An Empirical Investigation to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Telecom Marketing - A study of Consumer Perceptions

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ABSTRACT

Telephone marketing is one of the direct marketing strategies in the communications mix.

If organisations are to benefit from telephone marketing, it must be aware of that experience and find acceptable means to adapt telephone marketing. In recent years, businesses have increasingly turned to reaching consumers via the telephone, making diametric pitches to people in their homes in an effort to sell their products. The practice, known as telemarketing, has spawned a multibillion dollar industry that makes more than a hundred million calls a day. Telemarketing has become the target of a growing public backlash as the industry has grown, and calls have become more frequent. The scope of the study is not limited to exploring the importance of telecom marketing in influencing the consumer perception. It basically examines the implication of telecom marketing advancement due to technology adoption in achieving the marketing objectives. The purpose of this study is to analyse whether telecom marketing help in influencing the consumer perception towards the product/services.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACTii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Study1

Research Question2

Research Objectives2

Significance of the Study3

Method Used4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW5

Marketing5

The Marketing Mix7

Telecom Marketing7

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY11

Research Design11

Research Objectives12

Survey13

Sample13

Respondents14

Data analysis14

Position of the Researcher15

Reliability and Validity15

Ethical Issues16

Likert scale17

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION18

GANTT CHART19

Milestones and Target Dates19

Average Time Allocated20

Gantt chart20

REFERENCES21

APPENDIX23

Appendix A: Consent form23

Appendix B: Questionnaire Survey24

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Marketing is pervasive in the society, and almost no one is exempt because we are targets for not only goods and services but ideas, people, and organizations. At election time, we are marketed by political organizations and individuals wanting our vote. Service and professional organizations seek to improve or enhance their images. Marketing has moved far beyond the traditional focus of selling goods and services to potential customers (Kotler 1976, 11).

Phillip Kotler (1976) says that marketing "is human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange processes." Marketing is "the planning, pricing, promotion, distribution, and servicing of goods and services needed as desired by consumers," a definition that is appropriate for both businesses and public or non-profit organizations (Kotler 1976, 11).

Product, price, place, and promotion are known as the four Ps of marketing or the marketing mix defined by Kotler (1976) and can be controlled to influence the buyers' responses. The fourth P, promotion, is probably the least understood of the components of the marketing mix. Promotion is persuasive communications to the market for the purpose of achieving the marketing objective of the organization. This paper deals with a single strategy seldom used by higher education in the continuing organisational marketing mix i.e. telephone or telecom marketing (Kotler 1976, 11). It is evident from the research conducted in this chapter the customer is key in the concept of marketing and marketers are driven to meet customer's needs and wants. The marketing mix has evolved from being a set of controllable marketing variables determined by product features, price, place and promotional channels to the more strategic variables such as physical ...