Marketing and Customer Loyalty - AT&T - Assignment Example

Marketing and Loyalty By AT&T is an American based telecommunication corporation. Their main headquarters are in Dallas, Texas. Initially, the company was operational as a monopoly. However, in 1984, it underwent changes whereby the whole company split into seven sections; AT&T owned part of the whole. The Corporation gives a full range of services to both businesses and individuals. In 1995, the company experienced a series of restructuring. Consequently, this resulted to AT&T retaining communication services. On the other hand, other partner took to other ventures; they consist local service and yellow pages. To begin with, it is one among the top providers of the IP-based communication services. Secondly, they also provide the 4G LTE network. Thirdly, they are providers of the major wireless carriers within the United States and other neighbouring countries. Finally, the company further owns approximately thirty-four thousand Hot spots at popular joints, a notable example being in restaurants and hotels (Anon). A publication on Consumer Wireline Broadband Performance in the United States shows that, some internet providers did not deliver the speeds they had advertised. An example of the same is AT&T. Internet providers always use this strategy of promising more and giving less. This is always a way of outshining each other. From what AT&T had promised his clients it only delivered, a percentage slightly lower than 90. The report provided by Federal Communications Commission reveals that AT&T Corporation provide 87% of the advertised service packages (Commision, 2013). Currently, AT&T enjoys a wide range of customers, ranging from those using the AT&T high speed DSL internet, AT&T local phone service, AT&T long distance, wireless AT&T and the AT&T Digital Satellite TV. Customers can now be able to access VPN services. This is in order to secure communications with flexible private Networks providers. Also with through AT&T, several offices have been equipped with high-speed Ethernet network solutions, which can be implemented in different types of setups. AS from recent research, it has been found out that customer’s ideas play an important role in the development of new products. This is what is known as collaborative innovation (Anon). AT&T now for generations has provided quality services and products for their customer. The company’s mission now is to bring the world to the people. This vision is accomplished by the countless innovation that are seeded and delivered to the businesses and other customers in both entertainment and communication platforms. Some of the company values that allow these relentless efforts for excellence include first, always thinking of the future. This is without doubt the innovative urge to provide new products and services in the market; also taking calculated risks basing on past projects that had succeeded. Setting up of new generation satellites by the broadband industries are some of these creative ventures. Secondly, AT&T has good customer relations and this sheds light in reference to knowing what the customers want and delivering it. With its excellent customer relations, its employees can find and provide better solutions for the users. Thirdly, is the human capabilities factor, the structure of the organisation in AT&T is such that investment is made in the people, and this encourages hard work. There is care within the organization and a sense of community service. Fourth, transparency integrity and trust are key values in their operations. This safeguards the customer interests and generates a sense of security for them. The investment plan of AT&T to enhance the wireless and wire line IP networks in companies has kicked off. This is without forgetting the fibre network to an extra a million customers. As part of the project VIP, AT&T has plans to expand the wireless network by launching the macro cell sites, antenna systems and small cells. This is all in the means of first, completing the 4G LTE Network by summer this year. Secondly, expansion of the AT&T wired IP network to cover up to around 75% of the consumers. The fibre-to-building program will enable internet access to over a million users by next year. AT&T also offers TV services under the AT&T U-verse brands. Presently, AT&T Corporation is the leading service provider in the United States. AT&T operates several hotspots at several strategic locations including hotels, restaurants and libraries. The investment plan of AT&T to enhance the wireless and wire line IP networks in companies has kicked off. This is without forgetting the fibre network to an extra a million customers. As part of the project VIP, AT&T has plans to expand the wireless network by launching the macro cell sites, antenna systems and small cells. This is all in the means of first, completing the 4G LTE Network by summer this year. Secondly, expansion of the AT&T wired IP network to cover up to around 75% of the consumers. The fibre-to-building program will enable internet access to over a million users by next year. The discrepancies within AT&T Corporation are a reflection of poor customer service. Inadequate services to the customers have a negative impact to the continued thriving of the business. Some of the adverse effects that might result from these poor services include loss of present customers. Customers, usually, do businesses with companies because they might be providing a kind of service that they really need. In the case of AT&T, they always advertise services that they do not offer entirely. Second, poor services can also lead to loss of possible customers. Therefore, this will also lead to loss of future customers. Reason being; they will have a negative opinion towards the business and instead of marketing people will talk about its negative side. Third, inadequate services also cause loss of repute within the market sector. Creating an appealing reputation usually requires a number of years. Therefore, when it is ruined it will cost the company to reposition itself within the market sector. Fourth, because of the decline in purchases of the services business is offering there will be a reduction in income levels. Therefore, this will lead to loss of profits. Finally, employees are likely to shift to other companies since it is human to dislike disappointing clients (Media & McQuerrey). The relevant theory to this study is the consumer theory. It is an economic theory that explains consumer habits based on choice and income. The idea behind this theory is that consumers will continue to consume goods and services that give them maximum satisfaction. In case there is an increase in pricing of commodity they initially consumed, they will shift to cheaper ones. Similarly, if there is a decrease in price their purchase power is likely to increase. Consumers of goods and services make various decisions, all this aims at maximizing the benefit that come in handy at the expense of their cash. The assumption behind this theory is that, consumers will only spend funds they have. Within the consumer theory, there is an aspect of the substitution effect. This is usually in line with the budget constrain (Anon). AT&T Corporation has been making advertisements of numerous services they are offering. However, when it comes to delivery, customers have always complained of getting less from what they had paid for. According to the research conducted by Federal Communication Commission on Consumer Wireless Broadband AT&T was among companies that provide 87% of what their marketing team had revealed (Commision, 2013). Consequently, when the expectations of their customers remain unattended to, they are likely to substitute AT&T services for another company that might give them satisfaction for what they paid (Anon). Primary data are relevant information that is obtained from the main source of information. The choice of the method to use in this data collection is always dependant on the preliminaries of the process of data collection. There are various methods associated with the collecting of primary data relevant to services AT&T offer. However, they both possess the advantages and disadvantages. To begin with, an investigator can use observation. This involves the interviewer personally going to the informants in order to request for his/her corporation in the study, and thereafter record the findings. This method is easy and simple this makes it cheaper. However, the limitation to this method is that the interviewer might exercise his personal bias to manipulate the accuracy of the data. Second, is the use of a mailed questionnaire, in this case, information is obtained by the use of a questionnaire. The mailed questionnaire contains a consent form requesting an interviewee to participate in the study. In addition, it always contains instructions asking him/her to send back the completed questionnaire. This method makes the data collection process economical. Furthermore, this approach makes the data to be free from personal bias. However, this method is only limited to educated informants. Third, is the schedule method; it involves the use of an enumerator to aid in the collection of data. This method is effective to the respondents who are uneducated. It is also reliable since it gives exact information because the enumerator records the interviewee’s response. There exist other methods, but the use of the observation, mailed questionnaire, and scheduled interviews will provide information from both the educated and uneducated (Anand). Ethics refers to rules for the conduct that enables one to distinguish between intolerable and acceptable behaviour. Observing ethics during a study plays an important role to the success of the research. First, ethics promotes the purpose of the research such as truth and minimizing faults. Second, because research always involves a great deal of unity among different individuals, moral values facilitates availability of the required values. Third, it ensures that researchers are answerable to the public. Fourth, it upholds social and moral values. Consequently, because of ethical values during data collection process, it is advisable for an interviewer to inform the respondents his name; the objectives of the study; and assure the respondent that his contributions will be positively used to facilitate informed judgment at the end of the study. The interviewer ought to tell the informant that his participation is voluntary; he could exit from the study at any time. In addition, if the interviewers asking of personal side on an individual’s life one ought to be informed in advance. Of great importance is that at the end of the study an interviewer should appreciate the interviewee’s for their corporation. Proper consideration of ethical aspects before, after and during an interview process always makes a respondent feel at ease. Reason being, they will feel respected and important (Resnik, 2011). Reference List Anand, n.d. 5 useful methods of collecting primary data in statistics. [Online] Available at: http://www.preservearticles.com/201104125345/methods-of-collecting-primary-data-in-statistics.html [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Anon., n.d. [Online] Available at: www.att.com/\fbid=VogL-jJdJw_ [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Anon., n.d. What is Consumer Theory?. [Online] Available at: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-consumer-theory.html [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Commision, F. C., 2013. A Report on Consumer Wireless Broadband Performance in the US. [Online] Available at: www.fcc.gov/measuring-broadband-america/2013/February\Findings [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Media, D. & McQuerrey, L., n.d. How Does Poor Customer Service Affect a Business. [Online] Available at: http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/poor-customer-service-affect-business-3062.html [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Resnik, D. B., 2011. What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important?. [Online] Available at: www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/ [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Smith, G., 2013. AT&T And Other Internet Providers Still Not Delivering Advertised Speeds: FCC. [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/att-internet-speeds-fcc_n_2696644.html [Accessed Wednesday October 2014]. Read More