Telecom marketing strategy

Research on Telecom Marketing Strategy

With the development of China's economy, especially after China's entry into WTO, the domestic telecom industry will face the challenge of global communication enterprises. After the split of China Telecom Group, the domestic telecom industry launched fierce competition in the fixed-line field for the first time. How to gain a firm foothold and develop step by step in the fierce market competition is a problem that every telecom company needs to seriously consider and study. As new entrants to the market, in order to survive and develop, we should seriously study the theory and strategy of marketing.

With the continuous progress of science and technology, the traditional production management mode and manufacturing system have made great innovations. The popularization and popularization of computer technology, the wide application of robot technology in production and the improvement of quality control technology all make the production process in a stable, balanced and controllable state. In this way, on the one hand, there is almost no difference in the quality of products produced by various manufacturers, and they are in a state of "homogenization"; On the other hand, the efficiency of the production system has been greatly improved, and the proportion of the cost consumed by the production system to the total cost of products has shown a downward trend, resulting in a situation of low material consumption, low energy consumption, high efficiency and high adaptability. Therefore, in this case, the competition between manufacturers is not only the competition of product form itself, but the competition of additional benefits that product form can provide. As a result, the scope, degree and quality of services, which are the important and main components of additional benefits, have become the main weapons of fierce competition among manufacturers, and hardware products are increasingly dependent on the support of software services.

In addition, from the consumer's point of view, with the development of economy and the improvement of people's income level, the benefits of consuming material products are no longer the main goal pursued by consumers, but the spiritual enjoyment gained in the process of consuming products has leapt to an important level, and service products are increasingly favored by consumers. Product entity and additional interest depend on each other and promote each other, and even additional interest can guide the movement of product entity. Service competition among enterprises has replaced quality competition and price competition and become the main means of market competition.

First of all, service is an important means for modern enterprises to gain market competitive advantage. For consumers, the income (or utility) from purchasing any product in terms of product entity is generally the same, and the only thing that can reflect the difference of the purchased products is the sales service of the products.

Second, service sales is one of the effective ways to thoroughly implement modern marketing concepts. Service is an important part of the additional benefits of products. The quantity and quality of services provided have become an important indicator for consumers to feel the quality of products provided by marketers.

Third, by providing good service, enterprises can get feedback information in time. Companies actively seeking feedback from existing and potential customers find that their close contact with consumers can provide them with a lot of market information and increase their profits.

Fourth, increase the value of products with services. Generally speaking, serving consumers is far more advantageous than answering consumers' inquiries and complaints satisfactorily. Therefore, service can be regarded as having the function of distinguishing products from competitors and increasing the value of products, so that companies can add new sales varieties and increase the possibility of repeated purchases by consumers.

Fifth, the proposal of service marketing has brought great organizational changes to enterprises. An independent customer service organization should be established within the enterprise, in parallel with production and sales. As an independent department, its service function runs through the whole process of product sales, and its service content goes beyond the narrow service category in the past. The concept of service should be implemented in all business activities of enterprises, from product design to after-sales service, and should also be applied in product life cycle strategy. For example, in product design, try to improve the reliability of products, thus reducing the total cost of customers using products. Module design and duplex design are concrete manifestations. At each stage of the product life cycle, the combination of sales activities and service activities can provide different corresponding services for different stages, prolong the product life cycle and improve the marketing effect.

The purpose of marketing is to meet the needs of customers, so we must first understand and analyze the needs of customers, and therefore need to segment the market, and then formulate different marketing strategies according to the needs of each segment and the differences in purchasing behavior. Marketing research is to use scientific methods to collect and sort out relevant marketing strategies purposefully and systematically, analyze and study the sales prospect of a product, and provide important basis for enterprise decision-making. The procedure of market research is to first determine the problems and research objectives, then make research plans and collect information, and then put forward research reports by analyzing information.

Modern marketing concept emphasizes consumer-centeredness, aiming at enabling service providers to enhance service value and meet the objective requirements of consumer behavior diversity and complexity. The diversity of consumption behavior means that different consumers show different consumption behaviors under the influence of consumption demand, motivation, preference, value orientation and situation. Even the same consumer, because of the different sensitivity of consumption experience, will make different consumption decision-making choices in different periods. The complexity of consumer behavior shows that the factors affecting consumer behavior are very extensive and changeable, and the relationship between motivation and behavior is subtle and difficult to grasp. Even the same consumption behavior is likely to be caused by different motives. Different motives have obviously different effects on initiation, maintenance and creation. The same choice may be based on rational thinking or a temporary emotional impulse. Therefore, if we want to develop in the telecommunications industry, we must combine the characteristics of consumers, subdivide the market according to the differences of consumers' needs, desires, consumption behaviors and habits, divide the whole market into multiple consumer groups, and find out the real target customer groups from them in order to expand the market purposefully. According to the characteristics of customers using telecom services, customers in the telecom market can be divided into big customers, private network customers, industry customers, small and medium-sized commercial customers and public users.

The business needs and consumption behaviors of major customers have the following characteristics:

1. Business needs and consumption are large, and it is frequently used.

2. The business locations are relatively concentrated.

3. Demand is inelastic and is less affected by price factors.

4. Customer groups belonging to rational consumption.

The consumption decision-making process of major customers mainly includes the stages of determining demand, market investigation, comprehensive evaluation, use decision, use evaluation and so on.

From the above analysis, it can be seen that telecom operators must be familiar with the decision-making procedures of large customers in order to realize the business consumption behavior of large customers and provide personalized and differentiated services. Meet the various needs of customers for telecommunications services. Because big customers bring obvious benefits to telecom operators, it is the main goal that major operators strive for.

A notable feature of industry customers is that they have vertically managed branches in cities and counties, such as finance, insurance, taxation, industry and commerce, and public security law. The characteristics of business demand and consumption decision-making behavior of industry customers are basically the same as those of big customers. The main difference is that industry customers have a strong demand for data services, especially private line services, due to the needs of business expansion. But also requires high quality of network operation and service. Industrial customers can bring stable and rich income to telecom operators, and have the characteristics of "a little breakthrough and full blossom" in customer marketing, so they have been paid attention to by telecom operators.

The customer base of small and medium-sized businesses is a growing customer base in recent years, and with the development of private economy, the small and medium-sized business groups are increasing day by day, and their contribution rate to GDP is on the rise, which also brings the rapid growth of telecom business demand. However, due to its small scale and low average household flow, it has not been valued by major operators. However, its overall contribution level is not low.

Communication private network is the product of planned economy system and the performance of closed management of large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises. It is the object that traditional telecom enterprises want to merge and transform. However, due to the interests of all parties involved, this idea has been stranded.

Public users are low-end customers in the telecom market. These customers are very sensitive to price, service and network quality, but their contribution to telecom revenue is not high. These customers mainly need local telephone and broadband services. The mode of bundling local telephone and broadband services is an effective marketing method for the public user market. At present, cooperating with developers to operate this market will be the best channel for telecommunications to obtain public users.

Michael. In his classic book Competitive Strategy, Porter proposed an industry structure analysis model, the so-called "five-force model". He believes that five competitive driving forces, namely, the competitive status of the industry, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of customers, the threat of substitute products or services and the threat of new entrants, determine the profitability of enterprises, and points out that the core of the company's strategy should be to choose the right industry and the most attractive competitive position in the industry.

Michael. Porter clearly put forward three strategies. Porter believes that there are three successful strategic ideas in the struggle against five competitive forces, which are: total cost leading strategy, differentiation strategy and specialization strategy. The goals of these strategies make the operation of enterprises in an advantageous position in industry competition: in some industries, this means that enterprises can get higher returns; In other industries, the success of a strategy may only be a necessary condition for enterprises to win absolute meager profits. Sometimes enterprises may pursue more than one basic goal, but Porter thinks this is unlikely to happen. Because the effective implementation of any strategy usually requires all-out efforts and an organizational arrangement to support this strategy.

Porter believes that every company must clearly choose its own strategy, and wandering around will inevitably affect its strategic position. Such companies lack market share and capital investment, thus weakening the capital of "playing low-priced cards". The necessary condition for industry-wide differentiation is to give up efforts on low cost. However, the same problem will also occur if we adopt the specialization strategy and establish differentiated or low-cost advantages in a more limited scope. The companies that wander among them are almost doomed to be difficult to obtain high profits, so they must make fundamental strategic decisions and move closer to the three general strategies. Once the company is in a wandering state, it often takes time and continuous efforts to get rid of this unpleasant state; However, after adopting three strategies one after another, Porter thinks that this is doomed to fail because the conditions they require are inconsistent.

Through market segmentation, identify the target market, customize differentiated products and combination schemes according to the different needs of different customers, maintain precise marketing, highlight differentiated competitive advantages, build business leading advantages, get out of the misunderstanding of pure price competition, and strive to become business leaders.

Product or service differentiation refers to the formation of something unique in the whole industry. There are many ways to realize differentiation strategy, one of which is to design brand image. Ideally, the enterprise is different in several ways. It should be emphasized that the differentiation strategy does not mean that the enterprise can ignore the cost, but at this time the cost is not the primary strategic goal of the enterprise.

If the differentiation strategy can be implemented, it will become a feasible strategy for enterprises to win extraordinary profits in the same industry. Although its form and cost are different, it can establish a favorable position to deal with the five competitive forces. The differentiation strategy uses customers' loyalty to the brand to reduce their sensitivity to price, so that enterprises can avoid competition and increase profits without pursuing low cost. Customer loyalty and competitors' efforts to overcome this "uniqueness" constitute the conditions for entry barriers. Product differentiation brings higher income, which can cope with the pressure of suppliers and relieve the pressure of buyers. When customers lack choices, their price sensitivity is not high. Finally, enterprises that win customer loyalty by adopting differentiation strategy are in a more favorable position than other competitors in the face of the threat of substitutes.

Brand is an important intangible asset of an enterprise. The key factor to promote this asset is brand image. Brand image is consumers' overall perception and view of the brand. And then influence and determine people's brand purchase and consumption behavior.

Brand competition is the highest competition in the field of marketing, and brand consumption is mature consumption, which is not only reflected in the product market, but also in the service market. At present, China telecom market has entered the era of brand competition. It has become the goal of all operators to transform technology, network and scale into brand advantages, thus forming core competitiveness and improving customer loyalty.

Brand marketing is not only the promotion of names and slogans, but more importantly, how to improve users' awareness of products and services. Being a brand depends not only on advertising, but also on the comprehensive quality of its own business, service, network and marketing, so that people around it can feel it, such as users, equipment suppliers, investors and media. The core of brand marketing is to show users the competitive advantage of the company and convey the core value of the brand through marketing.

To be satisfied with a brand, users need to meet the following conditions: the product itself can meet the basic needs of users, the product quality is excellent, they feel comfortable and convenient when buying the product, they can enjoy the use of the product and bring value to customers. As a telecom product, the consumption process is the production process of telecom operators. This requires telecom operators not only to provide reliable and high-quality networks, but also to meet their services and services. Therefore, quality is the life of the brand and service is the soul of the brand. Without high-quality quality and perfect service, the brand is like "passive water" and loses its fundamental foothold. Brands can increase the added value of products. Many users buy a company's products at a high price because its brand embodies excellent quality and perfect service.

The implementation of brand marketing strategy has created a new situation of Jining telecom marketing. A key factor for the smooth expansion of Jining Telecom market is that Jining Telecom has inherited the brand and goodwill of "China Telecom". Many customers use Jining Telecom's business because they trust and recognize the brand of "China Telecom". Because in customers' minds, the brand of "China Telecom" is a symbol of leading technology and service.

Implementing brand marketing strategy can improve the pride of company employees. After decades of publicity and promotion, the brand of "China Telecom" has been deeply rooted in people's hearts. It is not only a powerful conquest of customers, but also the core of the company's employee cohesion. Every telecom employee is proud of owning such a well-known brand and is willing to work hard to maintain its good reputation.

Implementing brand marketing strategy is the need to shape the core competitiveness of Jining Telecom. In the final analysis, the competition of enterprise products is brand competition. Therefore, establishing a good brand image to shape the core competitiveness of enterprises is the constant pursuit goal of Jining Telecom.

When a single brand is unconvincing, a joint brand can better reflect the quality of its own business. Brand alliance means that one or both sides of the brand in the alliance try to gain the commitment of the other side in order to improve their position in the market.

World-famous brands often better promote their products and brands through cooperation between the two parties. For example, United Airlines and Starbucks Coffee cooperated to provide standard services of Starbucks coffee on the plane-original and intoxicating Starbucks CD, special cups and uniform colors, which made many Starbucks supporters more willing to fly on United Airlines' plane. Starbucks also turned many passengers who were not familiar with Starbucks coffee into Starbucks supporters through United Airlines.

To do a good job in the daily management of the brand and implement the brand marketing strategy determined by the management, we must do the following work.

1. Strengthen marketing planning and analysis. Every year (quarter, month), the company should make a marketing plan, define the promotion purpose and focus of each stage, and do a good job of analysis, such as competitor analysis, market cost analysis of various businesses, channel implementation, etc.

2. Choosing the appropriate promotion method, advertising, promotion, public relations or business promotion, should be determined according to the competition and different businesses. Companies can cooperate with advertising companies and operate their own brands with the help of external forces. Advertising companies can not only help us to arrange the schedule, but also provide value-added services such as expedited arrangement, media monitoring and competitive brand advertising strategy analysis.

3. Do a good job in the daily training of marketing personnel to improve their ability to adapt to the work.

A famous economist in China once pointed out: "Market competition is product competition, product competition is quality competition, and quality competition is often achieved through brand competition. Therefore, the brand is the credit of the enterprise, the foundation on which the enterprise depends, and the comprehensive performance of the enterprise's ability in the competitive environment of the socialist market economy. Famous brands not only have great market development power, but also have strong people's conquest power. Once the hearts of consumers are conquered, famous brands can occupy the market for a long time. " Recalling this sentence, we have a deeper understanding of the importance and long-term nature of brand marketing. Only by doing a good job in brand marketing can we ensure that the brand is evergreen and the enterprise is outstanding. The vitality of differentiated brand marketing is longer.

With the change of competition form in domestic telecom industry, industry profits and product prices have been in a downward trend. How to maintain good corporate profits and avoid price wars in market competition is a key issue for operators. Differentiated pricing is a strategy that can improve competitiveness, avoid price war and improve enterprise profits in competition.

The price differentiation in the telecommunications industry can be divided into four ways: one is to directly reduce the tariff standard, the other is to implement preferential treatment in the network, the third is to rent/give away communication terminals, and the fourth is the tariff package. Different telecom services are bundled differently to meet the actual needs of different users and reduce the tariff standards of various services.

On the premise of fully considering the price sensitivity of customers, combined with the ability of Jining Telecom Company to have a variety of telecom services, we can formulate a bundling pricing strategy and realize differentiated pricing, which not only avoids a simple price war with competitors, but also promotes business growth with our superior services and can improve customer loyalty.

The cruel competition reality tells us that in the fierce market competition, the scale and technological advantages of enterprises are no longer the core competitiveness of enterprises, and the competition between operators will eventually be the competition of services and brands. Jining Telecom will adhere to the service concept of "dedicated service, customer first" of the group company, hold high the banner of "China Telecom", lead the new service trend of Jining Telecom market, and truly provide personalized and differentiated services for customers. Natural selection, survival of the fittest, I believe that Jining Telecom will constantly improve itself in the melting pot of market competition, gradually grow into the main force of Jining Telecom market, and provide thoughtful and satisfactory services for Jining telecom customers.