INTERNSHIP PROJECT REPORT On Marketing Strategies of Aircel in Delhi and NCR

Submitted By Name: Vishal Sirohi Batch & Section: WS/ISBE-B (2011-2013) Student ID: D1113WSISBEPGP10090(CHD-4-CA-328) Area of Research: Marketing Internship start and finish dates: 5th Dec 2011 to 24 Jan 2012

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Undertaking any project in life proves to be a milestone in more ways than one. Its successful completion relies on a myriad people and their priceless help. I am deeply indebted to all who have inspired, guided and helped me in the successful completion of the project. I owe debt of gratitude to them, who were so generous with their valuable time and expertise. Through this acknowledgement I express my sincere gratitude towards all those people who helped me in this project, which has been a learning experience. I am thankful to my guide and mentor Prof. Dipti Sharma for guiding me throughout this study without their help this thesis would have not be completed. I appreciate the co-ordination extended by my friends and also express my sincere thankfulness to the entire faculty members of Indian Institute of Planning & Management, Delhi, giving me the opportunity to do this project/study and also assisting me for the same.

TABLE OF CONTENT Topic Name

Page No

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Aircel group is a joint venture between Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Sindya Securities & Investments Private Limited, whose shareholders are the Reddy family of Chennai, with Maxis Communications holding a majority stake of 74%. Aircel commenced operations in 1999 and became the leading mobile operator in Tamil Nadu within 18 months. In December 2003, it launched commercially in Chennai and quickly established itself as a market leader - a position it has held since. Aircel began its outward expansion in 2005 and met with unprecedented success in the Eastern frontier circles. It emerged a market leader in Assam and in the North Eastern provinces within 18 months of operations. Now, the company has completed rollout in all 23 telecom circles including Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Assam, North East, Orissa, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Kolkata, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, UP(West), UP(East), Maharashtra & Goa , Mumbai, Haryana , Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Aircel has won many awards and recognitions. Voice and Data gave Aircel the highest rating for overall customer satisfaction and network quality in 2006. Aircel emerged as the top mid-size utility company in Businessworld's 'List of Best Mid-Size Companies' in 2007. Additionally, Tele.net recognised Aircel as the best regional operator in 2008. With over 50 million happy customers in the country, Aircel is a full-fledged national operator.

INTRODUCTION OF THE TOPIC The main objective of the project is to analyse and identify various potential opportunities in Delhi and NCR region and make Aircel stand out from other brands. As we know that Aircel is a new brand in India and has a great scope to grow, the company is keenly eyeing the untapped market. No doubt, Aircel spends a lot on its advertisements as compared to other brands but still the market share is not up to the mark. For this purpose a market analysis was done to get an overview and understand various loop holes, so as to make an improvement and have an edge over the competitors. One survey was done to know the consumer behavior in relation to other telecom brands present in the market and identify the reasons for the use of a particular brand. Another survey was done to know the retailers perception towards Aircel and other brands. This gave a brief about the market trends and the perception of the customers and the retailers towards various brands in the market. The main emphasis was laid on measuring customer value and satisfaction. Efforts were made to understand what the retailers want from the company apart from other services. Another brain storming activity was done in order to come up with different and out of the box ideas so that Aircel can make an attempt to out shine in the market. Many ideas were discussed and analysed so that people recognize Aircel as a WOW brand. The limitations which came across in this study are Availability of Secondary Literature, Some of the areas were left untapped during short time of the project study and Findings cant be generalized beyond the area of coverage. Research has demonstrated conclusively that it is far more costly to win a new customer than it is to maintain an existing one. And there is no better way to retain a customer than to exceed his expectations. For this purpose it is essential to know the level of customer satisfaction. Some of the limitations like relatively small sample size and only Delhi as the place of field research have also been indicated.
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The areas where Aircel can improve and areas where it leads from the other private players in the market. I shall feel rewarded if this project report proves helpful to Aircel. India's telecommunications market is amongst the highest-potential markets globally, marked by deregulation and rapid growth. Its cellular market alone is growing at 60% annually. This demand will only accelerate as new technologies emerge to make new services possible. Idea plans to grow its telecom business both in terms of geographical reach and in terms of the products and services we will offer. The Indian telecommunications Network with 250m telephone connections is the fifth largest in the world and is the second largest among the emerging economies of Asia. Today it is the fastest growing market in the world and represents unique opportunities for UK companies in the stagnant global scenario. Accordingly, India requires incremental investments of USD 20-25 bln for the next five years. Private operators have made mobile telephony the fastest growing (over 164% p.a.) in India. With more than 33 million users (both CDMA and GSM), wireless is the principal growth engine of the Indian telecom industry. Given the current growth trends, cellular connections in India will surpass fixed line by late 2004/early 2005. Intense competition between the four main private groups - Bharti, Aircel, Tata and Reliance and with the State sector incumbents-BSNL and MTNL has brought about a significant drop in tariffs. There has been almost 74% in cell phone charges, 70% in ILD calls and 25% drop in NLD charges, resulting in a boom time for the consumers.

OVERVIEW OF INDUSTRY AS WHOLE At 306.45 million connections Indian Telecom Industry till May 09, is the 3rd largest and fastest growing in the world. The subscriber base has grown by 40% annually and is expected to reach 250 million in 2007. Over the last 3 years, two out of every three new telephone connections were wireless. Consequently, wireless now accounts for 54.6% of the total telephone subscriber base, as compared to only 40% in 2003. Wireless subscriber growth is expected to grow at 2.5 million new subscribers every month in 2007. The wireless subscriber base skyrocketed from 33.69 million in 2004 to 62.57 million in FY 2004 -2005. The wireless technologies currently in use Indian Telecom Industry are Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). There are primarily 9 GSM and 5 CDMA operators providing mobile services in 19 telecommunication circles and 4 metro cities, covering more than 2000 towns across the country. And the numbers are still growing for Indian Telecom Industry is regulated by 'Telecom Regulatory Authority of India' (TRAI). It has earned good reputation for transparency and competence. Three types of players exist in ' Indian Telecom Industry community.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To analyze the trends in Indian Telecom Industry with the entry of Aircel. To study the marketing strategies of Aircel in Delhi and NCR To do a comparative analysis of cellular products and tariffs of the top players providing cellular services in New Delhi. To do a comparative analysis of cellular products and tariffs of the top players providing cellular services in New Delhi. To study the effect of advertising on brand preferences in mobile services with special reference to Aircel

SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study was limited to the marketing strategies of Aircel in Delhi and NCR. It also gives a detailed analysis of the marketing strategies of Aircel in Delhi & NCR.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH DESIGN A research design is a logical and systematic plan prepared for directing a research study. The methodology and techniques designed is the program that guides the investigator in the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data.

DATA SOURCES The collected information has been analysed and presented in the final reports. The survey results have been tabulated and presented using bar graphs and pie charts. On the basis of the results conclusions have been drawn.

Primary Data This was collected through questionnaire survey and interviews. The questionnaire design was closed ended and carried information pertaining to aspects relevant to the scope of the study. Since, the impetus of the Aircel Services and thus Secondary Data Secondary Data: Secondary data was collected from company's official web site ; www.Aircel.co.in . Brochures issued by the company. Questionnaire Design/ Formulation Questionnaire: - A questionnaire consists of a set of questions presented to respondent for their answers. It can be Closed Ended or Open Ended Open Ended: - Allows respondents to answer in their own words & are difficult to Interpret and Tabulate.
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study was towards satisfaction level with

questions related to the same were used.

Close Ended: - Pre-specify all the possible answers & are easy to Interpret and Tabulate. SAMPLE DESIGN Sample Element/ Sample Unit The respondents were selected at random and were approached mostly near Aircel Service outlets in various areas of New Delhi; Lajpat Nagar, Ashok Vihar, Dwarka, Greater Kailash, Connaught Place. Extent The research is concentrated in DELHI-NCR,. All the branches in the targeted area were contacted to be a part of the study. Sampling Frame DELHI & NCR Sampling Technique Convenient sampling has been used in this project. A particular area was respondents were chosen on convenience. Sample Size : 100 selected and

Limitations of the Research I have to work under time constraint due to my present job, so I have got a less time to complete the project. The respondents were mostly college going students; low understanding of knowledge was there. The respondents were discussing the questions prior to reply thus their could be biasness. Different promotional schemes offered by different companies were not known by the respondents. Every attempt has been taken to obtain the error free and meaningful result but as nothing in this world is 100% perfect I believe that there is still the chance for error on account of following limitations Sample size may not be the true representative of the population. Respondents unwillingness to respond. Respondents inability to formulate a response. Respondents unavailability. Time pressure and fatigue on the part of respondents and interviewer. Availability of Secondary Literature. Some of the areas were left untapped during short time of the project study. Findings cant be generalized beyond the area of coverage.

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COMPANY OVERVIEW The Aircel group is a joint venture between Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Sindya Securities & Investments Private Limited, whose shareholders are the Reddy family of Chennai, with Maxis Communications holding a majority stake of 74%. Aircel commenced operations in 1999 and became the leading mobile operator in Tamil Nadu within 18 months. In December 2003, it launched commercially in Chennai and quickly established itself as a market leader - a position it has held since. Aircel began its outward expansion in 2005 and met with unprecedented success in the Eastern frontier circles. It emerged a market leader in Assam and in the North Eastern provinces within 18 months of operations. Now, the company has completed rollout in all 23 telecom circles including Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Assam, North East, Orissa, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Kolkata, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, UP(West), UP(East), Maharashtra & Goa , Mumbai, Haryana , Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Aircel has won many awards and recognitions. Voice and Data gave Aircel the highest rating for overall customer satisfaction and network quality in 2006. Aircel emerged as the top mid-size utility company in Businessworld's 'List of Best Mid-Size Companies' in 2007. Additionally, Tele.net recognised Aircel as the best regional operator in 2008. With over 50 million happy customers in the country, Aircel is a full-fledged national operator. Our world The Aircel Group is a result of alliance between Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia (74% equity) and Sindya Securities & Investments Private Limited (26% equity).

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The Aircel Group, formed in 1994, offers affordable and outstanding mobile services to a vast subscriber base in India. Aircel has a vision of delighting its customers by giving them the respect they deserve. Our goal is to provide our customers with exemplary service and persistently look for new ways to surpass their expectations.

Aircel commenced operations in 1999. In our first decade of operations, we concentrated on building our foundations in the southern part of the country, and soon emerged as the regional market leaders. We worked hard and achieved that success by remaining focused on growth opportunities. Soon after our company began with its expansion in 2005 and has now set its sight on becoming a pan India operator. Our project pipeline is robust, allowing for sustainable long-term growth. In addition to our leadership position in Tamil Nadu, Aircel met with extraordinary success in the Eastern frontier circles. We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction and managed to emerge as the market leaders in Assam and North Eastern states wit hin 18

months of operations. During this period, our company gained a strong foothold in 10 circles, to provide better access to our customers. Today, Aircel operates in 18 telecommunication circles and the company is ready to embark on a dynamic expansion plan, swiftly rolling out in new circles in the near future. Aircel recognizes the tremendous growth in its customer base. We have also got an authorization from the Department of Telecommunications for ILD and NLD telephony services and are now on track to realize our dream of becoming a nationwide player by the year 2010. Aircel offers its customers, services and products that are easy to understand and use. All offerings are stimulating and at the same time extremely unique as Aircel continues to reinvent itself constantly to deliver the best and most up-to-date services. The brand instils a felling of pride, confidence and reliance among all stakeholders by anticipating their desires and fulfilling the same efficiently.
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With our foundations deeply set on our brand vales of simplicity, creativity, trust and excitement, we will continue to deliver superior services to our customers and will do our best to live up to their high expectations. About Maxis Communications Berhad Maxis Communications Berhad is a leading mobile communications service provider in Malaysia that started operations in the year 1995. Maxis' vision is to bring superior communication services to enhance its customers' lives and businesses, in a manner that is simple and personalized, by efficiently and creatively harnessing leading edge technology, and delivering a brand of service experience that is reliable and enchanting. Since its inception, Aircel has strived to provide the best of features and services to its customers. It is this passion and enthusiasm that has helped us grow leaps and bounds from what started as operations in Tamil Nadu in 1999, to a pan-India presence across 18 circles today. Aircel has also been recognized for its consistent and reliable efforts, receiving the highest rating for overall customer satisfaction and network quality by Voice and Data in 2006, an accolade given to only a select few. We succeeded in keeping our promises to our customers as we were recognized for the same award by IDC in 2007. Aircel emerged as the top mid-size utility company in Businessworld's 'List of Best MidSize Companies' in 2007. Additionally, we have also been recognised as the best regional operator by the Tele.net Publication in 2007 and have been honoured by CMAI INFOCOM for excellence in marketing of new telecom service in 2009. Thanks to our loyal customers, we have been rated as one of the most admired mobile service brand in a pan-India survey conducted in Sep'09. Aircel today has reached a subscriber base of 46 million plus and is still going strong. Rest assured Aircel's commitment to providing you with the best of services and features will be an ongoing endeavour.
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Aircel has multiple and convenient store locations throughout the country. We provide sales and support through one of the largest and most extensive networks of stores. Feel free to drop by and we'll be happy to assist you with anything you may require. For more information on a particular city we serve, please choose from the list of Aircel store locations below CSR policies At Aircel, we continually pursue healthy corporate citizenship. Our aim is not to merely discharge social responsibility, but conduct business in a manner which reinstates respect for people, communities and the environment. We emphasize on an inclusive work culture to appreciate differences and believe engagement with our employees is quintessential for an effective CSR plan. We share adequate information on the organizations vision and CSR initiatives, because it promises healthy operations and subsequently adds to the overall quality of life. This motivates the employees and their family members to contribute to society. Aircel maintains integrity and respect in its interactions with its stakeholders, customers, retailers, investors, NGO partners and the government. We are careful in not partnering with any PR / communication that induces distrust in the sincerity of our efforts. Our stringent belief in delighting customers with good products and services helps build a strong relationship. Aircel is always proactive in supporting NGOs and NPOs. We extend all possible assistance to their projects for a minimum of 3 to 5 years and thereafter support new projects. Besides, we aim at continual involvement with our business partners and the government for economic and social development of the underprivileged. Aircel engages external audit agencies to guarantee authenticity, and maintains and monitors an external profile of the CSR activities which are shared with the stakeholders in the annual reports and websites.
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We incorporate the CSR policies in our core business to ensure ethical business practices in all the functions to harness a healthy society. Sponsorships In India sports are not just about recreation, they are about skill, passion and recognition. Aircel has adopted a progressive policy of encouraging sports by sponsoring teams and tournaments to provide opportunities and facilities to upcoming young talent and to help create champions of the future. Businesses and society are interdependent, thus sponsoring sporting activities gives Aircel the opportunity and platform to interact with our stakeholders and helps us maintain a warm relationship with our customers. Cricket Indian Premier League Cricket fever is a welcome epidemic for any Indian. The Indian Premier League and Aircel have become synonymous with the sports loving public of Chennai and Tamil Nadu, as Aircel is currently the proud team sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings. One of the favorites at the tournament, the team Chennai Super Kings, is captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and includes many other renowned players like Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina and Albie Morkel Being allied with the team via this exciting and unique sponsorship opportunity, Aircel is proud to be associated with one of the most prestigious and successful cricketing events of the decade. more... World Cup

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Every four years, a billion people have only one thing on their minds; cricket. The country buzzes with cricket talk; the pros and cons of each team, the conditions of the stadiums, the weather, the fairness of the umpires; if its not cricket, its not news. We at Aircel are as passionate about cricket as you are. Which is why this World Cup, we bring to you a range of entertaining activities to keep you occupied when there are no matches to watch. more... Aircel Chennai Open The game of tennis enjoys a considerable following in India, thanks to the achievements of some of the leading Indian players. Aircel has associated itself with this game with a spirit of patriotism, love of the motherland and home-grown roots. The company aims at contributing greatly towards strengthening Indias position and enhancing the prestige of this sport internationally. The 2011 Aircel Chennai Open is the only ATP tennis tournament in India, the tournament played on outdoor hard courts. The current season is the 16th edition of the Chennai Open, and part of the 250 series of the 2011 ATP World Tour. more... Professional Golf Tour of India India bags the honor of being the first country outside Britain to adopt the game of Golf. Today Indian players are playing at international levels and winning many accolades.

The Indian professionals created the entity, 'Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI)' with the key objective of nurturing and maintaining high standards of professionalism in the game by supporting the national and international tours. By sponsoring this tournament Aircel aims at being involved in nurturing and maintaining a high standard of professional golf in India.

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National Tenpin Bowling Team Championship Aircel is proud to be sponsoring the NTBTC in 2011. This is the second year of our successful partnership with the Tenpin Bowling Federation of India. We are very excited about the tournament this year and are sure there will be some very interesting games. Bowling is a popular sport the world over however it has only recently come into the limelight in India. It is getting more exposure thanks to the rising number of bowling lanes now present in most cities. The top priority of the Tenpin Bowling Federation is spreading tenpin bowling among the youth and strengthening its structure. Being allied with the Federation via this exciting sponsorship opportunity, Aircel is proud to assist in taking that goal to fruition more... Lakme Fashion Week Lakme Fashion Week is India's most prestigious fashion and trade event. Now, entering its second decade, LFW continues to redefine the future of Indian fashion and provide a platform to integrate India into the global fashion world. This year, the Summer/Resort 2011 showcase will be held from March 11 - March 15, 2011 at the Grand Hyatt, Santacruz East, Mumbai.Aircel will be part of LFW for the second consecutive year as the Associate sponsor. A key highlight this year will be the Aircels association with leading designer Sabyasachi for a collection based on the Save Our Tigers theme, a CSR initiative from Aircel Aircel Business Solutions Technology related business solutions are an indispensable part of trade and commerce in todays marketplace. These business solutions aim at generating value for consumers by effectively utilizing technology to advance their day to day processes. Today every company needs unique technology related solutions specific to their individual environment. Keeping the same in mind, Aircel offers a comprehensive range of business related applications to empower every aspect of your business. Our business
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enhancement solutions are aimed at generating profitable results for your enterprise. Our products ranging from premium internet services, E-Conferencing, MPLS VPN and Smart Stream provide a gamut of services that will support your needs. Let us assist you in implementing innovative business solutions customized to your needs and make your day to day business processes more efficient by simplifying your busy world.

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S.W.O.T ANALYSIS OF THE ORGANIZATION

STRENGTHS: Aircel has its brand image and its ranking is 2nd in world. so here one thing is conform that Aircel has good network and outstanding services thats why its users are most after china mobiles. At gave some special packages to the to attract customers. it can offer international roaming facility more than any network in India. Financially Aircel is strong and is able to invest heavy amount in India.

WEAKNESS: It has to take license from TRAI and act according to rules of India due to which it may not give its special services like 3G video calling and call to someone by hiding your phone number.

OPPURTUNITIES: Aircel can capture Asian market if it can grow more in India ,62% of population of India is young and mobile phones are most commonly used by young ones. Demo graphs of India tell us that in this company India can earn heavy amount of revenue. So there is space for market penetration. if Aircel offers some special packages for limited time then customer of other networks may switch. Aircel have better technology so it can capture the customers of the other networks as well. With India Aircel can capture Asia as well because of population or demography of India.

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THREATS: The current recession in market is not good for any kind of business including telecommunication. Five cellular companies are already working in India. The situation in is not good especially political and peace. There are a lot of uncertainties in the country.

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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1) Do you use mobile phones?

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Yes No

Findings: All the respondents used Mobile Phones.

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2) If Yes Then Which Cellular Connection Do You Have?

55

50 40 40 35 36 34

30

20

10

0 Airtel Vodafone Idea Tata Aircel

Findings: The Mobile connections of the selected sample size are as mentioned in the above pie chart.

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3) If you are using mobile phone then which type of connection you have?

Post Paid 37% Pre Paid 63%

Findings: 38% respondents had post-paid connection while 62% had Pre paid Connection.

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4) If you have postpaid connection then kindly provide the following information:a) Name of the Operator:30 28

25 21 20

15 12 10 6 5 9

0 Airtel Vodafone Idea Tata Aircel

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b) Your Average Monthly Expenses on Mobile:45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Less than 500 500-1000 Above 1000

Findings: The respondents average monthly is given in the above bar graph.

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c) Your Call Rates, Local:40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Less than 1 1-2 More than 2

Findings: The respondents local call rates are given in the above bar graph.

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d) Your Call Rate, STD:40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Less than 1 1-2 More than 2

Findings: The respondents STD Rates are given in the above bar graph.

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e) Your Call Rates, ISD:-

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 Less than 10 10-20 20-30 More than 30

Findings: The respondents ISD Rates are given in the above bar graph.

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5) If you have prepaid connection then kindly provide the following information:-

a) NAME OF THE OPERATOR:30 30 27 25 28 25

20 14

15

10

0 Airtel Vodafone Idea Tata Reliance

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b) Your Average Monthly Expenses on Mobile:100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Less than 500 500-1000 Above 1000

Findings: The respondents average monthly is given in the above bar graph.

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c) Your Call Rates, Local:90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Less than 1 1-2 More than 2

Findings: The respondents local call rates are given in the above bar graph.

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d) Your Call Rate, STD:60

50

40

30

20

10

0 Less than 1 1-2 More than 2

Findings: The respondents STD Rates are given in the above bar graph.

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e) Your Call Rates, ISD:90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Less than 10 10-20 20-30 More than 30

Findings: The respondents ISD Rates are given in the above bar graph.

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6) Have you find any kind of over billing problem with your connection?

No 28% Yes 72%

Findings: Only 72% respondents have faced problem with the billing on their postpaid and prepaid connection..

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7) How Do You Find Their Executives?

Not At All 13%

So-so 27%

Co-operative 60%

Findings: 59% respondents found the Executive cooperative, 28% found them so-so and 13 % said they were not at all cooperative.

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8) When You Change Your Cellular Connection?

Less than 1 year 7%

1-2 year 27%

Don't change 53%

Every month or 6 month 13%

Findings: Prepaid customers do change their connection frequently as and when some new scheme comes but post paid customers do not change their connection that often.

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9) How much important do you give to the following points while you choose your new cellular connection? Please rank them as:A) VERY IMPORTANT B) IMPORTANT C) LESS IMPORTANT D) NOT IMPORTANT HERE, RANK-1=4, RANK-2=3, RANK-3=2, RANK-4=1 KINDLY MAKE () ON YOUR CHOICE. RANKS BASES A) ON THE BASIS OF ALL RATES B) ON THE BASIS OF FREE SERVICES C) ON THE BASIS OF CONNECTIVITY D) ON THE BASIS OF ADVERTISEMENT E) ON THE BASIS OF MINIMUM RECHARGE COUPON AVAILABLE F) ON THE BASIS OF APPROACHABLE SERVICE CENTRE 1 2 3 4

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10) Which types of call you make, please specify. Where, minimum=1, average=2, maximum=3 RANKS BASES A) LOCAL B) STD C) ISD 15 45 140 1 2 3

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Clear Needs Identification: Customer feedback and constant up gradation to understand the needs of the customer has to be an ongoing activity. This gains further importance in the light of the fact that the rate of change is quite rapid nowadays an hence the needs of the customers are reinvented and become obsolete at a very fast pace. During the data analysis it was observed that although the services provided by companies are quite technological advanced and the users can benefit a lot from them, yet a majority of the users are not availing the benefits of it. So it should be left at the discretion of the users which services he would use. Personal Touch: Personal touch is being lost and telecom services are becoming mass services in nature. With the advent of technology, of course personal touch could be introduced at certain aspects of customer relationship. For example, instead of sending notifications to the customers through SMS and addressing as Dear Subscriber, could be easily replaced with Dear John or Dear Paul etc. also, despite the fact that there are customer service centers, yet the users (especially Airtel and Reliance subscribers) find it difficult quite frequently to get through the Customer Service Centres. Degree of Customization: The users feel that they are paying for services that they are not using. Now, from a provider view it becomes very cost inefficient to have highly customized services for their subscribers when the subscriber base could be as large as a million (Airtels Delhi subscriber base). But at the same time efforts could be made, so that there is enough room/option available at the time of subscription. It should be done in such a way that a bare minimum package should be offered and the customer can himself add on whatever services he thinks could be useful to him. There is a twin advantage in this kind of an approach: The package would be more useful, customized and cost friendly for the subscriber.

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The customer attrition rate would be lesser in this case because the premium would be placed on a self-chosen bundle of services that may not be matched by competition. Educating the Customers: Customers per se need to be educated about the various services, their usage, the charges levied upon them etc. in a proactive way. Which would mean that the initiative should lie with the providers to constantly educate customers. A more enlightened customer is inclined to use the services in a beneficial manner and enhance the fundamental for which services are introduced in the very first place; Value Addition. Simplification of tariff plans and consistency: There is little doubt that the tariff plans are complex, and as such there are constant changes in them. Although this is not entirely under the purview of the companies, since regulatory authorities determine and revise the tariff plans from time to time, yet there needs to be some sort of consistency, such that the user has clear understanding of his financial commitments. Recommendations for the Users Need and FIT analysis: the customer needs to be clear on his requirements and the level of financial commitment that he is willing to make. The FIT analysis would entail the degree to which the subscriber feels that his needs could match with the services being offered to him. This proactive approach would benefit the customer both in terms of choosing the right service provider for him and also save on his time and resources in case of choosing the best suited provider. Survey: The user need to look beyond the advertisement and promotional gimmicks of the companies and should conduct a survey of various service providers and do a comparative analysis, specific to his own needs to identify the most suited package for himself.

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Proactive: although it is expected that the companies would be communicating to the customers in detail regarding their service offering, yet the customers themselves should be proactively engaged in asking relevant doubts clarified before they commit.

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CONCLUSIONS The fact that Aircel introduces a new phone into the market every two or three months which results in the presence of at least one or more models of phones in every stage of the product life cycle shows that this is the strategy that Aircel adapts in order to remain the market leader in the Indian mobile phone industry. In Aircel human resource management, the features are to improve employee's techniques by regularly training and developing effective teamwork. Moreover, the other finding is that Aircel financial position is surpassing its competitors in telecommunication. The report concludes that Aircel has established its leadership in mobile phone market according to its successful marketing strategies and internal management. Aircel philosophy is to learn continuously, to satisfy consumers, and to respect individual and pursue professionalism. The report recommends that Aircel should target consumers in group markets rather than in individuals. There are two facets to a service: The user and the Provider. Both of them have a different perspective towards each other, and rightly so, owing to a difference in the needs, aspirations, level of commitment and the degree of sacrifice that each makes. The binding factor, nevertheless, remains the product/ service.
One of the fundamental issues in marketing has been communication: which in itself

is not just a singular, one time activity, but in fact a set of carefully designed package that is projection of a companys image, product, values and commitments towards its customers. While, on the other hand, customers communication is a rather subdued one and has to be deciphered into understanding of the needs, the need fulfilled and communicated to the customer that a solution exists for the deficiency of a need.
The study in the project has lead to an understanding of the environment that

encompasses, influences and shapes the telecom sector in India. The study of consumer groups in the form of data collected through the questionnaires, in turn has

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lead to many unexpected findings, which, restricted to the scope of the study could be useful in understanding the dynamics of consumers.
98 percent of the respondents prefer using mobile phone where as 2 percent do not

prefer
Aircel brand of sim are owned by 64 people, Idea by 16 people, Benq by 3 people,

Panasonic by 6 people and other brands by 11 people.

80, 15, 5, Durability 64, 24, 12, Style/ Design 72, 26, 2, Price 14, 12, 74, Comfort (edges) 92, 08, 0 and FM 94, 4 and 2.

30, 60, 10, Uniqness

Nokia is the clear leader in this question of preference asked to the respondents For Communication purposes 65 people buy mobile phone, for Entertainment 25

people buy mobile phone and for Reputation 10 people buy mobile phone.
54 people had one mobile, 37 people had two mobile and 9 people had more than two

mobile phones

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BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Kotler Philip, Marketing Management, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., Ed. 2007. Valatie A. Zenithal, Mary Jo Bitner, Service Marketing, TMH, Ed. 2007. Marketing Mastermind Journal, May 05, Ed. 2007. Gupta S. P. and Gupta, M. P., Business Statistics, Sultan Chand and Sons, New Delhi, 1997 , Ed. 2007. Business research by C.R. kothari, Delhi 1998, Ed. 29

MAGAZINES Mehra,Puja, India Today (27th MAY2006) PAGE 43 Sinha, Prabhakar, The Times Of India (16thMAY2006) PAGE 1 Brunch(16th july 2006)

INTERNET WEBSITE LINKS www.Aircel.com www.wikipedia.org

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APPENDICES Questionnaire NAME:-.. AGE:-.. SEX:- OCCUPATION:- ADDRESS:-

1) DO YOU USE MOBILE PHONE? A) YES B) NO 2) IF YES THEN WHICH CELLULAR CONNECTION DO YOU HAVE? A) AIRTEL B) HUTCH C) IDEA D) RELIANCE E) TATA INDICOM 3) IF YOU ARE USING MOBILE PHONE THEN WHICH TYPE OF CONNECTION YOU HAVE? A) POST PAID B) PREPAID

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4) IF YOU HAVE POSTPAID CONNECTION THEN KINDLY PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:a) NAME OF THE OPERATOR:A) AIRTEL B) HUTCH C) IDEA D) RELIANCE E) TATA INDICOM F) ANYOTHER, PLEASE SPECIFY. b) YOUR AVERAGE MONTHLY EXPENSES ON MOBILE:A) LESS THAN 500 B) 500-1000 C) ABOVE 1000 c) YOUR CALL RATES, LOCAL:A) LESS THAN-1 B) 1-2 C) MORE THAN-2 d) YOUR CALL RATE, STD:A) LESS THAN-1 B) 1-2 C) MORE THAN-2

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e) YOUR CALL RATES, ISD:A) LESS THAN-10 B) 10-20 C) 20-30 D) MORE THAN 30 5) IF YOU HAVE PREPAID CONNECTION THEN KINDLY PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:a) NAME OF THE OPERATOR:A) AIRTEL B) HUTCH C) IDEA D) RELIANCE E) TATA INDICOM F) ANYOTHER, PLEASE SPECIFY b) YOUR AVERAGE MONTHLY EXPENSES ON MOBILE:A) LESS THAN 500 B) 500-1000 C) ABOVE 1000 c) YOUR CALL RATES, LOCAL:A) LESS THAN-1 B) 1-2 C) MORE THAN-2 d) YOUR CALL RATE, STD:47

A) LESS THAN-1 B) 1-2 C) MORE THAN-2 e) YOUR CALL RATES, ISD:A) LESS THAN-10 B) 10-20 C) 20-30 D) MORE THAN 30 6) HAVE YOU FIND ANY KIND OF OVER BILLING PROBLEM WITH YOUR CONNCETION? A) YES B) NO 7) HOW DO YOU FIND THEIR EXECUTIVES? A) CO-OPERATIVE B) SO-SO C) NOT AT ALL 8) WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR CELLULAR CONNECTION? A) LESS THAN ONE YEAR B) 1-2 YEARS C) EVERY MONTH OR EVERY 6 MONTH D) DONT CHANGE CONNECTION 9) HOW MUCH IMPORTANT DO YOU GIVE TO THE FOLLOWING POINTS

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10) WHILE YOU CHOOSE YOUR NEW CELLULAR CONNECTION? PLEASE RANK THEM AS:E) VERY IMPORTANT F) IMPORTANT G) LESS IMPORTANT H) NOT IMPORTANT HERE, RANK-1=4, RANK-2=3, RANK-3=2, RANK-4=1 KINDLY MAKE () ON YOUR CHOICE. RANKS BASES A) ON THE BASIS OF ALL RATES B) ON THE BASIS OF FREE SERVICES C) ON THE BASIS OF CONNECTIVITY D) ON THE BASIS OF ADVERTISEMENT E) ON THE BASIS OF MINIMUM RECHARGE COUPON AVAILABLE F) ON THE BASIS OF APPROACHABLE SERVICE CENTRE 1 2 3 4

11) WHICH TYPES OF CALL YOU MAKE, PLEASE SPECIFY. HERE, MINIMUM=1, AVERAGE=2, MAXIMUM=3
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RANKS BASES A) LOCAL B) STD C) ISD

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