Marketing Strategy of Airtel Bangladesh Limited

Marketing Policy:

 a. Customer Segmentation

Individual businessman, entrepreneur professionals and established organizations are the main customers of Airtel. They have also a target to take students and low-income groups with their introduction of Airtel simple rate  Pre-Paid services. They target high class people by the post-paid service.  To serve the market more accurately their target market will be further segmented based on psychographics and business size.

 b. Marketing Strategies

TMIB always wants to achieve desired sales growth and customer base. Airtel wants to encourage existing customers to use more and more of their services.

Their newly introduced package named “Eid Double Bonus” is one of their successful initiatives for the exiting customer It has a concept of “Customer gets Customer”

 c. Product Positioning

Initially their target was to reach the top. But others are targeting to the grass root level, and increasing their customer. Airtel wants to be the leader with good quality and is designing products for the middle class range also.

 d. Marketing Product Mix

Product—

• Continuous improvement of quality.

• Reposition of slow moving products to different target markets.

• Always branding Airtel with all packages with a GSM service

 Price—

• Necessary changes in tariff structure, and changes in terms and conditions.

• Penetration pricing in the face of competition.

• Skimming policy where possible.

 Place—

• Make effective use of distribution.

• Make product and service delivery system more effective and less time  consuming.

• Wider distributing network to make service more accessible.

 Promotion—

• Brochures with all necessary information, Press advertisements, Television, Radio, Commercials and Billboards.

SWOT Analysis:

 Strength-

• GSM technology.
• Better reputation.
• Effective human resources.
• Quality of-Management.
• Quality billing system.
• Quality customers care system.
•  Expertise and experience of parent company.
• Better liaison with foreign GSM operators.
• Long range strategic planning.
• Market research unit.
• Strong Dealer network.

 Weakness-

• Poorer coverage than the competitor.
•  Not enough channels with BTTB.
•  Absence of human-resources policy.
•  Shortage of human resource in the Help-line.
•  Package – pricing are more expensive and less attractive.
•  Higher call rate than its competitors.

 Opportunities –

• Public sector unable to meet demand.
• Product with very long life cycle.
• New technology.
• Growing middle class population.
• Main competitor has a congested network because of its unplanned customer growth.

 Threat-

• Unstable political culture.
• Recession in the economy.
• Non-cooperative telecommunication regulatory body.
• Possible health risk for using mobile phone.

Market Development:

Airtel GSM are trying to convert non-users to mobile phone users, stressing the benefit of GSM services, and with the service benefit of Airtel that will make their life easier. To serve the market more accurately their target market will be further segmented based on psychographics and business size.

Product Development:

The strive to develop a better product will be a continuous process. Conducting of market research will be in every three months. They will use the input to develop new product based on data they will get from survey. Thus the product will be designed to meet the customers’ need.

Organizational Structure

The organization is headed by its Chief Executive designated as the Managing Director entrusted with overall responsibilities of business direction of the organization and leading dynamically towards the attainment of its Vision, Mission, and Goal. In attaining the above mission, the Managing Director is assisted by 4 General Managers & 1 Director, Co-ordination. Airtel has established a strong and formidable sales channel, which consists of direct dealers and its own sales force.

Basic Services:

The Basic Services are as follows:

• Caller Line Identification
• Call Waiting / Call Holding
• Conference Call
• Call Divert

Data Services:

Currently available data services are –

• Surf Now
  • Internet
  • WAP
  • MMS

SIM Genie menu:

To help the customer avail many exciting contents and Value Added Services (VAS) in the most user-friendly way, airtel offers you the SIM Genie menu – the next generation SIM Tool Kit (STK)!

4.8 What is the SIM Genie menu?

The SIM Genie menu is a detailed menu that you will find in your handset’s menu options as soon as you switch on your airtel phone. These menus give you direct and easy access to contents and VAS, through a few simple clicks of your keypad! *In some handsets, the SIM Genie menu may be under “Tools” or “Connectivity” sub menu.SIM Genie menu has been simplified for your usage by breaking into 8 main menus. They are as follows:

Tariff Plan:

(1). Foorti

To keep you dancing on your feet all day & night long with your friends, airtel introduces to you another addition to its prepaid package portfolio ‘foorti’.

(2).Hoi choi

Introducing Hoi Choi- our new prepaid plan with 1 second pulse and rates as low as half-paisa per second!

(3). ADDA 

You are the kind of person who loves to keep in touch with a close group of friends. You like to browse the net when bored and make the most of your time on your phone. ‘adda’ will give you maximum fnf and all that at fantastic rates.

(4).Shobai

now set the entire world of other operator as your fnf. airtel brings a revolutionary package ‘shobai’ where you can select an operator of your choice and make all the numbers of that operator your fnf.

(5). GOLPO

If you are someone who loves making long conversations, our ‘golpo’ package with 24 hrs flat tariff to any number is something you will fall in love with. Talk to any number anytime at a fixed flat rate.

(6). Dolbol

Now join your own community & talk at the lowest rate!

(7). KOTHA 

Share every little moment with the ones you love with airtel ‘kotha’-the package plan with 1 sec pulse from the very first second.

(8). bijoy 016

Airtel is proud to introduce to you ‘bijoy 016’, a one of its kind offer where you can migrate to Bijoy 016 @ only TK 16 and get 42 paisa/minute package to enjoy whole day and night long.

Postpaid info

Our postpaid which comes with 3 packages is designed to cater to both your professional and personal communication needs.

Customer Care Centers and Franchises:

airtel has nine customer care centers around the country located at key points all over the country. These centers are directly run by airtel itself. airtel has another 90 franchises situated major places all over the country. This is the largest chain of retail outlets in Bangladesh. However there are no customer care centers or franchises in the Barisal division. This is quite odd since Barisal is one out of the six divisions of Bangladesh.

Mirpur and Tejgaon are the only places in the country with three franchises located with a very close proximity. Especially the ones at Tejgaon(Old Airport Road and Farmagate) two of them are almost with in 500 meters of each other.

Dhaka – 12152.Kazi ParaDarul Anam, 143, Senpara Parbata, Begum Rokeya Sharani, 1st Floor, Mirpur, Dhaka – 12163.Mirpur 0110; Darus Salam Road; Mirpur-1; Dhaka – 120164.Tejgaon58, Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Sharani, GoldeenPlaza, 1st Floor, Rasulbag, Mohakhali, Dhaka5.Shamoli1107/A Ring Road; Baitul Aman Housing Society; Shyamoli; Adabor; Dhaka – 12076.KurilKA – 218/3 Kuril, Progoti Sharani; Dhaka – 12297.Hatirpool345/3, Sonargaon Road; Hatirpool; Dhaka – 12058.Savar BazarB-110, Bazar Road; Savar – 13409.Savar EPZHasan Apartment Gate, Beside HasemPlaza, Savar EPZ, Savar, Dhaka10.Mirpur 11House # 01, Road # 03, Block # A, Mirpur # 6, Mirpur, Dhaka11.GulshanArchies Gallery; 121, Gulshan Avenue; Gulshan, Dhaka – 121212.DhanmondiShop # 35, Road # 2, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-120513.Kachukhet75, Ibrahimpur, Kachukhet, Dhaka.14.Farmgate BCentre Point Concord (Ground Floor), 14A & 31A Tejkunipara, Framgate, Dhaka-121515.Sadarghat43 Johnson Road, Sutrapur Dhaka – 110016.Shabujbag374/B, Khilgaon, Taltola, Dhaka – 121917.Badda73/2, North Badda, Progoti Sharani, Dhaka – 121218.KeranigonjShop # 4,5,6, MonaTradeCity; Zinzira, Highway Road; Keraniganj, Dhaka19.Rampura64/B, Malibagh Chowdhury Para, Malibagh, Dhaka – 121920.Motijheel131, Motijheel C/A; Dhaka – 100021.MogbazarHouse # 227 (New), 331 (Old) Outer Circular Road, Boro Mogbazar, Dhaka – 121722.Jatra Bari33/1, Uttar Jatrabari, 1st floor, Dhaka-120423.Lalbag37/7, azimpur Road, Dhaka-120524.New MarketSubastu Arcade, New Elephant Road, Dhaka-120525.Jurain325 South Jatrabari, 1st floor, Dhaka-120426.Nawabpur223/2A; Bangshal Road; Dhaka27.Paltan50/F Inner Circular Road28.UttaraHouse-9, Road-12, Sector-6, UttaraModelTown Comilla38.Laksmipur SadarHazi Super Market, Bag Bari, Laxmipur (beside Pouroshova)39.MohipalJahan Complex, SSK Road, Feni Road Mohipal40.Brahmanbaria SadarEther telecom, TA road B.Baria.41.ChowmuhoniStarPlaza, Feniroad, Chowmuhoni42.Chandpur SadarShafi Motors; Kalibari Morr; Stadium; Chandpur43.Chawk BazarHaziSaffarAliPlaza, Kaporia Patti, Sati Potti, Chawk Bazar, Comilla44.Race CourseRashid Steel House, Race Course, Comilla45.Bishwa RaodUpazilla Krishi Office, Poduar Bazar, Bishaw Road, Comilla.46.Feni SadarRajia Mahal Stadium Road, Sadar, Feni Chittagong47.AlankarAbdur rahim tower, AK Khan Morr, Alankor48.Baddar Hat / Muradpur158 CDA Avenue, Mohammadpur Muradpur49.MohoraMohora Railgate, Kamal Bazar, Mohora50.WasaShahPuriTower,M.M. Ali Road,Gr. Fl. Near Ispahani Mour, Chittagong 400051.AgrabadShakozaPlaza, Gr. Fl, Amir Hossain Dubash Rd, Chittgaong52.HalishaharHouse # 1; Road # 1; Block # L; Agrabad Access Road; Boropool, Chittagong53.CEPZBandartila, Opposite Sailors Colony, Near EPZ, South Halishahr, Chittagong54.Chomohoni/Badamtoli232, Sk. Mujib Road, Chittagong 4100,55.GECHotel Pavalion Bldg, CDA Avenue, GEC, Chittagong.56.Lal DighiMomin Road, Andarkilla,Beside City Corporation, Chittagong57.Kazir DewriFourmCenter, Ground Floor, 23 MM Ali Road, Chittaging58.New MarketHotel Miska, Gr. Fl. Station Rd, Chittagong59.Laldighi/TakparaBay Shopping and Food Galary, Kalur Dokan, Takpara, Tarabaniar Chora, Main Road Cox’s Bazar60.Kolatoli/JhautolaKodak, Hotel Holiday; Jhawtola, Main Road; Cox’s Bazar Sylhet61.Bandar BazarOsmani & sons, jail road, Zinda bazar, Sylhet62.HabiganjTanni electronics, Post office road, Habiganj.63.Patantula/Sheik GhatPatantula point, sunamgonj Road. Sylhet. (Beside Public Bank)64.SunamganjOne Palace Market, Station Road,Sunamgonj

 Promotional activities:

Promotional activities are of different types. These are:

1. Advertising.

2. Personal selling.

3. Sales Promotion.

4. Sponsorship program.

4. Public Relation.

5. Internet Marketing

6.  Direct Marketing

In terms of airtel, they are now using advertising, sales promotion, sponsorship program, public relation, internet marketing and direct marketing.

People:

People are those who perform operational role in service organization. In a service organization the secret of success is recognition that customer contact personnel are the key in the organization. The selection, training and motivation of employees can make a huge difference in customer satisfaction. And the appearance, interpersonal behavior, competence, responsiveness, problem solving ability and goodwill of employees can differentiate service organization from its competitor.

There are two types of people in airtel –

a)       Internal people – Internal peoples are the employees of airtel both managerial and general stuff.

Customer can contact with airtel Contact Centre, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through the following mean:

airtel’s Customer Service division functions on the premise of

• Pleasing and satisfying the valuable customers.
• Resolving their problems
• Addressing their queries

b)      External people: All of subscribers and the target customers of airtel are the external people. Especially low income based people are their external people.

Process

Process means how to delivery the services. Cheerful, attentive and concerned staff can help alleviate the customer’ problem.

airtel takes no extra time to activate its SIM card. If any person wants to purchase a sim card, then there are few steps to do that like: to pay the fees and required charges, to fill up the forms of the subscription agreement, to bring the necessary documents like photo, photocopy of the forms etc. For a  Post paid connection the customer have to bring a signed Registration Form (RF), a copy of his passport or driving license or any other id and two passport size photographs.

airtel’s Contact Centre is equipped with the latest technology and its staffs is trained to customer in the best possible way.

• Inform,
• Educate,
• Help,

The customer care centre of airtel will serve their customers in different sectors like the followings:

• Subscribing a new connection.
• Transfer of ownerships. (Individual & corporate).
• Reconnections.
• Change of address.
• SIM replacement.
• Billing information enquiry.
• SIM card lost.
• Bill payment through credit card.

However PCO packages are sold only at customer care centers.