestions

recommendation are make not only to BPL mobile services. But all other competitive services including DOT.

1.

Communication has become an important aspect in everybodys life whether it is business, profession or personal. The world becomes smaller and smaller by the way of immediate communication facility. Therefore it is suggested to all telecommunication people to unique together by way of mutual understanding to facilitate the people to assess the entire world at a reasonable rate.

2.

It is to point out that BPL mobile have the services with in a limit and it is not possible for them to enter other areas where the competitors are in. Therefore suitable measures to be made by mutual understanding with other mobile service owners.

3.

It is very clear to know that the charges for outgoing and incoming calls are very high when compared to DOT. Suitable tariff based on attracting more customers with less tariff must be think of.

4.

It is observed that the instruments with high-tech facilities are available in the market and the price is also getting reduced because of competition. Therefore a clear strategy must be adopted to make the call instrument reachable to common man of middle income. Because for him the communication is important than all other novelty features available in sophisticated instrument.

5.

The service offered by BPL is not reachable immediately to semi-rural and rural areas. It is a well known fact that transportation and road facilities are yet to be improved in such areas of India. Therefore the suggestion is to open

service centers covering semi-rural and rural areas within the radius of 5 km.

6.

It is better for BPL mobile to concentrate on targeted customers by making a market segmentation on the basis of age, educational qualification and occupation. Because these peoples are mainly in need of mobile phone at present.

7.

In future BPL mobile service organizations are suggested to aim at college and teenaged guys who are having interest in using mobile entertainment. When they could offered to have a mobile telephone within the reach of the pocket money, there is no doubt BPL will stand first in marketing of mobile.

CONCLUSION

This study will be one among very few on the topic and it is a good start and give guidance for coming young researchers, to

develop and find out more details regarding mobile has this is the only first instant communication system available in the world at present.

It is sure that in coming years and near future the entire world is under mobile control. And it will not be a surprise to see persons even in rural areas having their mobile in the pockets. Keeping all these things in view it is the at most urgent work of all mobile service owners to frame strategic policy to thrive in the competitive busy world.

QUESTIONNAIRE A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF BPL MOBILE SERVICES IN ERODE DISTRICT INTERVIEW SCHEDULE 1.Name : :

2.Name of the organization /institution 3.Address :

4. Age

1.Below 30 years 2.30-40 years 3.40-50 years 4.Above 50 years

5.Residing status

1.Urban

2.Semi-urban 3.Rural 6.Educational qualification : 1.H.S.C 2.Basic degree 3.Master degree 4.Diploma& others

7.Business status

1.Business

2.Profession 3.Institution 4.College student 8.Maritial status : 1.Married 2.Un married 9.How you are induced to purchase this brand of cellular : 1.Advertisement 2.Image of the company 3.Friends and relatives 4.social prestige 5.guarantee 6.quality 10.How long you are using this cellular : 1.Below 1 year

2.1 to 3 years 3.3 to 5 years 4.5- above

11.what is your mode of payment

1.Installment

2.Cash

Please tick the following statements a. b. c. d. e. Highly satisfaction Satisfaction Neutral Dissatisfaction Highly dissatisfaction

12.What do you feel about the installment (or) cash payment : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

13. What do you feel about the price of your cellular (BPL mobile) : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

14. How do you feel about the warranty facilities offered by the company/dealer : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

15. What do you feel about the BPL mobile performance : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

16. How do you feel about the cost of service of your cellular 17. In your experience what do you feel about the speed of cellular link. : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

18. What do you feel about the troubles occurred in your mobile : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

19. How do you feel about the service facilities offered by the company : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

20. Have you possessed any cellular previously : Yes/no

21. Why did you replace the previous cellular ? give reasons :

22. Do you face any problem in operating cellular? : Yes/no

23. Do you recommend your friends to purchase the same brand of your cellular : yes/no : yes/no

24. Do you have any idea to change

25. Your average telephone bill 1. Less than 5000 2. Rs.5000 10000 3. Rs.10000 15000 4. More than 15000

26. Your suggestions to rectify the defectives

27. Any other suggestions in your opinion

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. KOTHARI.C.B, Research Methodology

 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Himalaya Publications RAJAN NAIR.N, Marketing Sultan Chand, New Delhi. STANTON, Marketing Management Publisher-EEE. SHERLEKER.S.A, Modern Marketing Himalaya Publications. SHARMA.D.D, Marketing Research SULTAN & SONS. SUBASH C.METHA, Marketing Tata Mc Graw Hill.

SREE AMMAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH

(Affiliated to Bharathiar University)
Chittode, Erode 638 102.

Department of Management Studies

Bonafide Certificate
This is to certify that the project report entitled CUSTOMER SERVICES BY BPL MOBILE work done by - A CRITICAL EVALUATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ERODE DISTRICT is a bonafide record of

Mr. K.U.SHAJI

Register No. : 0035F0478

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.

------------------------------------------------------Head of the Department Guide

Faculty

Submitted for the Viva-Voce examination held on _____________

------------------------------------------------------Internal Examiner Examiner External

DECLARATION

The project report entitled as CUSTOMER SERVICES BY BPL MOBILE - A CRITICAL EVALUATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE

TO ERODE DISTRICT submitted to the Bharathiar University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION is a record of original research work done by me under the supervision and guidance of Mr. J. SHANMUGAN, M.B.A., PG DIP PMIR, Sree Amman Institute of Management & Research.

Date : Candidate Place :

Signature

of

the