Telecoms Research

How We've Helped Telecoms Companies

In such a highly competitive and crowded market place the consumer faces a great number of choices, whether they’re looking for a new device, service provider or content. Along with the complexity of choice, consumers approach decisions in different ways. For example, those who are less enthusiastic about a particular category are likely to be more reactive to offers and advice, and less inclined to shop around; whereas those who are more engaged are likely to relish the purchase process, and will take more time investigating all the options. Understanding the prevailing mindsets of consumers in the category empowers brands to optimise the most relevant consumer touchpoints.

Suppliers also need to understand the motivations driving these decisions. For example, whether a consumer needs to switch service provider for a cheaper tariff, or really desires a particular brand of device. Understanding the balance between rational and emotional connections in service and product choice, enables brands to better communicate their proposition to appropriate audiences.

In short we provide device manufacturers, service providers and content developers with a clear understanding of what’s shaping consumer behaviour, enabling them to develop successful product/service development and communication strategies.

Read our Telecoms case studies

Some examples of how we have helped Telecoms companies

Assessing the effectiveness of a rebranding exercise

Following a merger, a B2B telecoms service provider wanted to establish a new brand personality so brand positioning research was carried out. Brand footprints, based on decision makers’ needs, were drawn up. From the footprints the extent to which providers shared or had unique positions was shown.
Subsequently, our client’s position in the market, against its competitors, is regularly tracked.

Customer retention in mature and competitive markets

In a completive environment, with increasing price erosion, our client wanted to defend its position by having a strong service proposition.
By monitoring its performance in a number of countries, on how its different touchpoints impacted on customer loyalty, it has been able to prioritise initiatives that will strengthen the rational, emotional and intentional connections with its customers.

Understanding the behaviour of early adopters

Our client had successfully launched a mobile broadband service in several European countries and wanted to understand the experiences of its early users and the early users of competing services.
The aim of the research was to use this feedback to position their service and offer enhancements to wider market to break out beyond the early adopters. Each country was different with regard to consumers’ needs, thus positioning, although some of the device enhancements proposed were attractive across all countries.

Purchase journeys when acquiring a mobile handset

Across most countries the majority of consumers who are in the market for a new device are experienced users, and not in the market for the first time, thus have some experience of the category. The strength of influence of the different touchpoints along the purchase journey may confirm or change brand consideration up to the point of purchase.
This research tracked, on a longitudinal basis, in both developing markets such as India and developed markets such as the US, an individual from pre-purchase intentions through to post-purchase actuality. This enabled our client to develop different strategies in recognition of the influences of the different touchpoints.

Market sizing

We have a wealth of experience in market share and sizing projects for mobile and fixed line service providers, among consumers and businesses, using bespoke or syndicated studies.

Keeping the product portfolio and service offering fresh

Our research was used by a handheld mobile device manufacturer to feed into its product and services portfolio development to cover all segments of the consumer market. This ranged from those who wanted just a basic entry level device, those who wanted an unbeatable multi-media experience, those looking for something “shiny” but not too fussy about using high-end features and functions, and those who wanted something more, that did the job well.
This was a multi-country, multi-mode quantitative study, that initially involved some up-front qualitative research across a number of regions.