Customer Service of Airtel Telecom Bangladesh Limited Executive Summary Airtel Telecom takes pride in being backed by the Abu Dhabi Group, one of the largest groups in the Middle East and in Pakistan. Airtel Telecom is currently operational in Bangladesh and Pakistan, while it is also setting pace to initiate its operation in Uganda & Congo. Within the markets Airtel is already operating, it has quickly developed a large customer base and established itself as one of the leaders of telecom service sector. In Bangladesh, Airtel Telecom commenced its operations under a landmark MOU agreed upon by the Dhabi Group and the Government of Bangladesh worth USD 1 billion, out of which USD 750 million was exclusively committed for investment in the telecommunication sector of the country. Succeeding the MOU signing, the BTRC license for telecom service provision was issued to Airtel Telecom, followed by the signing of interconnectivity agreement with all the existing telecom companies of Bangladesh. In May 10th, 2007, Airtel Telecom launched its commercial operations in Bangladesh with a network encompassing 26 districts. By November 2007, the network had been expanded to cover 61 districts and being used by 2 million customers. Based on the NGN (Next-Generation) network, Airtel Telecom’s operational activities in Bangladesh aim to achieve a new and modern corporate identity, which is congruent with the
Transcript
Customer Service of Airtel Telecom Bangladesh Limited
Executive Summary
Airtel Telecom takes pride in being backed by the Abu Dhabi Group, one of the largest groups in the Middle East and in Pakistan.
Airtel Telecom is currently operational in Bangladesh and Pakistan, while it is also setting pace to initiate its operation in Uganda & Congo. Within the markets Airtel is already operating, it has quickly developed a large customer base and established itself as one of the leaders of telecom service sector.
In Bangladesh, Airtel Telecom commenced its operations under a landmark MOU agreed upon by the Dhabi Group and the Government of Bangladesh worth USD 1 billion, out of which USD 750 million was exclusively committed for investment in the telecommunication sector of the country. Succeeding the MOU signing, the BTRC license for telecom service provision was issued to Airtel Telecom, followed by the signing of interconnectivity agreement with all the existing telecom companies of Bangladesh.
In May 10th, 2007, Airtel Telecom launched its commercial operations in Bangladesh with a network encompassing 26 districts. By November 2007, the network had been expanded to cover 61 districts and being used by 2 million customers.
Based on the NGN (Next-Generation) network, Airtel Telecom’s operational activities in Bangladesh aim to achieve a new and modern corporate identity, which is congruent with the dynamic changes taking place in the telecom industry today. With a reflection of a new strategy, our aim is to be perceived not only as a telecommunication operator of voice services, but also as a universal provider of comprehensive communications services for both residential and business customers.
The subscriber base of over 2 million users in our first year of operation alone serves as a testament to Airtel telecom’s customer-driven business mandate. These achievements have only been possible due to Airtel’s uncompromising commitment to provide maximum network coverage and clear connectivity at the most affordable price.
Airtel Telecom was awarded the 6th mobile phone operator license by Bangladesh Telecom Regularity Commission (BTRC) on December 2005. Approximately a year later, on January 2007, they switched their network on.
Airtel Telecom’s operational activities in Bangladesh aim to achieve a new and modern corporate identity, which is congruent with the dynamic changes taking place in the telecom industry of Bangladesh today.
Airtel Telecom’s superior products, high quality of services, network, affordability, and customer support have enabled it to not only capture market share from existing players, but also acquire the so far untapped market.
With a reflection of a new strategy, their aim is to be perceived not only as a telecommunication operator of voice services, but also as a universal provider of comprehensive communications services for both residential and business customers.
Introductory discussion
Background of the report
The LLM program of Southeast University requires that each student completes an internship attachment with an organization and submits a report on the basis of it.
Considering the fast pace of the telecom industry today, I chose one of the youngest and brightest organization’s in the country, Airtel Telecom International Ltd, as my place of internship, with Lecturer, Mr. Iqbal Hossain (Himel) as my faculty advisor to guide my progress and as my supervisor at the organization to help along during the period.
There is a lot of speculation regarding the future of the telecom industry, in general. With the little bit of healthy competition that the industry had been lacking till now, it is no doubt that the consumers would soon begin feel its effect in the form of lower prices and more packages to choose from. However, it remains a doubt as to which companies would just survive and which companies would thrive and prosper. Hence, I chose to carry out a comparative analysis of the telecom companies in Bangladesh, with particular emphasis on the future prospects of Airtel telecom.
Objective of the study:
Broad Objectives:
The broad objectives of the study are:
To assess the performance of Customer Care Department of Airtel Telecom Bangladesh.
To learn about the etiquettes maintained by Airtel with the customers.
Specific Objectives:
In order to fulfill the above broad objectives, the following specific objectives must be satisfied:
To find out the package attractiveness rendered to the customer. Find out the various product offerings in the marketplace To determine the service offered to the customer. To compare the value added services and special offers from the respective
players.
Methodology
The report has been prepared based on both primary and secondary sources.
The primary source consists mainly of personal observation during the attachment period. Frequently asked questions from customers gave an idea as to what they considered were important factors and not just, what the telecom companies thought were important.
Secondary information came mainly from websites, mainly the official websites of the telecom companies. A few articles on newspapers also helped in the collection of information.
Collection procedure of data:
Personal interview technique was the primary tool used in collecting information. Interview with the Customer have done through questionnaire in order to discuss about the related matters before preparing the report. Managers and officers of Airtel from different divisions were the main sources of secondary data.
Analysis of Data:
Collected data are analyzed by using percentages, graphs to draw the conclusion. All the data have shown in tabular form.
Sampling Plan and Sample Size:
Study population:
The first step of the sampling design is to define the study population. Due to time restriction and other limitations, the survey was only focus into subscribers of Uttara, Banani, Gulshan, Motijheel and Dhanmondi. The sample area has been selected on the basis of organization’s interest.
Sampling frame:
As there is no concrete list or number of subscriber in the areas which I have mentioned, the sample frame was randomly selected. I was stand in front of the business center and picked someone who fulfilled the criteria as a sample.
Importance of the study
Our action is conducting based on the given topic the performance of the Airtel Telecom (BD.) Ltd. to find out from all perspective whether the company is actually doing well or not. And this will be assessed on the degree of excellence of the company. Some performance indicators such as the level of service quality , the reasonable of the product , the network coverage, human resource facilities and overall the companies profit generated form performance of the total organization has been the basis for reckoning of the organization.
This study is conducting its activities meticulously as much as possible to have the precise knowledge about the organization. It will comprise the benefit of the information from the organization which will help it recover its weakness if found since a copy of the report will be submitted to the organization. Therefore it can easily perceive its strength and weaknesses, and threats and opportunities. This will protect the company form the loss or destruction. Moreover the forthcoming people can use this report as a simulation copy.
Limitation
There is much information available to the organization but confidential that’s why it was not possible to disseminate that information in the report. In addition to this, lots of information exists in the organization but to provide all the information in the report is not possible because if I did so, the report would have been of more than thousand pages. Therefore only the necessary information was put in the report. Further, lack of my in-depth knowledge and financial support as well as some other activities required to prepare an exact report interrupted me.
Several information regarding on-going projects could not be used to analyze further the competitive positioning of Airtel as they were considered confidential.
As I was working for Airtel, I could not interview employees from its competitors, as would have been the case normally, and had to rely solely on information available to the public.
3
HISTORY OF CELL PHONE
GENERAL
Cell Phones are everywhere and their use is growing. Basically a cell phone is a radiotelephone and its application is growing because of the rapid rise of digital
computers and very small and powerful microprocessors. One of the most important advantages of microprocessors is their ability to do very complicated operations with high reliability. The problem with early radiotelephones was that they quickly ran out of available frequencies, i.e. channels. Often a wealthy individual with a radio telephone in his car would have one of his employees make a series of calls starting very early in the morning to reserve a channel for himself and guarantee that he could have his radio telephone available as he was being driven to work. The problem was that to be useful, a radiotelephone had to work throughout a whole metropolitan area, and a large area even back then made for a large number of users. The problem could be solved by having many small areas (now called cells) which all shared the same frequencies. A small area only had a small number of users so that the number off frequencies was adequate. In principle doing automatic switchovers from one cell to another could solve this problem, but such automatic switches were very complicated to implement. Enter the digital computer, it was capable of doing the complex job of managing the switchover so that the call would not be lost, and the modern cell phone was born. At first the speech was analog, and the logic to manage the switchover was digital (i.e. done by a digital computer). These types of cell phones are known today as analog phones even though the switching is digital. A true all digital cell phone, however, would also represent the speech as a series of numbers, i.e. in digital form. A cell phone which also digitizes the speech improves the switching is digital. A true all digital cell phone, however, would also represent the speech as a series of numbers, i.e. in digital form. A cell phone which also digitizes the speech improves the sound quality; gets rid of static on the line, and incidentally, increases the battery life by 3 to 5 Times. Since also making the speech digital was even more complicated than just making the switch over digital, the true all digital cell phone had to wait for microprocessors to get smaller and more powerful. This has now been achieved, and one can have truly high quality cell phone service with the new digital units. All digital cell phones have now become so capable, the call rates so low, and the battery life so long that it makes sense for some businesses to have only cell phones for their business extensions.
INVENTOR OF CELL PHONE
The cell phone was invented by Bell Labs from about 1947 to 1967, but a controversy has arisen about this. According to an Associated Press Article in the April 12th issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, Page D3 and an April 3, 2003 Chronicle Article, the Cell Phone was invented by Martin Cooper who at that time was a vice-president at Motorola. Both articles state that he made the first cell phone call in 1973 on a street corner in New York using a base station at the top of a tall building in that city. Motorola introduced its cell phone in 1983 after five generations, 15 years, and $90 million; but as mentioned above, the first commercial cell phone service was started by NTT in Japan on December 3, 1979. This by no means the whole story, however, Cooper himself in the 10th paragraph of the April 3rd Chronicle article states that “Bell Labs had invented this thing called Cellular Technology”. What Martin Cooper apparently did was build a relatively small radiotelephone, which could be carried by a person. He did not develop the idea and the mechanism for automatically switching over when a phone went from one cell to another. The true inventor of the cell phone is the person or group who developed the
concept of small cells and implemented the automatic switchover system and this was Bell Labs.
Finally the explosion of cellular technology, which we now see around us today, was caused by the Microprocessor, i.e. a computer on a small single chip. Intel primarily pioneered this although Motorola and AMD have played significant roles.
The Mobile Phone Technologies
GSM: GSM stands for “Global System for Mobile Communications.” GSM is mostly a European system and is largely unused in the US. GSM is interesting in that it uses a modified and far more efficient version of TDMA. GSM keeps the idea of timeslots and frequency channels, but corrects several major shortcomings. Since the GSM timeslots are smaller than TDMA, they hold less data but allow for data rates starting at 300 bits per second. Thus, a call can use as many timeslots as necessary up to a limit of 13 kilobits per second. When a call is inactive (silence) or may be compressed more, fewer timeslots are used. To facilitate filling in gaps left by unused timeslots, calls do “frequency hopping” in GSM. This means that calls will jump between channels and timeslots to maximize the system’s usage. A control channel is used to communicate the frequency hopping and other information between the cell tower and the phone. To compare with the other systems, it should be noted that GSM requires 1 Watt of output power from the phone.
CDMA: CDMA stands for “Code Division Multiple Access” and is both the most interesting and the hardest to implement multiplexing method. CDMA has been likened to a party: When everyone talks at once, no one can be understood, however, if everyone speaks a different language, then they can be understood. CDMA systems have no channels, but instead encode each call as a coded sequence across the entire frequency spectrum. Each conversation is modulated, in the digital domain, with a unique code (called a pseudo-noise code) that makes it distinguishable from the other calls in the frequency spectrum. Using a correlation calculation and the code the call was encoded with, the digital audio signal can be extracted from the other signals being broadcast by other phones on the network. From the perspective of one call, upon extracting the signal, everything else appears to be low-level noise. As long as there is sufficient separation between the codes (said to be mutually orthogonal), the noise level will be low enough to recover the digital signal. Each signal is not, in fact, spread across the whole spectrum (12.5 MHz for traditional cellular or 60 MHz in PCS cellular), but is spread across 1.25 MHz “pass-bands.” CDMA systems are the latest technology on the market and are already eclipsing TDMA in terms of cost and call quality. Since CDMA offers far greater capacity and variable data rates depending on the audio activity, many more users can be fit into a given frequency spectrum and higher audio quality can be provide. The current CDMA systems boast at least three times the capacity of TDMA and GSM systems. The fact that CDMA shares frequencies with neighboring cell towers allows for easier installation of extra capacity, since extra capacity can be achieved by simply adding extra cell sites and shrinking power levels of nearby sites. CDMA technology also allows lower cell phone power levels (200 kilowatts) since the modulation techniques expect to
deal with noise and are well suited to weaker signals. The downside to CDMA is the complexity of deciphering and extracting the received signals, especially if there are multiple signal paths (reflections) between the phone and the cell tower (called multi path interference). As a result, CDMA phones are twice as expensive as TDMA phones and CDMA cell site equipment is 3-4 times the price of TDMA equivalents.
GSM VS. CDMA: A Technical comparison
Advantages of GSM:
GSM is already used worldwide subscribers. International roaming permits subscribers to use one phone throughout Western
Europe. . GSM is mature, having started in the mid-80s. This maturity means a more stable
network with robust features. CDMA is still building its network. GSM’s maturity means engineers cut their teeth on the technology, creating an
unconscious preference. The availability of Subscriber Identity Modules, which are smart cards that
provide secure data encryption give GSM m-commerce advantages.
Disadvantages of GSM:
Lack of access to burgeoning American market.
Advantages of CDMA include:
Increased cellular communications security. Simultaneous conversations, less call drops, strong network. Low power requirements and little cell-to-cell coordination needed by operators. Extended reach – beneficial to rural users situated far from cells.
Disadvantages of CDMA include:
Due to its proprietary nature, all of CDMA’s flaws are not known to the engineering community for solving.
CDMA is relatively new, and the network is not as mature as GSM. CDMA cannot offer international roaming, a large GSM advantage.
Telecommunication Cycle:
The transmission of the senders ideas to the receiver and the receiver’s feedback or reaction to the sender constitute the telecommunication cycle. The main step of this cycle is as follows;
1. Input: the information or ideas the sender wants to gives the receiver.2. Channel: fax, phone call, electronic mail, etc.
3. Massage: the actual massage that in sent.4. Output: the information the receiver gets.5. Feedback: the receiver’s response (or non-response) to the massage.6. Brain drain: the possibility of misunderstanding at any step.
We can illustrate this cycle with the help of the following illustration:-
ECONOMIC CONDITION OF BANGLADESH
To understand the potential demand for cell phones in Bangladesh, let us look at some of the key Macro-indicators of the country. With a population of nearly 150 million people living in an area slightly larger than the United Kingdom, Bangladesh (total land area 147570 square kilometer) is the most densely populated country in the world, with roughly 1,079 people per square kilometer. More than 80% of its population lives in the rural areas, where two thirds of the population is engaged in agricultural activities. Its standing in the Human Development Index (HDI) remains almost unchanged at 137th position, according to the United Nations Development report released last year.
Bangladesh is also one of the world’s ten poorest countries, with a GDP per capita of USD$ 421 with a lower average of USD$ 171 for rural areas. However, the GDP per capita PPP is USD$ 2,000, with a growth rate of nearly 5% in the last 5 years. It has been often cited that Bangladesh’s low level of income is the main reason for its low level of penetration. In a country such as Bangladesh where the state owned operator, the Bangladesh Telegraph & Telephone Board (BTTB), dominates the landline telephone system and provides poor services and infrastructure, cellular phones tend to be substitute for landlines. According to the year end review of BTRC in 2006, there were approximately 1.5 million fixed line and 17 million mobile subscribers available in the country.
For poor countries and rural areas, it is cheaper to build mobile infrastructure than fixed line communications. In terms of topography, Bangladesh is a flat country where
90% of the country is dominated by alluvial river plains, which does not raise more than 10 meters above sea level. The highest peak is Keokradang (1,230 Meter), 80 K. M. South-West of Chittagong in the Hill Tracts. The flatness facilitates the construction of base stations and improves its coverage area besides reviewing the macro indicators to identify potential demand, consumer demand for Cellular services have also been studied. A case study conducted by the Telecommunications Development Group for the “Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)”, found that there was a consumer willingness to pay for cellular phone services and a significant consumer surplus experienced by the villagers.
BACKGROUND OF AIRTEL TELECOM
ABOUT AIRTEL
The Dhabi Group is a multinational company based in the UAE, which owns and operates a wide range of business concerns that are spread across 3 different continents. It has a diversified business interest in the institutions that have enjoyed commercial success as a result of its strong financial resources and extensive management expertise. The Abu Dhabi Group’s major investments are in the following sectors:
§ Telecommunications § Hospitality services § Property development § Oil exploration and supplies § Banking and financial services § Automobile industries.
Airtel Telecom takes pride in being backed by the Abu Dhabi Group, one of the largest groups in the Middle East and in Pakistan. Airtel Telecom is currently operational in Bangladesh and Pakistan, while it is also setting pace to initiate its operation in Uganda & Congo. Within the markets Airtel is already operating, it has quickly developed a large customer base and established itself as one of the leaders of telecom service sector.
In Bangladesh, Airtel Telecom commenced its operations under a landmark MOU agreed upon by the Dhabi Group and the Government of Bangladesh worth USD 1 billion, out of which USD 750 million was exclusively committed for investment in the telecommunication sector of the country. Succeeding the MOU signing, the BTRC license for telecom service provision was is sued to Airtel Telecom, followed by the signing of interconnectivity agreement with all the existing telecom companies of Bangladesh.
In May 10th, 2007, Airtel Telecom launched its commercial operations in Bangladesh with a network encompassing 26 districts. By November 2007, the network had been expanded to cover 61 districts and being used by 2 million customers. Based on the NGN (Next Generation) network, Airtel Telecom’s operational activities in Bangladesh aim to achieve a new and modern corporate identity, which is congruent with
the dynamic changes taking place in the telecom industry today. With a reflection of a new strategy, our aim is to be perceived not only as a telecommunication operator of voice services, but also as a universal provider of comprehensive communications services for both residential and business customers. The subscriber base of over 2 million users in our first year of operation alone serves as a testament to Airtel telecom’s customer-driven business mandate. These achievements have only been possible due to Airtel’s uncompromising commitment to provide maximum network coverage and clear connectivity at the most affordable price.
VISION
Airtel Telecom’s vision is “To be the leading national communication provider with a strong international presence.” To become the essential communication provider in Bangladesh of high quality voice and innovative data services by offering affordable products and services to all market segments and to become an integral part of their everyday lives.
Establish and sustain as a customer centric organization Provide high quality and innovative communication services, through state of the
art infrastructure and a team of professionals Continuously develop, motivate and empower our people Achieve profitable growth for all our stakeholders
CORE VALUE
Airtel Telecom’s brand values include:
Quality - We want to make a difference to people’s lives. Our optimism is contagious. We are passionate about what we do and we have confidence in ourselves.
Simplicity - For us, clarity comes through simplicity. We recognize that we are people communicating with other people. We are always direct and easy to understand.
Innovation - We constantly look to do things differently and in a better way. We give color to all that we do. We are ready to push the boundaries and take risks.
Honesty - We are always open and honest. We say what we do and we do what we say.
Friendliness - We enjoy working and succeeding together by building close relationships. While we have a sense of purpose; we also have a sense of humor. We consider the needs both of our customers and of each other.
KEY STRENGTHS
The Network
At the corner stone of Airtel Telecom’s operational agenda is ensuring that comprehensive network coverage is provided to all subscribers across all locations. In this context, Airtel Telecom has decided to opt for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) technology for its network in Bangladesh, as it is the global standard for digital cellular telephone service. GSM networks support enhanced data applications and more than 1 billion customers in 109 countries are using this technology. Airtel Telecom would be launching its cellular services based on 900 and 1800 GSM technology, in order to optimize the utilization of frequency, thus ensuring the highest quality and service.
Airtel Telecom’s GSM network is set to cover 61 districts of Bangladesh to ensure that our service can seamlessly reach out to every corner of the country. We are also in the process of fast expanding our nationwide network to cover all thanas by the end of 2007. We are partners with some of the leading vendors in the telecom industry who help in providing the best and the latest network solutions for our businesses. These vendors include cellular giants Ericsson, Nortel, Siemens, Cisco and Huawei.
We have made no compromise on investments required for research and development. With a projected capital expenditure of over US $700 million, Airtel Telecom has been set up to provide a premium quality GSM service, which will reach out to most parts of Bangladesh by the end of 2007.
Our place at the technological frontier
Airtel has pioneered in key technologies which include the following:
Custom-made network for Bangladesh’s environment Congestion-free connectivity in all coverage areas Roll out plan for complete national populated coverage by 200X Future professional network (GPRS compatible and 3G upgraded with soft switch
and media gateway architecture) State of the art IP based contact center and leading data center
Exclusive Customer Care
Our mandate for doing businesses by keeping customers at the forefront is reflected in our ‘one stop’ concept for all your telecom requirements. We have the maximum number of Sales and CustomerServiceCenters countrywide, equipped with cutting edge technologies to ensure that customer needs and demands are catered for in the shortest possible time. Our highly trained and well-groomed team of Customer Service Executives is on hand 24 hours to provide you support in any area- all to make sure that your communication experience with use is facilitated in the smoothest way possible
Best Practices
We believe in a process driven setup with comprehensive business processes covering all our activities. All business processes are ETOM compliant as per accredited international standards.
Innovation
Airtel is committed to providing superior level of professional services to all its customers – before, during and after the deployment of our leading solutions. To accommodate our customer’s demands, we have deployed a state-of-the-art 2.5G EDGE compliant network. There are also innovative services of various standards that cater to a wide spectrum of users.
Policies
Airtel Telecom believes in working with strategic partners and employees for long term relationships. As a consequence of the above Airtel Telecom is looking for the following to deliver its vision: Strategic vendors and partners to assist in rolling out these services in a timely and efficient manner with a focus on turnkey solutions and premium propositions; Strong partners to assist in launching these services and creating effective sales & marketing / business development opportunities for all to operationally and financially gain; Consultants and experts to help deliver this vision; Well rounded employees who wish to become part of this adventure.
MAJOR INVESTMENTS
Bank Alfalah Limited: Fully licensed commercial bank with operation in the major financial areas of Bangladesh. They also have many branch networks in Pakistan.
United Bank Limited: A leading commercial bank in Pakistan with a vast branch network of approximately 1,100 branches including 23 international branches.
Alfalah Exchange Company: Fully licensed exchange company in Abu Dhabi Iranian Sanden Industries PJS Co.: A joint venture with Sanden Singapore to
manufacture car air conditioners in Iran. The project has the capacity to produce up to 300,000 air conditioning units per annum
J.C. Maclean and Co.: Manufacturers of high quality furniture Neo Pharma LLC: Manufacturers of pharmaceutical products
National Telesystems and Services (NTS): A joint Venture with Bin Jaber Group Ltd. and Thales International Middle East Holding S.A.L.
Al Jazira Management Mall: Management joint venture Abu Dhabi Vegetable Oil Company: Manufacturer of edible oils Nama Development Enterprises: Representation of leading companies in the
UAE in the field of oil and gas, engineering, equipment suppliers, consultants etc. Wholly Owned Properties and Companies
Le Royal Meridien Hotel, Abu Dhabi, previously known as the Abu Dhabi Grand Hotel is a 5-star hotel in the heart of Abu Dhabi. It will soon be offering 300 deluxe Rooms, suites and other facilities.
Dhabi Contracting: A special category construction company
Dhabi Drilling Offshore Rig operations in collaboration with Sedco Forex
Al Ain Palace Hotel: A 4-star hotel in Abu Dhabi Enterprises Leasing: Leasing a number of groups and real estate properties across Abu
Dhabi.
BUSINESS STRUCTURE & STRATEGY OF Airtel Telecom
AIRTEL TELECOM TEAM
Mr. Muneer Farooqui
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Muneer Farooqui is the CEO of Airtel Telecom International Ltd. He is holding a Master degree in Computer Science from Preston University, USA. He has professional experience of more than 16 years of continuous advancement and expertise in process re-engineering, CS, sales, international business, product support & systems implementations.
Mr. Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, Ph.D
General Manager HR & Admin
Mr. Mumtaz Ahmad Khan is General Manager Human Resource & Administration in Airtel Telecom International Limited, Bangladesh. He bags over thirty five years of varied and multidimensional experience where his major work association has been with the telecom sector. He is PhD in Human Resource Development (HRD)
Mr. Ashraful H. Chowhdury
General Manager of Govt. & Operator Relations
Mr. Ashraful H. Chowhdury is the General Manager of Government and Operator Relations. Hehas 22 years of experience in Private Sector Business Development, HRD Management & Personnel Administration, Project Management & Corporate Communication, International Marketing and Export Development, ICT & Telecommunication Project Management in South Asia, Europe, Scandinavia, North America and the Caribbean.
Mr. Mahboob Hossain
General Manager, Sales Division
Mr. Mahboob Hossain is leading the Sales Division of Airtel Telecom International Limited. His work experience in telecom sector is around ten years. Prior to joining Airtel, he was heading Direct Sales of the Sales Discipline in Grameenphone. He has also been a part of RANGS Electronics where he was taking care of the operations pertaining to sales and marketing.
Mr. Yasir Ishaq Ansari
Chief Information Officer
Mr. Yasir I. Ansari is the CIO of Airtel Telecom International, Bangladesh. He bags 15 years of Systems Engineering and Management experience in IT and Data networking with “Tier 1” technology firms. Expertise in design, commissioning, policy making and delivery of cost-effective, high performance information technology infrastructures and applications to address complex business problems.
Mr. Amyn Merchant
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Merchant possesses 15 years of long and enriched international financial management experience in various celebrated companies like, Ernst & Young and Advanced Telecom Co – a pioneer prepaid calling card Company, in Saudi Arabia, British Telecom – in Saudi Arabia.
MARKETING DEPARTMENT
Marketing is one of the core departments of any Telecom industry. Marketing consists of five divisions
Marketing
Segmentation and Strategy Marketing
Finance Marketing
Communications Marketing
Operations Loyalty
Each of above divisions consists of sections
Segmentation and
Strategy Division
Marketing Operations
Division
Marketing
Communications
Division
Masses Segment
Retail Operations
ATL
Youth Segment
New City Launches
Artworks designing
Female Segment
BTL
Postpaid Segment
Collaterals
Prepaid Segment
Event
Loyalty Division Marketing Finance Division
Sales Records Signing CEO notes
Issues related to payments
Preparing PRs
Keeping financial records
Segmentation and Strategy Division
Airtel Telecom has divided its segmentation and strategy division into five segments on the basis of their characteristics. Markets consist of buyers and buyers differ in one or more ways. They may differ in their wants, resources, locations, buying attitudes and buying practices. The core concept behind companies using marketing segmentation concept is to divide large homogeneous markets into smaller segments that can be reached effectively and efficiently with products and services that satisfy needs, wants, desires and trends of certain segment.
Characteristics that govern segmentation and strategy development in Telecom industry specifically mobile services according to a certain segment are
Age Educational background
Gender Income National, regional or other geographical areas of origin Social class Religion Culture Behaviors Population Tele density in area to be segmented
Process Flow in Marketing Department
Develop an idea that would satisfy the above considerations. The idea can be
Development of a product or service; that idea is then shaped in the form of the product or services with the help of Products and Services department, I.T and Engineering departments to develop a product or service.
Event to improve sales, public relations, brand awareness e.g. events such as Kabaddi Takkar Series between Pakistan and India in collaboration of Pakistan Kabaddi Federation, Tape Ball tournament and Concerts.
After getting the idea approved by the authorities by preparing a feasibility report. The next step is to get documentation done for idea conversion costs.
Idea Conversion Costs that note and getting it approved by the authorities. After getting the idea approved will be incurred in converting an idea into reality. This step includes developing a CEO note. CEO note is developed with the help of departments related to the project.
Artworks, TVCs elaborating the ideas are designed by the communications department and then it is forwarded to marketing operations for execution of ideas.
Sections of segmentation and strategy Division
§ Postpaid Segment Section
Postpaid Segment is the one which includes individuals with good income and usage more than that of prepaid customers. Postpaid customers
Pay bill at the end of month depending on the service used. Pay specific amount in line rent every month, no matter they use service or not. Enjoy better range of value added services than prepaid customers. Postpaid Segmentation Section designs marketing activities to better satisfy the
needs of postpaid consumers.
Masses Segment Section
Masses Segment is the biggest segments involving most no of people. Masses segmentation section develops marketing ideas and activities to perform, so that masses customers enjoy maximum benefits. Consumers from masses segments use relatively less. Masses customers
Pay before using the service. Enjoy basic and VAS services Have less brand loyalty in most cases. Ready to switch to other mobile services in case of cheaper services.
Female Segment Section
Importance of role of females cannot be overlooked in this modern era. That’s why Airtel Telecom has also developed females segment as a separate segment. The role of Female segmentation section is to develop ideas that would entertain female population in Pakistan. Currently ongoing “Zem Baton ke committee Campaign” promoted by Bushra Ansari is such an example.
Youth Segment Section
Youth drives a nation; similarly, youth is taken by cellular companies as a segment which can drive other segments as well and affect trends of customers of other segments too. If the youth is targeted in better way, lot of customers can be gained. Airtel Floodlight Tape Ball tournament for youth segment is one of such examples.
§ Corporate Segment Section
Corporate segment is niche segment which can be source of great revenue for organization. Corporate Segmentation section develops idea that can provide maximum support and facilities to their most profitable segment. Ongoing “Black Berry Campaign” is one of its examples. Corporate segments are provided with
Best possible VAS Better rates Security and Network Solutions Corporate Series for employees
Marketing Operations Division
Marketing operations is the part of marketing that is responsible for executing the ideas, turning scraps into whole and giving best possible finishing to the idea. Marketing Operations slogan is “we are those, who execute ideas”. Airtel Telecom has divided its marketing operations division into five parts and each part is responsible for carrying out its related tasks. Everything that is seen in market from retailer facias to wall chalking,
event branding to billboards, pole signs to panels, road branding to posters, banners to flyers, everything is done by operations. Artworks for the marketing collaterals are provided by the marketing communications. Any execution mishandled by operations team can result in failure of great ideas.
Retail Operations Section
Retail operations include branding done at retail shops; that includes facias, availability signs at shops e.g. Easy load Availability. Retail operations is responsible for
Spotting the retail shops Finalizing the terms and conditions for contracting Installing Facias / Retail branding
New City Launches Section
A new city launch refers to the branding or marketing promotions whenever Airtel has launched its service in a new city. The responsibility of this section is to create pre launch hype and attraction once a service is launched. Branding options that are used so often are
City Branding Wall Chalking Shutter Paints Retail Fascia’s Events
BTL (Below the line) Advertising Section
Below the line advertising section of Airtel typically focuses on direct means of communication, most commonly direct mail, e-mail, hoardings, gantries, billboards, pole signs, and traffic signs at prime locations to maximize response rates. Airtel Telecom is a telecom company, so here direct mail and email can’t be used effectively. In case of Airtel Telecom; the focus is on use of
Gantries Billboards Pole signs Sponsoring traffic signs Streamers Hoardings
Marketing Collaterals Section
Airtel focuses a lot on effective use of collaterals to create hype for campaigns and events. Marketing collateral, in marketing and sales, is the collection of media used to
support the sales of a product or service. These sales aids are intended to make the sales effort easier and more effective. Airtel has a well maintained collateral section in marketing operations division that is responsible for following collaterals supporting Airtel promotions and campaigns
Tariffs Flyers Standees Posters Coupons Catalogues Visual aids Web content Brochures Leaflets
Events
Airtel not only participates in events but also organizes such events and activities that highlights its commitment to have good public relations, create brand awareness, taking social responsibilities programs. Instances of such events include Airtel sponsoring OIC IT and Telecom expo and conference 2008, taking part in ITCN 2008. These events include sponsoring and organizing
Marketing communications in Airtel Telecom deals with artworks to be used in BTL & ATL advertising, then its execution and broadcasting in print and electronic media. Above the line is a type of advertising through media such as TV, cinema, radio, print, banners and search engines to promote brands. Major uses include television and radio advertising, web and Internet banner ads.
Marketing Communications division divided into two sub-divisions
ATL Section
The ATL section of marketing communication comprises of team responsible for
Preparing content for —
Artworks of campaigns TVCs MMR Newsletters Press releases for media
Contacting with—
Electronic media including Televisions, websites and webzines for issues related to broadcasting TVCs and sponsorship
Print media including news papers and magazines for placing advertisement of campaigns, giving press releases, sponsoring columns and special information such as sports events, special occasion such as namaz timings, Iftar and sehri timings
Artworks designing to be used in ATL and BTL
The artwork designing section is responsible for providing artworks to be used in ATL and BTL advertising. The artwork designing section
Design artworks itself Outsource artworks to different artworks designing agencies
Marketing Finance Division
Airtel has a division in marketing department that is responsible for financial activities incurred related to marketing promotions, campaigns, and events. It is not a big division; its main purpose is to act as interface b/w marketing and finance departments.
Marketing Finance is responsible for
Signing CEO notes from authorities Preparing PRs Keeping financial records of costs incurred Issues related to payments of vendors as per invoices
Loyalty Division
Loyalty division of Airtel Marketing Department designs marketing programs to benefit the loyal customers that can be prepaid customers, but in most cases Post-paid and Corporate clients. Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior which is potentially in benefit of Airtel. Loyalty benefits can include loyalty card, rewards card, point’s card, advantage card, or club card. Examples of such programs are McDonalds Campaign. Loyalty division is responsible for
Identifying loyal customers Designing marketing programs to benefit the loyal customer
o Keeping up-to-date profiles of loyal customers: their buying records and patterns
Carrying out regular campaigns for the post-paid and corporate clients
SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Business Overview
Airtel has eleven customer care centers around the country located at key locations. These centers are directly run by Airtel itself. Airtel has another 120 franchises spread across Bangladesh, the largest chain of retail outlets in the country, which is further backed up by a chain of sub-franchises, affinity partners & distributors. SIM Cards, Scratch Cards and sometimes mobile sets are sold at these outlets. Bill collection for post paid users and Zem top up for pre-paid users can also be availed at the franchises. These franchises directly appoint dealers and sub-dealers in their designated areas
09 Cox’s Bazar Business CenterHotel Sayeman (Ground Floor) Baharchara,
Cox’sBazar – 4700.
8
CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT OF AIRTEL TELECOM
CORE DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES TO ACHIEVE AIRTEL VISION
Provides effective and accurate front line and back office customer care and support to provide a high quality service:
Researching and resolving customer-highlighted issues and problems. Overseeing direct sales at the CCC (Customer Care Centre) Retain valuable customers for the company as well as generate revenue and
increase company’s profitability. Maintain a management culture of high performance and strong accountability Treat customers with courtesy, respect and consideration at all times
Emergency (Police, Ambulance, Fire brigade) Tk. 2.00
Call conference Standard tariff
Voice Mail Retrieval Standard airtime SUPPORT SERVICES UNIT:
Topics to be covered-
What is SSU Objective of SSU Vision of SSU Mission of SSU Key information Systems in use Charges of various services Bill group Code of conduct Functions of SSU Agent wise performance report Monthly report Name of distributors SSU work flow
What is SSU?
A core unit in CCD which provides all the support to the other units of the department to achieve the objective of the department
Objective:
To provide prompt and effective services to all the Airtel customers in order to achieve their satisfaction.
Vision of SSU:
To participate in company’s growth by satisfying customers needs in order to retain loyal customers and increase subscribers base for company’s profitability.
Mission of SSU:
To support the other units of CCD to work closely as a team and also individually to achieve highest customer satisfaction.
Key information:
Office Hrs of SSU : 10am-6 pm (Sunday-Thursday) Employees:
—14 CCR
—2 for filing
Our Customers
—Internal
—External
Three key functions of SSU
Activation
Fresh Registration
-Pre paid
-Post paid
Re-registration SIM change Itemized Bill Address change Package Migration Region change Transfer of ownership/subscription Security Increase/Decrease Voluntary Termination Temporary Blockage Billing adjustment SIM change VAS
-CLIR (not available)
-CLIP
-Special number selling
-Call Barring from Handset
Communication with customers
Bill related complaints Termination Other issues
Bill Distribution Management
Monitoring Couriers Follow up of courier reports On line reports from courier Handling complaints passed through CL/CCC Verifying courier bills
SSU work flow:
CARELINE, CALL CENTRE
Basic hardware of CallCenter
IVR : Interactive Voice Response (n/a) ACD : Automatic Call Distribution (Ericsson) IP : Internet Protocol (Web Based) (n/a) PABX System (n/a) Extensions: (phone set) Wallboard Display (n/a) Reporting software : Business Phone
Basic Structure of a Call Center
Flow Chart
How customers get Help
Call From Airtel mobiles (786)
Call from any other mobile + Airtel (01678600786) Log on to [email protected]
CREDIT MANAGEMENT UNIT
What is CCM?
It’s an intelligent device
It’s speak of Revenue which is ultimate Goal of the company
Its based on a Credit policy as well as rational judgmental procedure
Basic Guidelines
For entertaining request through Module
Be logical in requesting Entry for release
Analyze on customers payment history
Cautious for requesting release for newly active customer
Please refer back to the supervisor if the due amount is excessively high which shouldn’t be the case as per policy
Some Terminology Used by CMU
Credit Limit : Usual Standard is 125% of Deposit Level
Call Bar : Block Outgoing Calls
Disconnection : Block both outgoing Calls & incoming Calls
Verification Bar : Bar for internal verification purpose
(Strictly advised to refer Supervisor for this case)
Termination : Permanent suspension of service
Module Overview
Log on & Log off
Your activities is tracked by module
Each segment of module will be able to give indication of queries related to service Status.
Execute Credit Action’s (Call bar, /Disconnection) after completion of above activities.
Strictly observe that all activities are as per set Credit Policy of the company.
Reconciliation & verification of all Credit functionalities at every level & ensure all functionalities are in right track as to secure company’s revenue.
Recording of any problems related to Credit actions & adopt appropriate measures.
Ensure that receivable of the company is entered in the billing system timely & accurately.
Performance monitoring of the collecting agent for Airtel Close interaction with Operation Unit & to ensure right indication to them in case
of any irregularities for updating payment. Customers shouldn’t suffer from any wrong /unjustified Credit Action
Monthly reporting to Finance.
Recovery
Ensure all routine follow-up action (At Primary Level – Reminder letters, Secondary reminders- Contact over phone /physical if possible.
Analysis on Recovery Trend & decides on next course of action ( whether legal action can be taken)
Recovery performance report.
Role/involvement with other Department
1) Internal
Sales & Marketing
– Distributor related issues
– Information about New packages / Tariffs
Accountant & Finance
– Payment receipts for Pre and Post paid sales from distributors,
– Technical support regarding network (WAN/LAN / PMO)
PMO is very strict on the company policy to maintain confidentiality of the organization. The aim is to organize the company always on a very smooth flow.
PMO is monitoring the status of every planned program of every department; ensure the requirements fulfilled to meet the challenges to achieve the success for the company.
2) External Banks
ü To monitor the performance of overall collection system for Airtel.
ü Support related with loopholes/discrepancies inherent in the billing/module Design & further customization of module if required.
ü Requisition of new IT products (PCs, Printer, etc)
HR
ü Recruitment /Training/ Leave /Travel/ Compensation
NSS/MSC
ü Network related issues
ü Status in HLR / Provisioning status etc
ü VAS related issues
ü Scratch card recharge problem issues
PMO
ü PMO is very strict on the company policy to maintain confidentiality of the organization. The aim is to organize the company always on a very smooth flow.
ü PMO is monitoring the status of every planned program of every department; ensure the requirements fulfilled to meet the challenges to achieve the success for the company.
THEORIES IMPLEMENTATION AIRTEL TELECOM
IN DEPTH SOWT ANALYSIS
In order to find what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by Airtel Telecom International. How can they increase their market share in Bangladesh Cellular industry?
The SWOT Analysis of Airtel Telecom is given below.
Strengths of Airtel
Weaknesses of Airtel
Superior product quality for customers
Better customer relationship than competitors
Extra features and services Committed and efficient staff Strong financial base Products innovations ongoing Good reputation among customers Good packages according to the
target market Management is rational and
understanding the situation
Low price as compared to quality provided
Less time in market as compared to major competitors
Less coverage as compared to major competitors
Less experienced employees than competitors
“Seth organization” Not able to capitalize on start
Opportunities for Airtel
Threats for Airtel
A developing market Mergers, joint ventures or strategic
alliances Could develop new products Extension to overseas Decline of major competitors Technologically better environment New launches More customers after re launch
Emerging companies in market Unstable political conditions New companies in market High public expectations Low prices of competing brands
LEARNING AS A STUDENT
Duties
This program was designed to accomplish three objectives. These objectives were identified through a closer interaction and exchange of views with the management of CS. The objectives are as follows:
Mystery survey at different mobile operators Business Centers in order to observe the
Overall impression of the Customer Service Representatives (CSRs). To find out the satisfaction level of Airtel Telecom’s subscriber. Compare Airtel with other operators Customer Services.
Target Groups
During my internship I used to visit the following target groups:
Airtel Telecom international limited Grameen Phone Aktel Banglalink City cell
Method of Survey
Based on the topic chosen, my supervisor was assigned me to visit different Business Centers of all the mobile operators to show the current status of their Customer Service Divisions. The prime functions and activities of the Airtel Quality Assurance department is control all the activities of the Customer Service department which includes CentralizedCallCenters, CustomerRelationsCenters, BusinessCenters and Franchises.
Project Planning Questionnaire & Evaluation Form Preparation Train the Surveyor Sampling & Perform the Survey Data Entry & Validation Database completion & Data Analysis
FINDINGS FROM AIRTEL TELECOM
Reception
Most of the cases Greeters are available The Greeters are not welcoming The Queue Machine was not working properly Greeters should be Welcoming & Friendly Training on Greeting & Gesture will help us to achieve maximum service quality
CSR Performance
CSRS are not attentive to the customers and most of the cases more interested in side talking, SMS Checking
There is a significant Lack of Product Knowledge
Attitude of the CSR are not friendly & welcoming The way of Talking of the CSR are failed to ensure good Customer Experience
CSR are not proactive
Immediate Training on Customer Service Etiquette is necessary CSR should stop interacting with each other and should not use Cell phone for
personal use while serving customers
First Contact Resolution
The knowledge level of the complex situation handling are not similar Failed to provide complex queries solution Daily Refreshers on Top Queries will help them to provide more efficient and effective service
Overall Business Center Performance
Banani & Uttara Business Centers’ performed best OverallBusinessCenter service delivery is very late MotijheelBusinessCenter is very uncomfortable due to Temperature and Crowd
Waiting Time is high DhanmondiBusinessCenter is too small so most of the time customers need to
wait outside business center. We can Decorate with plants and arrange some sitting arrangements so that they Can
relax
DhanmondiBusinessCenter is too small so most of the time customers need to wait outside business center.
Decorate with plants and arrange some sitting arrangements so that they can relax while waiting
More AC needs to be setup for comfortable environment as customers need to wait long for service
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
With some changes at higher level including advisor to CEO, G.M Marketing much has improved this year in Airtel Telecom market rating. Airtel Telecom certainly has potential to capture good market and to give tough time to the competitors, but for this at least following steps should be taken
Airtel telecom is offering cheap rates for its prepaid and postpaid customers as compared to its competitors but the main area they are lacking is the way to communicate it to customers.
Seth Culture should be avoided.
Network should be enhanced to much more cities.
There should be consistency of brand ambassadors, jingles, colors and graphics in their print and electronic media ads to create strong brand recognition.
More regional departmentalization should be there, so as to create strong presence and market analysis at regional levels.
More staff to should be hired in some departments to meet the requirements.
There should be more decentralization and employees should be encouraged for their ideas.
Compensation and benefits plans should be revised, as it can be used as a very important tool to create motivation in employees.
