Marketing

Customer Relationship Management in Corporate Sales of Banglalink

Customer Relationship Management in Corporate Sales of Banglalink

This report focuses on customer relationship management in corporate sales of Banglalink and also determines the loyalty factor of Banglalink. This report covers the present status of corporate sales as well as customer relationship management in corporate sales analysis and their promotional activities, their tariffs and other issues. Finally identify problems regarding CRM of corporate sales and services and provide some recommendations for the enrichment of CRM of corporate sales and services of Banglalink.

 

Introduction

Tele density of Bangladesh is still the lowest in South Asia, according to the statistics of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), about 1.56% among 100 people has access to telecom facility. It shows the high potential in the telecommunication sector in Bangladesh. The existing telecommunication companies operating in Bangladesh have been enjoying competitive advantage because of less global competition but this scenario is soon to be changed as global giants are focusing on Bangladeshi markets with differentiated service and competitive advantages.

With the advancement of science and technology, we wonder regularly. Today’s world is the world of technology. No doubt of it that the most success sector is telecommunication. Few days ago people can not even imagine about the today’s communication ways. And it is also true that people have become more desperate to think about new things in this sector. In this course of action, mobile, voice call service, SMS, video telephony, teleconference, video conference etc. along with other communicating ways, have emerged. So, the best news from the business point of view is the creation of the telecommunication market. Its size is beyond imagination that there are 750 GSM operators doing business throughout the world. The picture of Bangladesh helps to realize the matter more clearly that we have six operators even in this small country. And out of 14 corer population, almost 2 corers are using this service. Millions of dollars have already been invested in this sector and also are being invested.

Technology was not only transforming the character of the telecommunications industry from within, but more significantly, much more significantly in my view, is changing the role played by telecommunications in economic and social life. Telecommunication has come to play a significant role in facilitating Bangladesh as well as the whole world changing social division of labor between material production and business and consumer services. Optical fiber cables, microwave and satellite links to the mainland, to say nothing of cross-border roaming with cellular mobile telephones and pagers, are daily reducing the transactions costs of doing business, widening the scope of markets as well as bringing together friends and families. But more than that, telecommunications is becoming part of the strategic value-chain at the heart of modern business. Obvious examples include the customer services banks provide over their ATM networks; the facilities offered by airline and travel agency customer reservation systems; the information available from online service providers; the planning and co-ordination and monitoring and control facilities available over wide area computer networks together with file transfer and data management capability; and so on. Much speculation takes place as to the future possibilities afforded by inter-active multi-media broadband networks, often with the thought that the technological potential is developing so rapidly that research and development engineers are fast creating solutions in search of problems, and services in search of markets.

So it can be easily said that working and studying with this sectors not only clear our view about the Telecommunication but also grasp ample opportunity from this sectors.

Objectives of the Study:

The objectives of the report are as follows:

  • To have an idea of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) activities of corporate sales of Banglalink.
  • To identify problems regarding CRM of corporate sales and services of Banglalink.
  • To provide some recommendations for the enrichment of CRM of corporate sales and services of Banglalink.

 

Methodology:

Sources and Methods of Data Collection:

The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The sources of those data are stated below:

Primary Source:

The primary data were collected by customer survey conducted on corporate clients of Banglalink. The Sample for customer survey was one hundred corporate clients of different organization. A questionnaire was developed for the purpose of customer survey. The survey technique was face-to-face mock interview. I have chosen one hundred customers for my survey because by this round figure I can easily compare their given data and which will help me to prepare this report.

Secondary Source:

The secondary data were collected from the following sources:

  • Internal newsletter of the company
  • Various research journals of different research organizations
  • Web pages
  • Annual reports of the company
  • Various books and other internal publications of the company.

 

Organizational Overview:

Background

In Bangladesh, Banglalink aims to understand peoples’ needs best and develop appropriate communication services to improve peoples’ life and make it simple. All of Banglalink’s works are aimed towards meeting their vision. All members of the Banglalink family are highly passionate individuals, fully committed to achieving the vision that we have set ourselves. The customer of Banglalink needs matter most to Banglalink – making their life simple and improving it is they want. To ensure that vision of Banglalink is achieved, Banglalink has set a few values, they want to be

  • Straight Forward
  • Reliable
  • Innovative
  • Passionate

All the Banglalink family members have one thing in common- a passion to serve. Banglalink wants to go that extra mile, so that you can have the best possible service

Investing in the future of Bangladesh. The biggest barrier today for people is the cost of handsets. We will strive to lower the total cost of owning a mobile. Banglalink are here to help make a difference in people’s lives by providing affordable and reliable connectivity solutions. Banglalink will strive to connect people and link their lives by listening to them and by understanding their needs. Banglaink are here to help you speak your language.

Incorporation of Banglalink

Orascom Telecom Holding purchased 100% of the shares of Sheba Telecom (Pvt.) Limited (“Sheba”) in March 2005. OTH operates a GSM network in Bangladesh and provides a range of prepaid and postpaid voice, data and multimedia telecommunications services. As of March 1, 2005, Banglalink served approximately one core subscribers.  Banglalink estimates that it had 8.3% market share of total mobile subscribers in Bangladesh

Operating License

Banglalink’s license is a nationwide 15-year GSM license that expires in November 2011. It was acquired for US$ 60 million and re-branded and launched its services under “Banglalink” in March 2005.

 

The Project

Basic Objectives For Which Banglalink Was Formed Are Highlighted Here:

  • To provide mobile telephone service to the people from the public sector;
  • To ensure fair competition between public and private sectors and thereby to safeguard public interest;
  • To meet a portion of unmitigated high demand of mobile telephone;
  • To create a new source of revenue for the government.

Launch of Banglalink:

The long awaited launching of a mobile telecom network by a state-run enterprise had finally materialized on 1 March 2005. It also fulfilled a cherished dream of people who continuously demanded to the government for such an enterprise. The government started the “Mobile Telephone Project” and Bangladesh Telegraph & Telephone Board (BTTB) was entrusted with the responsibility for implementing the same. The Project work started in June 2004 and the network was soft launched on 1 march, 2005. I am happy that BTTB had been able to keep its promise and deliver in time.

Banglalink was formed to operate the network installed by Ericsson and it has been successful in operating a standard network and give proper service to the people of Bangladesh. Banglalink has introduced many attractive packages and all of them have been welcomed by the market. From the very beginning of its launching,

Banglalink got huge popularity as it triggered the true competition in the market. I am happy to know that within one year, Banglalink has covered 64 districts, 120 upazillas and most part of the three major highways of the country. However, there is still a long way to pass for improving its network.

People have high expectation from Banglalink. They expect continuous network coverage all over the country, prompt customer service, and more value added services, data services of high band-width etc. from Banglalink. Banglalink must honor its customers by improving its services day-by-day so that people can realize that even in a competitive scenario, the public sector organization can achieve remarkable development if they get opportunity.

 

Service offered:  

Services

Banglalink ISO facilities: Every subscriber of Banglalink gets the opportunity of economy ISO or EISD in 25 countries. In this way subscriber has to pay 7.50 Tk. per minute. To get this service instead of access code 00 dial 012, then country code, then area code and then desired number

SMS

A SMS of 160 characters nationally charge Tk. 0 .75 only and internationally Tk.1.62 Both Bengali & English language can be used.

Banglalink Push-Pull Service

It is like SMS, one can get answer to the question he requires. Banglalink offers different types of Entertainment through push-pull service. To know the song 5858 you will be able to get the Sehri and Iftar’s time during the Ramadan, Cricket, Weather, Quotes, Jokes, Horoscope, Pray time with the push-pull service.

 

Banglalink Own VAS Offerings:

  1. GPRS:
  2. Cricket Update:
  3. Post-paid bill query.
  4. Cash card electronic charging:
  5. Music station
  6. Friends and family Number.
  7. Voice adda
  8. MCA
  9. Amar Tunes
  10. Voice Portal
  11. Call me back
  12. I- bubble
  13. Namaz Alert
  14. Payment through ATM.
  15. Ring Tones
  16. Yellow Pages
  17. Conference Call.

 

Market Competitiveness:

  •  Competition among the mobile phone operators has reduced subscription rates and call rates. This triggered a lot of changes in the market.
  • There are now options in the hand of the customers at an affordable price. This contributed to the high growth rate in this sector.
  • Increase in number of players in the channel has reduced revenue for everyone.

Migration of Businesses:

  • High profitability has attracted many people to the distribution channel. A lot of people got involved in subscription selling business as a supplementary to their original line of business. Some others came into this business as a replacement for their original business.
  • Because of drastic reduction in call rates, profitability of PCOs has dropped, and as a result, some PCOs are migrating to subscription distribution business.
  • Because of rise in number of mobile phone connections, revenue from recharging business has increased.
  • In some areas, growth in subscription business has declined, as many of the potential customers have turned into current subscribers. This loss of revenue from subscription business was compensated in cases by profit from selling handsets.

Supporting Businesses:

  • A lot of supporting businesses have strung up to cope with the high demand created by extremely high growth rate in the market.
  • Many people are now involved in businesses of scratch cards, electronic recharging, handsets, accessories, PCOs, handset repair, value added services (ring-tones, music, games, downloads), etc.

Consumer Profile

At the point of purchase, sellers do get the opportunity to draw a picture of the consumer.

Age of Visitors: Most of the visitors at the mobile phone shops are young, between the ages of approximately 15 and 30

First Time Buyers: Of all the visitors at the shops, most are found to be current owners of mobile phones. The ratio between new users and current users vary from place to place. In most of the places, around 10-30% visitors at mobile shops currently do not possess a mobile phone. The rest (70-90%) are current owners of mobile phone. Of the current owners most are young and always looking for new offers. Some even buy more than one connections at a time. The current non-users of mobile phone who visit shops are mostly from the lower SEC and possess little knowledge about mobile phones

 

Departments of the Banglalink:

As the service marketing concept must demand the process, persons, physical evidence along with products, place, price, promotion, any service company must have its department compatible with this concept.  Banglalink dose not deny the concept, having the following department to achieve its objectives:

  • Human Resource
  • Marketing
  • Customer Service
  • Billing And It
  • Operations: Network Planning
  • System Engineering: Procurement
  • Finance

 

Banglalink and Its Business Analysis

Banglalink is a newly emerged Govt. mobile service operator in country’s cell phone service market with nation wide coverage. Within a very short period of time, it has covered 61 dist. HQ, 158 thana and the main national highways and developed 11 full-fledged customer care centers. Over 200 outlets are being working to distribute Sims and Scratch cards in the country.. Banglalink has gone into interconnection agreement with all four private cell phone service providers named City cell (PBTL), AKTEL (TMIB), Grameen Phone (GP) and Banglalink for providing more superior services to banglalink’s consumers. Recognizing its tremendous success (introducing web based lottery, self employed virtual dealership, fastest coverage progress and price-cut), BANGLALINK has been emerged a trend setter in mobile phone sector of Bangladesh. It got unique position for its special features that other players are not offering right now, such as, born out of commitment. To make profit but not at the cost of customer, nationwide transmission backbone support, professional excellence, transparent financial transaction, all transaction through Bank, fewer Packages, no tricks: customer Confidence, no incoming Charge, all Package has BTTB incoming and outgoing, 100% ISD and EISD facility. The most remarkable success of Banglalink is the slump in Tariff Structure. As soon as Banglalink announced its tariff the long-lasting oligopoly between other private mobile operators were shattered. Healthy competition came into the mobile market causing almost 50%, if not more, reduction in price both in terms of SIM price and usage rate. The slump in price made mobile phone affordable even for the low-income group of people. Using a mobile phone soon became a necessity; it’s no more a luxury.

The strength of Banglalink was the confidence of the subscribers in the government institution. On the other hand it’s being the part of government, is probably the biggest weakness from operational perspective of Banglalink, which will be understandable as we go through this article. At a time when people were desperately searching the way out to get rid of the oligopoly of a few operators, j Banglalink started its operation with big bang of response. People became frenzy to get a Banglalink SIM. Another good reason for that craze was its flexibility in connectivity with the other operators. It’s the only SIM, which has such a, versatility of connections having ISD, Economy ISO service along with both incoming and outgoing connectivity with any of the land phones. The biggest weakness was a premature entrance in a mature market. As soon as anyone could catch hold of a Banglalink mobile, he started comparing it with the services of Grameen Phone, Banglalink or Aktel.

Having the slightest of ideas of what problems can impound and compound starting a commercial operation with such a small coverage containing pockets all over the places, Banglalink had its first setback. Many of us used to say “Where is the harm in throwing a system on use with such a small number of BTSs if operator like Grameen Phone could start its commercial operation with couple of BTSs around.” But “think-tanks” of Banglalink miserably failed to identify the difference of stepping into a developed market and that into a developing market. Moreover, the progress of development of network was far below the expectation of subscribers. Above all the interfacing with other operators was so poor, especially with GRAMEEN, mostly because of non-cooperation, it became a nightmare for the Banglalink subscribers to use a Banglalink mobile. Peoples’ hope was immediately dashed out and all the opportunities Banglalink had started with immediately began shrinking and squeezing.

 

Network Coverage:

Network Coverage, now-a-days, has become most strategic strength for any operator and Banglalink has given the highest priority regarding the coverage. At present, TBL has 668 BTS around the Bangladesh and the distribution is like in Dhaka City (177), Dhaka Division (134), Chittagong City (71), Chittagong Division (77), Khulna Division (50), Rajshahi Division (86), Barisal Division (35) , Sylhet Division (38). In fact it has network coverage in 61 districts but the truth is that the weakest part of the TBL is its low network coverage.

 

Social Commitment:

Blood Donation program: One of prominent social contribution of Banglalink is in the field of Voluntary blood donation. Banglalink has sponsored and directly participated in various voluntary Blood Donation Programs around the country. ORCA (Old Rajshahi cadet association) had organized a blood donation program which was sponsored by Banglalink.

Blanket distribution Program: In Ranjpur district Banglalink distributed 500 blankets in distressed people by Anjuman Mofidul Islam. In Bangladesh every year in cold prone area people died in cold related disease due to their disability to buy warm cloths.

 

Industry Analysis, Marketing Mix Analysis and SWOT Analysis

Industry Growth: Important Factors

Growth in mobile phone subscription business is affected by various factors:

Entrance of New Companies: Whenever new companies have entered the market, there had been a surge in subscription selling business. This has happened in case of entrance of Banglalink and that of Banglalink.

New Package Offers by Existing Operators: New offers from existing operators have always created interest among the customers. A segment of the customer segment is always interested in buying new offers. Reduction in tariff and subscription fee has encouraged these kinds of buyers. These low price offers have also brought some periphery customers under mobile subscription

Penetration of Mobile Phone Subscription: There are some areas where there has been a drop in subscription selling, because of increase in current subscribers and reduction in potential subscribers.

 

Marketing Mix Analysis:

Product Profile:

Different packages of Banglalink.

Personal package 1 (Post- paid):

  • provides you the lowest call rates
  • Waiver of monthly fee if usage is greater than Tk.500 (without VAT)
  • Duplicating mobile number facility
  • Up to 2 supplementary connections with attractive group talk rate.

 Personal package 2 (Post- paid):

  • Minimum monthly bill of Tk.1,000 at the lowest call rates
  • Monthly 150 FREE News SMS
  • FREE itemized bill
  •  FREE golden number upon availability
  •  Duplicating mobile number facility
  •  Up to 2 supplementary connections with attractive group talk rate.

Personal Call & Control (Post- paid) :

  • Usage through recharging scratch card/I ‘top up
  •  Lowest monthly fees
  • Helps you keep your usage within your control.

ISD and E-ISD:

All Banglalink Sims are ISD and it has opportunity to call only 7.50/= to 55 countries by using 012 code called economy ISD.

Corporate Package:

Banglalink has around 40 corporate clients using prepaid or postpaid service.

International Roaming:

It has roaming facilities in 5 countries also. The fortunate matter is that within one month it is going to inaugurate roaming service in over 400 operators of 159 countries.

Price:

Pricing is one of the marketing mix tools that a company uses to achieve it marketing objectives. Banglalink decides its service pricing on the basis of cost based pricing.  They always think about the consumer purchase capability. That’s why they try to fix a reasonable price for the consumer.

Pre-paid (Standard) Package:

  • Connection fee : 450.00 Tk. (20 Tk. Talk Time Free)
  • 1st pulse for first 30 sec and 15 sec pulse onwards
  • Any other operator tk – .99/min [9-5 pm]
  • Any other operator, tk- 1.45/min [5-12 pm]
  • Banglalink to Banglalink, tk- .25/min [12-9 pm]
  • Banglalink to Other operator, tk- .25/min [12-9 pm]
  • 20% Incoming bonus.
  • 4 (FnF) facility in any operator ( Banglalink to Banglalink 0.25 Tk or Banglalink to Other operator  .79)
  • VAT will be added as usual

SME Enterprise Package:

  • Connection fee. 499.00 Tk. (50 Tk. Talk Time Free,50 Free SMS)
  • 20% Incoming bonus.
  • Any other operator, tk – .99/min [9-5 pm]
  • Any other operator, tk- 1.25/min [5-12 pm]
  • Banglalink to Banglalink, tk- .25/min [12-9 pm]
  • Banglalink to Other operator, tk- .25/min [12-9 pm
  • 1 sec pulse banglalink to banglalink & 15 sec pulse other operator
  • Minimum Monthly Bill tk – 100
  • 4 (FnF) facility in any operator ( Banglalink to Banglalink 0.25 Tk or Banglalink to Other operator  .79)
  • Vat applicable

PCO Package :

  • Connection fee : 600 Tk.
  • 1 sec pulse
  • Payment facility in Cash Card
  • Minimum charge 500 Tk
  • . If monthly bill exceeds 2000 tk 5% exempted and if 4000 tk. 10% exempted.

Place:

Banglalink has a proper distribution team and channel. It has already appointed 62 dealers over the country. Besides it is distributing its product by customer care and bank. It is struggling very hard to make its product available countrywide.

The distribution channel for mobile phone subscription has changed somewhat over the last year or so. There is still a multitude of levels within the channel. This channel has shrunk vertically during the last year or so and created a shallower channel.

 

 

Promotional Activities of Banglalink

Promotion:

Promotion is one of the marketing tools that a company uses to achieve its marketing objectives. Each promotion tools has unique characteristics to improve their total sales. Banglalink are trying to do more promotional activities for their service. Banglalink Marketing promotion can be classified in several steps.

Advertisement through Electronics media: Banglalink published their advertisement different channel as like- ntv, channel 1, Rtv, Bangla vision, ATN Bangla, radio today etc.

Personal Selling:

Personal presentation by the firm’s sales forces for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationship. Banglalink uses personal selling in different stages of marketing and distribution. Company distributes their product (SIM, Scratch, I-top, Cash card) among the wholesalers and retailers by maintaining the excellent relationship. Banglalink’s communicate with corporate client by its sales force building and keeping relationship with potential and existing valued customer.

Sales promotion:

Sales promotion includes a wide way of tools that can attract consumer’s attraction, strong incentive of purchase, free gifts, discount and several types of occasional program.

Banglalink sales promotion includes credit sales, commission etc. Banglalink arrange conference every year among the dealers, wholesalers and retailers. They always try to influence and convince them for creating a market demand and sale their product. here is some examples of Banglalink promotion that can be highlighted :

Road show: Banglalink organized a two days long road show. Here subscribers got the opportunity to buy SIM of different pre-paid package at 70TK,where regular offer is 150TK.

Handbag Distribution: At Bangla academy “Ekusay Boi Mela” Banglalink distributed handbag in visitors who bought book from fair. There was slogan on handbag for raising awareness for reading book.

Scarf Distribution: Banglalink distributed scarf to attract their existing and new customer at Pahela Baisakh, That scarf create brand awareness of Banglalink.

Public Relation:

Public relation is used to promote products, people, places, ideas, activities, organizations and even nations. Public relation can also influence a product sales or brand awareness. Banglalink arrange meeting always with the wholesalers and retailer for maintaining a good relationship with them. General people can also come to the Banglalink office for their queries and for expressing their concern about any telecom related factors.

 

SWOT Analysis of Banglalink Bangladesh Ltd:

Table: SWOT of Banglalink

Strengthweakness
  1. Low cost provider regarding its competitor.
  2. Banglalink’s all connections are ISD & EISD.
  3. Banglalink is the only indigenous company using GSM service.
  4. From the very beginning it is providing free TNT incoming & Outgoing.
  5. It has also provided incoming facility up lifetime.
  6. Moreover its contribution to our economy can be notable.
  1. The progress of development of network is far below from the subscriber expectation.
  2. Lower number of human resource.
  3. Failed to identify difference between developed market and developing market.
  4. Banglalink does follow aggressive marketing but it should follow smooth strategy.
  5. Banglalink faces coordination problem of Management system.
OpportunitiesThreats
   1. Banglalink can use the image of multinational organization.

   2. Introduction of new technology and services.

   3. Expand the market in the rural area.

   4. Banglalink can use the experience strong network facilities.

5.Banglalink can use soft switch network.

1. An upcoming mobile service provider named WARID TELECOM a concern of Dhabi group and present market rivals.

2. The invention of technology which is new modern and consumer oriented.

3. Another invisible threat is land phone operator.

 

Analysis of Strengths:

  • Banglalink’s all connections are ISD & EISD: It’s a big strength of Banglalink. It’s the only SIM which has such a versatility of connections having ISD, Economy ISD service along with both incoming and outgoing connectivity with any of the land phones. This is not seen to other providers. It gives a tremendous competitive advantage to the Banglalink Bangladesh ltd over its respective competitors.
  • Banglalink is the only indigenous company using GSM service: Banglalink is the only local organization which is providing GSM technology in this country. The other local organization named pacific telecom is providing CDMA technology which is more expensive. So Banglalink can take this advantage over its competitors.
  • It has also provided incoming facility up to lifetime: Banglalink have a strong strength over its competitors incase of incoming facility. Banglalink present incoming duration is up to lifetime.
  • From the very beginning it is providing free TNT incoming: Banglalink is the only provider which is providing T&T incoming free from the very beginning. Whether other operators providers providing such kind of facility just now.
  • Moreover its contribution to our economy can be notable: As a multinational company Banglalink have a strong contribution in our national economy. Its one of the high profit generating in Bangladesh.
  • Low cost provider: The most remarkable success of Banglalink is the slump in tariff structure. It is the lowest cost provider in Bangladesh telecommunication market. As soon as Banglalink announced its tariff the long lasting oligopoly between other private mobile providers were shattered. Healthy competition came into the mobile market.

Analysis of Weaknesses.

  • Lower number of human resource: The number of employee of Banglalink is too much lower regarding its requirement. As a result the service quality and customer satisfaction go down.
  • Failed to identify difference between developed market and developing market: Banglalink failed to identify the difference between developed market and developing market. There strategy making is not match with the current situation.
  • Weak management system: poor coordination among different functional department of Banglalink as result service efficiency goes down.
  • The progress of development of network is far below from the subscriber expectation: the expansion of network coverage is too much slow. People thought that Banglalink should use the GSM network facilities; as a result Banglalink can cover the most of the area of Bangladesh.

 

Analysis of Opportunities

  • Banglalink can use the image of multinational organization: People want to better facility from service industry. So Banglalink can use such kind of soft corner of consumers and promote the service to them.
  • Introduction of new technology and services: Banglalink can implement new and consumer oriented technology in this sector. Because people have inclination to new and modern technology. Now a day’s people are ready to accept the new thing.
  • Expand the market in the rural area: Till now there is huge area is remain out of coverage where a huge number of target consumers are available. So Banglalink can bring that respective area under coverage and catch those potential consumers.
  • Banglalink can use the experience of multinational one of the old and experience organization in Bangladesh telecommunication sector. They have special experience about the consumer behavior of Bangladesh. They know about the consumer’s need and want.
  • Banglalink can use soft switch network: The soft switch network separates the bearer and control layers and a soft switch centric network can be built on different types of bearer networks such as TDM, IP and ATM unlike, legacy network that depend on a single specific switching technology. Based on strategic planning and the developmental phase, an operator can select suitable bearer mode technologies for different phases, from the perspective of long term sustainable development, the IP centered soft switch network defines the future. So Banglalink can use this technology and practice competitive advantage over rivals.

 

Analysis of Threats

  • The invention of technology which is new modern and consumer oriented: Technology is changing with day run. It changes the consumer’s demand pattern by offering different attractive features. As a result consumer shifts from one technology to other technology, which might create a big problem to Banglalink and others.
  • Another invisible threat is land phone operator: In Bangladesh land phone operator is expanding the market with day run. People are switch from mobile to land phone operators. As a result ultimately the number of mobile user is decreasing and create problem to the mobile operators as well as Banglalink.

 

Conclusion: Banglalink Is a Trend Setter in Bangladesh

Banglalink is the private cellular operator in Bangladesh. Banglalink has a goal to receive an economic return on its investments and to contribute to the economic development of Bangladesh where telecommunications can play a critical role. Banglalink believes in service, a service that leads to good business and good development. Telephone helps people work together, raising their productivity. This gain in productivity is development, which in turn enables them to afford a telephone service, generating a good business. Thus development and business go together.

The main goal of banglalink is to deliver SIM kits to the subscriber at a cheap rate and make a competitive market. All the categories of subscribers, in our initial offerings, had collected their SIM kits through banks. This is very satisfactory of SIM collection rate. When the subscriber received their SIM kits, the innocent smile of them shows recessive support to banglalink. This is the great achievement of banglalink.

In service sector, FDI inflow in Bangladesh is enormous. Telecom sector is become the core of interest in FDI in Bangladesh. So it is expected in the long run, Banglalink has to face an immense competition.  As well as we are also forecasting the market culture might change if the profit margin reduce at current ratio.  In the long run banglalink can able to face the market competition successfully if it can meet the strategic marketing approaches in all levels of policy decisions and applications.

 

Customer Relationship Management in Corporate Sales of Banglalink

Banglalink is one of the leading Mobile Telecommunication Service provider in private sector in Bangladesh providing services throughout the country. Since, launching its commercial operation on 30 September 2005 Banglalink grows from strength to strength with the vision to provide universal mobile telecommunication services all over Bangladesh at an affordable cost. At present, Banglalink is providing various services to its subscribers throughout the country: corporate service is one of them. Banglalink supports to various organizations officers and staffs through corporate service. Banglalink has around 52 corporate clients using prepaid, postpaid, Professional Package services.

Banglalink Customer Relationship Management Policies in Corporate Sales.

Banglalink maintains customer relationship management which is very important for profit maximization. Customer relationship management is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationship by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction. This is the process of managing detailed information about individual customer and carefully managing all customer “touch point” to maximize customer loyalty.

Goals of Customer Relationship Management

The primary goal of relationship marketing is to build and maintain a base of committed customers who are profitable for the organization. To achieve the goal, Banglalink focus on the attraction, retention and enhancement of customer relationship.

Customer Relationship Management and Profitable Relationship

Identify prospect and customer- Banglalink find out the potential customer. Build, maintain and mine a rich customer database with information derived from all the channels and customer touch points.

Identify Prospect and Customer: Banglalink identify prospect and customer through different kind of government organization, private organization or association such as – FBCCI, DCCI, ICCI, IEB, DRU, Nitol Group etc. It also collects reference group and official personal reference.

 Differentiate Customers In Terms of Their Needs and Their Image

Banglalink offer their customer to understand their condition. Banglalink   offer them post purchase reassurance and promote the price value relationship, then spend proportionately more effort on the most valuable customer. Applied actively based costing and calculate customer life time value. Estimate net present value of all future profits coming from purchases, margin level, and referrals, less customer specific servicing cost. Banglalink estimates customer life time value, net present value of all future profit through company’s papers, documents, goodwill etc.

Interaction with Individual Customer:

Banglalink interact with individual customer to improve knowledge about their needs through communication. It creates long term relationship and committed to loyal customer to develop service. It also identifies close service gaps and improves the service recovery to solve the customer problem.

  • Banglalink offers negotiable price for large volume of customer.
  • Offering the attractive rate at the competitive marketcustomer want to better service at lower rate. For that reason Banglalink offers lower rate to attract the customer.
  • Increasing the longevity of the customer relationship- the more involved a customer is with the company, the more likely subscriber is to stick around. Banglalink treat their customer as partners. It also provides emergency service for the customer.

Customer Relationship Management and Maintenance of Relationship:

  • Focusing disproportionate effort on high value customer- The most valuable customer can be treated in a special way. Thought gestures such as – Eid greetings, Christmas, birthday cards, small gifts, or invitation to special event can send a strong signal to the customer. Banglalink also send or fax helpful news – paper clipping and relevant articles.
  • Enhancing the growth potential of each customer through “share of wallet” cross selling and up selling. Banglalink offers bonus taka such as if any Banglalink subscriber recharge 300 tk for this purpose he or she will get 345 tk. Other facilities like National University’s result, load shading update, Unlimited GPRS facility etc.
  • Making low profit customers more profitable – Banglalink always monitoring their corporate subscriber and find out the lower profit customer. Then they identifying the problem and take necessary steps to solve the problem.

 

Corporate Client Respondents

According to the corporate survey, pie chart shows top level of corporate subscribers uses average 600 minutes per month which percentage shows46%.Next mid level of corporate subscribers uses average 450 minutes per month which percentage shows 35% and low level of corporate subscribers uses 250 minutes which percentage shows 19%.It proves that maximum corporate subscribers use more with satisfaction.

Corporate Client Respondents Consumption Level

Line chart shows professional prepaid subscriber uses 750tk per month then Executive prepaid subscriber’s uses 1250tk per month and finally executive post paid subscriber uses 2250 per month. It proves that different type of category subscriber consumption level is different. Although number of Executive prepaid subscriber is higher than Executive postpaid but proportionately executive post paid consumption level is high.

Corporate Client Satisfaction Level about Different Services of Banglalink

According to corporate survey bar diagram shows that Banglalink corporate tariff is satisfactory because it lies on 80% satisfaction level. Next network bar shows that 60% of satisfaction level. Then customer service bar shows that70% of satisfaction level. Value added services bar shows that 30% of satisfaction level and GPRS bar shows that 40% of satisfaction level.

 

FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS   CONCLUSION

 

Findings of the Study

The findings of the study as follows:

  1. The customers of Banglalink do not get diversified corporate SIM packaging
  2. Customer’s are not well-known about corporate services and tariff
  3. District level govt. & private offices have no idea about corporate facilities
  4. Existing customers are facing problems of billing system
  5. Existing customers are not happy to promotional campaign
  6. Maximum subscribers face network problem. Its graph shows 65% corporate clients are not well satisfied with network facility as they agree with moderate. Then 25% corporate clients agree with better network bar and only 10% clients agree with best network bar. So it proves that maximum subscribers are not satisfied with network facilities.
  1. Customers want to get free hot line 24 hours service. It graph shows corporate clients want to get 24 hours hotline service 24%.Then free hot line service want to get 68% and only office time hot line service want to get 8%.
  1. Majority of the customer complain to tariff & want CUG services.
  1. The basic desire of the customer is to improve the value added service and reduce the charge.. It graphs prove that maximum subscriber are not satisfied with value added service charge that for reason insufficient bar 78%. Then only few corporate clients are satisfied with value added service that for reason sufficient bar shows 22%.

 

Recommendations

Banglalink Bangladesh Ltd. can follow various measures to overcome these problems. Here are some recommendations in this regard:

  1. Banglalink corporate SIM packaging must be different compare to other provider’s packages.
  2. Corporate booklet is necessary to communicate the corporate facilities.
  3. Corporate proposal must be sent to the government or private offices at the district levels through market coordination officers or dealers.
  1. They should improve their performance of the billing system in a quick manner.
  2. Attractive promotional items are necessary to satisfy the corporate clients.
  3. Network facilities should be improved.
  4. Promotional advertising is necessary for corporate package.
  5. Provide free 24 hours hotline service for corporate clients.
  6. 9. Corporate tariff should be lower than other packages.
  7. They should develop new competitive packages for the corporate customers.
  8. Expand the value added services.
  9. Closed user group (CUG) is needed for corporate package.
  10. Should monitor the existing customer and provide better service.
  11. The complexity of the GPRS facility should be reduced.

 

Conclusion

Banglalink started its operation in 2005. At that time Banglalink followed a smooth marketing strategy. Banglalink introduced a cheap rate for the first time in Bangladesh. Banglalink maintains relationship marketing policy as well. So, Banglalink enjoyed boost in sales. At the same time Banglalink takes better position in consumer mind by its quality, attractive tariff plan etc. From the analysis, it is found that there are scopes for the improvement of service of Banglalink, such as: like network coverage, marketing strategy, promotional activities, customer satisfaction etc. Finally it says that Banglalink estimates of life time relationship value accentuate the importance of retaining current customers. Banglalink provides proper information to their customer about new product or service. It is another good way to stay in touch and increase sales or get referrals. Banglalink offer discount for valued customer to maintain good relationship.

Report on Customer Relationship Management in corporate sales of Banglalink is the part of our credit course of BBA Program. I have got the opportunity to learn so many things about Banglalink: its service nature, its distributors, retailers, consumers and its overall marketing condition in communication sector. This report will assist me to build up a better career in future.