Service Marketing Mix and Customer based Brand Equity in Mobile Telecom Industry in Bangladesh : A Study on Rajshahi District

Abstract

Mobile telecom industry in Bangladesh becomes vibrant with a strong base of subscribers in recent years. But, average revenue per user (ARPU) being very poor with the lowest in the Asia Pacific region, unbending competition, high spectrum price being one of the highest in the world, high price of android mobile hand-set, price of non-voice services beyond affordability for a major portion of service recipients becomes challenging factors in terms of sustainability for the mobile operators and road to digital Bangladesh in connecting the globalized world. This condition led the researcher to work with the field; specifically aimed at investigating the relationship between Service Marketing Mix (SMM) and Customer-based Brand Equity (CBBE) followed by the influence of sources in measuring CBBE or customer mindset. The research tried to identify the key factors or elements of SMM with the degree to what extent they influence the dimensions of CBBE to increase brand equity for the mobile operators. The study also investigated to identify the significant factors of each source of CBBE with the degree to what extent they influence overall CBBE that set the platform to increase brand equity (financial brand value) for the operators in mobile telecom industry in Bangladesh with reference to Rajshahi district. The research is descriptive in nature and used mixed (quantitative and qualitative) approach to draw meaningful results of the study objectives. The study conducted at Rajshahi district in Bangladesh. This sampling area is selected purposively for the convenience of collecting data which is treated as very significant for the quality outcome of a study. Again, consumer behavior in using mobile telecom services and the marketing practices of mobile operators at Rajshahi district comparing to other districts (urban to urban, semi-urban to semi-urban, and rural to rural) in Bangladesh are homogeneous in nature with very little exception. So, there would be no problem in generalizing and replicating the study in other districts of Bangladesh. For the study, three (3) areas namely Rajshahi sadar upazila,----