The mobile telephony industry in India is growing rapidly with over 50 million subscribers by 2005 and projected to exceed 300 million by 2010. Key factors driving growth include falling mobile handset prices making them affordable for most consumers. Major players in the industry include Airtel, Reliance, Idea Cellular, and Tata Indicom providing services using GSM and CDMA technologies. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regulates the industry and promotes conditions for growth while maintaining fair competition between providers.

1. A
STUDY
ON
CUSTOMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS
Submitted in the partial fulfillment in Bachelor of Business Administration
Submitted To: Submitted By:
Ms. Rasna Pathak
Project Guide Roll no. 94532451177
BBA 6th SEM
GNA Institute of Management & Technology
(Affiliated from PTU)
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2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to take an opportunity to thank all the people in collecting the
necessary information and making of the report. I am grateful to all of them for
their time and wisdom.
My project becomes a reality only because of cooperation of many people who had
helped me in completing this project. I sincerely extend my gratitude to Ms Rasna
Pathak who has given me this golden opportunity to have an insight in the
corporate world and who has been a source of guidance and support.
Sameer Thakur
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3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Title Page 1
 Bonafide Certificate 2
 Declaration 3
 Acknowledgement 4
 Chapter 1 Industry and company profile
1.1 Industry profile 5
1.2 Company profile 6
-AIRTEL logo 7
-Bharati’s vision 8
-Bharati’s Mission 9
1.2.1 Network of AIRTEL 9
1.2.2 AIRTEL broadband 11
1.2.3 Organizational structure 14
1.2.4 Promotional strategies 16
1.2.5 AirTel: Appropriating the value of 'expression' 17
1.2.6 Milestone of Company 21
1.2.7 Awards 24
 Chapter 2 Review of Literature
2.1 Review of Literature 29
2.1(a) what is customer satisfaction 29
2.1(b) why is it important 30
2.2 Objectives 31
2.3 Limitations 33
 Chapter-3 Research Methodology
3.1 Research Methodology 34
3.1 Research Design 34
3.2 Sampling Design/Techniques 35
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4. 3.3 Data collection methods 35
3.4 Statistical tools used 37
 Chapter 4 Analysis and Interpretation
4.1 Analysis and Interpretation 39
4.1.1 Table and chart showing the opinion on signaling at their area 39
4.1.2 Table and chart showing the opinion on customer care services 40
4.1.3 Table and chart showing the opinion on customer care 41
employee’s response to customer’s questions
4.1.4 Table and chart showing whether customers use INTERNET 43
services
4.1.5 Table and chart showing opinion on INTERNET services 45
4.1.6 Table and chart showing number of times customers log into 45
internet per day
4.1.7 Table and chart showing rating for internet speed 45
4.1.8 Table and chart showing Maximum recharge per month 46
4.1.9 Table and chart showing whether offers are used by customers 47
4.1.10 Table and chart showing offers used by customers 48
4.1.11 Table and chart showing opinion on offers used by customers 49
4.1.12 Table and chart showing up to date with current offers 50
4.1.13 Table and chart showing whether they used other network 50
Connection other than AIRTEL
4.1.14 Table and chart showing opinion on AIRTEL compared to 50
other connection
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5.  Chapter-5 Findings, Suggestions & Conclusion
5.1 Findings 51
5.2 Suggestions 51
5.3 Conclusion 51
Annexure 52
-Questionnaire 52
Bibliography 53
CHAPTER-1
INDUSTRY & COMPANY
PROFILE
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6. 1.1 INDUSTRY PROFILE:
Indian mobile telephony market is increasing day by day and there is more To happen with
technological up gradations occurring nearly every day and the ever-increasing demand for
easier and faster connectivity, the mobile telephony market is expected to race ahead…
India has a fast-growing mobile services market with excellent potential for the future.
With almost five million subscribers amassed in less than two years of operation, India's growth
tempo has far exceeded that of numerous other markets, such as China and Thailand, which have
taken more than five years to reach the figures India currently holds. The number of mobile
phone subscribers in the country would exceed 50 million by 2005 and cross 300million by
2010, according to Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). According to recent strategic
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7. research by Frost & Sullivan, Indian Cellular Services Market, such growth rates can be greatly
attributed to the drastically falling price of mobile handsets, with price playing a fundamental
role in Indian subscriber requirements. Subscribers in certain regions can acquire the handset at
almost no cost, thanks to the mass-market stage these technologies have reached internationally.
The Indian consumer can buy a handset for $150 or less. This should lead to increased
subscribership. This market is growing at an extremely fast pace and so is the competition
between the mobile service providers.
With the presence of a number of mobile telephony services providers including market leaders
like Airtel, Reliance, Idea Cellular, Tata Indicom, Spice Communications etc who are providing
either of the two network technologies such as Global System for Mobile Communications
(GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). In cellular service there are two main
competing network technologies: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Understanding the difference between GSM and CDMA
will allow the user to choose the preferable network technology for his needs. Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM) is a new digital technology developed by the European
community to create a common
mobile standard around the world. It helps you achieve higher sall capacity and better speech
quality and one can enjoy crystal clear reception on ones mobile phone. It automatically solves
the problem of eavesdroping on ones calls.
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) describes a communication channel access principle
that employs spread spectrum technology and a special coding scheme (where each transmitter is
assigned a code). It is a spread spectrum signaling, since the modulated coded signal has a much
higher bandwidth than the data being communicated. CDMA is the current name for mobile
technology and is characterized by high capacity and small cell radius. It has been used in many
communication and navigation systems, including the Global Positioning System and the
omnitracs satellite system for transportation logistics.
The Company’s wireless network runs on a GSM technology. The mobile telephony services
providers Airtel, Vodafone (Formerly Hutch), have been competing aggressively for their market
share with MTNL, Tata Indicom, Reliance and Idea Cellular entering into the foray, this tussle
has only become more tough. With major market share in the hands of the likes of Reliance,
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8. Airtel, Vodafone (Formerly Hutch), Idea Cellular the others have been finding it difficult to
compete in the market.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI) has been playing an important role in
keeping a watch on these existing players and bringing new environment as well as policies and
reforms for these Mobile Telephony Service Providers and permitting them to provide mobile
telephony services including permission to carry its own long distance traffic within their service
area without seeking an additional license. TRAI’s mission is to create and nurture conditions for
the growth of telecommunications including broadcasting and cable services in the country in a
manner and at a pace which will enable India to play a leading role in the emerging global
information society. The service providers are free to provide, in its service area of operation, all
types of mobile services including voice and non-voice messages, data services and PCO’s. The
Operators would be required to pay a one-time entry fee. The basis for determining the entry fee
and the basis for selection of additional operators would be recommended by the TRAI. Apart
from the one time entry fee, operators would also be required to pay license fee based on a
revenue share. It is proposed that the appropriate level of entry fee and percentage of revenue
share arrangement for different service areas would be recommended by TRAI in a time-bound
manner.
1.2 Company Profile
Telecom giant Bharti Airtel is the flagship company of Bharti Enterprises. The businesses at
Bharti Airtel have been structured into three individual strategic business units (SBU’s)
1) mobile services
2) broadband and telephone services (B&T)
3) enterprise services
The Mobile services group provides GSM mobile services across India in 23 telecom circles,
while B&T business group provides broadband & telephone Services in 94 cities. The Enterprise
Services group has two sub-units –carriers (long distance services) and services top corporates.
All these services are provided under the AirTel brand Airtel comes to you from Bharti Tele-
Ventures Limited - a part of the biggest private integrated telecom conglomerate, Bharti
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9. Enterprises. A consortium of giants in the telecommunication business. In it's six years of pursuit
of greater customer satisfaction, AirTel has redefined the business through marketing
innovations, continuous technological up gradation of the network, introduction of new
generation value added services and the highest standard of customer care.
Bharti is the leading cellular service provider, with an all India footprint covering all 23 telecom
circles of the country. It has over 25million satisfied customers.
Cellular telephony was introduced in India during the early 1990s. At that time, there were only
two major private players, Bharti (Airtel) and Essar (Essar) and both these companies offered
only post-paid services. Initially, the cellular services market registered limited growth.
Moreover, these services were mostly restricted to the metros. Other factors such as lack of
awareness among people, lack of infrastructural facilities, low standard of living, and
government regulations were also responsible for the slow growth of cellular phone services in
India.
Although the cellular services market in India grew during the late 1990s (as the number of
players increased and tariffs and handset prices came down significantly) the growth was rather
marginal. This was because the cellular service providers offered only post-paid cellular services,
which were still perceived to be very costly as compared to landline communications.
Following this realization, the major cellular service providers in India, launched pre-paid
cellular services in the late 1990s. The main purpose of these services was to target customers
from all sections of society (unlike post-paid services, which were targeted only at the premium
segment).
The Airtel Logo
The Airtel logo is a strong, contemporary and confident symbol for a brand that is always ahead
of the rest. It is a specially drawn wordmark.
The Airtel Image style
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10. It incorporates two solid, red rectangular forms whose counterform creates an open doorway.
The Airtel Typographical style
The title case lettering with its capital 'A' was deliberately chosen to reinforce the brand's
leadership position. The red dot on the letterform 'I' cues Airtel's focus on innovation.. The words
'Express Yourself' are very much part of the brand identity.
Board of Directors
The board of directors of the Company has an optimum mix of executive and non-executive
directors, which consists of two executive and thirteen nonexecutive directors. The Chairman
and Managing Director, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, is an Executive Director and the number of
Independent Directors on the Board is 50% of the total board strength. The independence of a
director is determined on the basis that such director does not have any material pecuniary
relationship with the Company, its promoters or its management, which may affect the
independence of the judgment of a Director. The board members possess requisite skills,
experience and expertise required to take decisions, which are in the best interest of the
Company.
The composition of the Board is as under:
· Sunil Bharti Mitta l
· Rajan Bharti Mitta l
· Akhil Gupta
· Rakesh Bharti Mitta l
· Chua Sock Koong
· N. Kumar
· Kurt Hellstrom
· Donald Cameron
· Paul O'Sullivan
· Pulak Chandan Prasad
· Bashir Abdulla Currimjee
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11. · Ajay La l
· Arun Bharat Ram
· Francis Heng
Bharti’s Vision
By 2010 Airtel will be the most admired brand in India:
· Loved by more customers
· Targeted by top talent
· Benchmarked by more businesses
We at Airtel always think in fresh and innovative ways about the needs of our customers and
how we want them to feel. We deliver what we promise and go out of our way to delight the
customer with a little bit more
Bharti’s Mission
To be globally admired for telecom services that delight customers.
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12. We will meet global standards for telecom services that delight customers
through:
• Customer Service Focus
• Empowered Employees
• Cost Efficiency
• Unified Messaging Solutions
• Innovative products and services
• Error- free service delivery
Network of Airtel
Cellular Service
Airtel Completes Its 23 Circle All India Footprint Airtel now connects India from the Indus to
the Indian Ocean and from Sabarmati to the Brahmaputra on a network of more than 10,000 base
stations with cumulative investments of more than Rs. 16,000 crores.
Internet infrastructure
Our Internet backbone involves state of the art high-end routers and switches as maydeployed on
the best networks across the world to offer you reliable service of unmatchedquality. Three years
back we had established satellite based gateway for internet access.
This was the first gateway by a private operator. Now we have established our fibregateway on
Network i2i, first private submarine cable owned by us and SingTel.
Fixed line infrastructure
Our high quality fibre-based, fixed line networks in Delhi, Haryana, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Chahattisgarh ,intensively covers the most
prominentcommercial and business districts in the country. We provide the power of last mile
fixedline network to bring end-to-end voice and data solutions.
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13. Long distance infrastructure
Our 25,000 km advanced fibre-optic cable long distance network covers India's top 200cities.
And it powers the services of India's leading private telecom service providers -cellular, fixed
line and internet through Our Long Distance Services.
Submarine cable
We have partnered with SingTel to create the world's largest submarinecable system- Network
i2i with 8.4 Tbps capacity. This 3200 km undersea cable structure stretches from Chennai to
Singapore and thereon to Tier-1 carriers on SingTel's capacity on 175,000 km of cables. The
huge capacity on network i2i is distributed locally in India through our 25,000 km of advanced
fibre-optic domestic long distance backbone, providing unprecedented capacity, speed &
reliability.
Technology
In no other service or business technology is such a major factor. Sales and marketing arefutile
without a sound technological base. Hence we analyze AirTel on the basis of thisparameter.
Technological facets in cellular services are explained and the level of expertise of bothplayers
stated.
Call set up time
This is the time that it takes a user to get connected after the completion of the dialingprocess.
Presently 8-30 seconds is considered normal set-up time.
AirTels’ call set up time is generally within this range.
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14. Capacity Call congestion
This is the quality of getting calls through even in high user density areas.
AirTel provides better customer satisfaction.
This will enable them to increase their customer base leading to increased revenues inthe
future.Voice Quality and Coverage
It is the clarity of transmission. In city centers this quality is not difficult to maintain.However it
becomes very important when the transmission is being directed to or fromunder ground
locations, from behind tall building and structures, narrow and congestedcity interiors.
AirTel provides better quality in the above mentioned. The reason for this is the
betterinfrastructure and technology.
AIRTEL BROADBAND
Bharti Televentures is the fixed line operator business of Airtel. In the recent branding exercise,
all the services have been offered under the Airtel brand. Data is the next driver for growth. This
is clear to the operators who have belatedly realized the implications for having a pie in all the
segments of telecommunications. Hence Bharti ventured in the broadband market.
However, the main contention in the broadband market is the price offering which includes the
bandwidth costs as well as the cost of laying down the copper wire. Typically, in the mentality of
the profit making exercise, Airtel has so far focused only in those areas where it perceives that a
huge market is present. However, I still hold that their thrust should be in smaller towns and
cities where BSNL would ultimately usurp their potential customer base. It seems that their
fancily paid MBAs haven’t really understood the success of BSNL who focused on the B and C
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15. class cities where it has drawn unparalleled support despite the lousy customer experiences. This
is because of the absence of any other operator.
The current offerings by Airtel does not really enthuse a potential customer who is looking at
sustained data transfer. It is the classic case of having something better than nothing. Add to the
lousy customer care that Airtel is slowly perfecting, it is staffed with people who usually land up
in their jobs with little idea of their job profile. The so-called Tech engineers have often been
unable to help a customer who is facing issues with the connectivity.
Airtel Broadband is powered by DSL technology
DSL provides blazing-fast, secure Internet access and can be delivered to both homes and to
businesses. Delivered right through a regular telephone line, data rates can vary from 128Kb to
8Mb per second depending on the type and cost of the service.
Instant Access
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology provides instant Internet and network access at speeds
up to 50 times faster than a 28.8Kbps modem on a standard analogue phone line. There are no
dial-up delays, no busy signals. What used to take minutes or hours to download, will now take
just seconds or minutes.
Experience Multimedia
With DSL Internet Service you can download graphics-heavy files, large documents, software,
photos, email attachments, and more, instantly. It's perfect for real-time interactive multimedia,
broadcast quality video, distance learning, and video-on-demand. And because DSL Internet
Service sends data and voice over the same line, you can talk on the phone while you are online.
Never Wait!
It's also a service that you don't have to dial into. Just turn on your PC, open a browser, and
you're ready to surf. (No more hearing those annoying beeps and tones, then waiting to be
connected. You're always connected whenever you wish to!). Beyond Internet access, DSL also
has the ability to carry additional phone lines and entertainment services using the same pair of
wires. High-speed Internet access through DSL, changes your Internet experience perceptibly.
Services
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16. Airtel brings you a host of exciting features ranging from facilities like Online tests, In touch and
Video Surveillance Solutions to trouble shooting devices like, Net Expert and Web Jockey.
· Video Surveillance Solutions – Airtel allows you to control your business, 24x7. Observe your
office, warehouse, shop and staff from your PC, from anywhere and all the time.
· In touch – Airtel allows you to create and share your precious moments with your loved ones
with In Touch. It’s a great way to reach out to your loved ones who are far away.
· NetXpert - NetXpert, India’s first ever automated Broadband care
technology which provides immediate solutions for Internet connectivity related problems.
· Online Tests - Airtel Broadband Services and TCY Online offer you online competitive tests
for GRE, GMAT, SAT and MBA, from the comfort of your home.
· WiFi - Wifi is a wireless technology brand by the Wifii Alliance that gives you a host of
fantastic advantages ranging from reliability to security. The simple installation procedure gives
you access to unsurpassed performance instantly.
Wireless Internet
Wireless Internet includes :
1. Data Card
2. Usb Modem
Data Card
Airtel Data Card is the superior PC Data Card solution which delivers wireless internet
capabilities to laptops and notebooks, by providing EDGE and GPRS technologies in a single PC
Card package. On an EDGE network, Airtel Data Card enables connection to the Internet using
EGPRS. In areas where EDGE services are not available, the Airtel Data Card still enables
reliable and secure data connections over GPRS. Airtel Data Card opens up the true world of
wireless internet and is an ideal companion for a mobile professional, enabling Internet, Email,
and Office applications with real-time secure VPN access to corporate applications whilst on the
move. Anytime, Anywhere Connectivity!
Features
· Quad-band radio card suitable for use on EGRPS/GPRS/GSM networks worldwide PTCRB
compliant.
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17. · Compatible with most notebooks providing a Type II PC-Card slot and utilizing Microsoft
Windows Operating Systems.
· Supports IPSec client software for end-to-end secure corporate data exchange and
synchronization over VP.
· NDIS compatible.
Usb Modem
Airtel USB Modem is the superior PC solution delivering wireless internet capability to laptops
and notebooks by providing EDGE and GPRS technologies in a single PC Card Package.
On an EDGE network. Airtel USB Modem enables connection to the Internet using EGPRS. In
areas where EDGE services are not available , the Airtel USB Modem enable reliable secure data
connections over GPRS. Airtel USB Modem opens up the true world of mobile wireless internet
and is the ideal companion for the mobile professional, enabling Internet and Email whilst on the
move. Anytime- Anywhere Connectivity!
Features
· Suitable for use on EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks.
· EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 10
· External Antennae
· ETSIAT Command Interface
· Compatible with Windows 2000, XP
· Data Interface : USB 2.0
· Data, Voice, SMS Phonebook
Benefits
This Remarkable service virtually converts the whole of India in Wireless
hot spot.
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18. ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
Partners
The company has a strategic alliance with SingTel. The investment made by SingTel is one of
the largest investments made in the world outside Singapore, in the company. The company’s
mobile network equipment partners include Ericsson and Nokia. In the case of the broadband
and telephone services and enterprise services (carriers), equipment suppliers include Siemens,
Nortel, Corning, among others. The Company also has an information technology alliance
with IBM for its group-wide information technology requirements and with Nortel for call center
technology requirements. The call center operations for the mobile services have been
outsourced to IBM Daksh, Hinduja TMT, Teletech & Mphasis.
Corporate Governance
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19. Bharti Airtel Limited firmly believes in the principles of Corporate Governance and is
committed to conduct its business in a manner, which will ensure sustainable, capital-efficient
and long-term growth thereby maximising value for its shareholders, customers, employees and
society at large. Company’s policies are in line with Corporate Governance guidelines prescribed
under Listing Agreement/s with Stock Exchanges and the Company ensures that various
disclosures requirements are complied in ‘letter and spirit’ for effective Corporate Governance.
During the financial year 2003-04, your Company was assigned highest Governance and Value
Creation (GVC) rating viz. ‘Level 1’ rating by CRISIL, which indicates that the company’s
capability with respect to creating wealth for all its stakeholders is the highest, while adopting
sound Corporate Governance practices.This rating was re-affirmed by CRISIL on April 20,2006
PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY
After the liberalization of the Indian Telecom Sector in 1994, the Indian cellular market
witnessed a surge in cellular services. By 2005, there were a total of 12 players in the market
with the five major players being Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited (Bharti), Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL), Hutchinson-Essar limited (Hutch), Idea Cellular limited (Idea) and Reliance India
Mobile (RIM) (Refer Exhibit I).
All the players except RIM offered services based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM)
technology. RIM provided services based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)
technology as well as GSM. .
As competition in the telecom arena intensified, service providers took new initiatives to woo
customers. Prominent among these were - celebrity endorsements, loyalty rewards, discount
coupons, business solutions and talk time schemes. The most important consumer segments in
the cellular industry were the youth segment and the business class segment. The youth segment
was the largest and fastest growing segment and was therefore targeted most heavily by cellular
service providers.
Bharti Tele-Ventures adopted celebrity endorsement as its chief promotional strategy. By 2004 it
emerged the unprecedented leader commanding the largest market share in the cellular service
market. (Refer Exhibit II). Hutch implemented the celebrity endorsement strategy partially,
relying primarily on its creative advertising for the promotion of its brand. BSNL, on the other
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20. hand, attracted the consumer through its low cost schemes. Being a state owned player, BSNL
could cover rural areas, and this helped it increase its subscriber base. Reliance was another
player that cashed on its innovative promotional strategies, which included celebrity
endorsements and attractive talk time schemes. Idea, relied heavily on its creative media
advertising sans celebrities.
AirTel: Appropriating the value of 'expression'
Over the last couple of years, the market has grown considerably, with deeper penetration and
wider usage of voice and data services, accompanied by much higher competitive intensity,"
Atul Bindal, chief marketing officer, Bharti TeleVentures, expands on this. "In this context,
differentiating merely on network, coverage and SMS is just not enough. You need to go beyond
all the rational identifiers - which are prerequisites in any case - and connect at a deeper level.
We needed a strong differentiator in an increasingly commoditized and crowded market. We
found this differentiator in a core human truth that defines our category - which is that there are
moments when you need to make your point, when you need to be heard. Expressing and
communicating are perhaps two of the most basic emotions. AirTel enables you to make your
point in the most expressive way, anytime, anywhere. The campaign is towards owning this
through 'Express yourself.' We believe 'Express yourself' allows us to connect at a deeper
level and create a long-term platform for the brand." For AirTel, the challenge also lay in
presenting a unified 'face' to the consumer. This assumes significance when viewed in the light
of the company's pre- and post-paid communication, which, in the past, had been treated very
differently. Brand image, as a result, was being driven in two different dimensions. "Brand
AirTel is a category leader straddling completely different market segments such as consumer,
business and corporate, as well as different voice, data and payment platforms," says Bindal.
"'Express yourself' enables the brand to unify and connect across the entire base of our existing
and prospective customers."One of the most obvious benefits of owning a property such as
'candid expression' (and 'Express yourself') is the expansive nature of the thought. "The moment
you have as broad a canvas as 'Express yourself', it becomes easy for anyone working on the
brand to come up with new ideas and executions. That's what makes a good campaign idea,"
observes Rediff's Prashant Godbole, who, along with creative partner Zarvan Patel, conceived
the campaign. This is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg, Patel adds. "We will be taking the
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21. idea forward in many different ways in the forthcoming work," he informs. Patel also credits his
creative team for "fleshing out the idea"
In October 2002, Magic led the market, with 30% of the market share. Bharti claimed that its
strategies were one of the most ambitious experiments ever in the Indian pre-paid cellular
telephony market. However, given the increasing competitive pressure, doubts were being
expressed regarding the ability of Bharti's marketing initiatives to help Magic retain its 'Magic' in
the future
AirTel launches VQE (Voice Quality Enhancer) for the first time in Kolkata
Introducing VQE (Voice Quality Enhancer) for the first time in Kolkata. VQE is a revolutionary
new system that spectrally reduces background noise. It eliminates acoustic echo, adjusts speech
levels in both directions and does away with low or distorted speech so that every word of your's
can be heard clearly, wherever you may be speaking from.
The VQE technology has been sourced from Tellabs of USA, world leaders in Voice Quality
technology. Some of the prominent GSM operators using Tellabs solution in the world are
SingTel, Bell South, Telstra, BT Cell etc. The Tellabs noise reduction technology removes high
background noise from the wireless side of the call thus delivering near wireline clear call
quality on mobile phones. The Tellabs 3000 series of voice-quality enhancement echo
technology also eliminates the complexity of acoustic echo generated by digital mobiles and
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22. hands free kits.
So go ahead. Express yourself and feel the difference on Kolkata's only Non-Stop 2.5G Network
AIRTEL NEWS
• Bharti Airtel inks USD 400 million network expansion contract with NOKIA
• Bharti Airtel limited: Q2 cash profit exceeds Rs. 1,600 crores, PBT crosses Rs. 1,000
crores.
• Bharti Airtel is amongst India’s Most Admired Knowledge enterprises in 2006.
• Sunil Bharti Mittal receives ‘The Honorary Fellowship’ from IETE.
• Notice of postal ballot for seeking consent of the shareholders on scheme of
amalgamation of Satcom Broadband Equipments Limited and Bharti Broadband Limited
with Bharti Airtel Limited.
• Bharti Airtel to Observe Silent period from October 1, 2006.
RAHMAN TUNE CROSSES AIRTEL’S EXCLUSIVITY BARRIER
Cellular service provider AirTel seems to have hit the right note with its new commercial
starring musician A R Rahman. The commercial which is currently on air has a beat which also
doubles up as a ringtone which is ostensibly available only to AirTel users. But the interesting
part is that the ringtone is being flaunted not just by AirTel customers but by customers of rival
service providers like BPL, Orange and Dolphin as well!
“We did expect the tune to catch up but this has really exceeded our expectations,” admits Bharti
Cellular’s chief marketing officer (western region) Pratik Pota. Overall, he explains, it is a great
advertising product for AirTel and works like a “walking, talking brand ambassador.”
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23. The ringtone which is also the jingle for AirTel’s TV commercial, is proving to be a potent
advertising tool for the company. It is not very clear what this means for the other cellular
operators. Cellular users have been “forwarding” the tune to one another, which according to Mr
Pota, has given AirTel a chance to enter the “mind of the user” irrespective of which service he
opts for.
“It gives the user a chance to go back to the AirTel product and acts as a strong reminder
medium,” he explains. Marketing professionals like Samsika Marketing Consultants’ managing
director Jagdeep Kapoor point to the usage of an “audio celebrity” as something that is
significant.
“The normal practice is to opt for film stars and sportsmen rather than an audio personality” he
says.
Rivals, though seemingly unfazed by the phenomenon, seem to be doing their own homework on
this brand of advertising. While none of them commented on AirTel’s strategy and its impact on
their own subscriber base, one advertising professional working with a rival service provider
opines that the tune is “transient” and not likely to have any long term impact as a brand building
tool.
Being the latest entrant in the Mumbai circle, AirTel has had to find ways of cutting through the
clutter. Says Mr Kapoor,” AirTel will have try to find ways to attract new customers and convert
the existing ones.” Explaining that the usage of an audio celebrity was more “strategic than
tactical”, he adds that non-AirTel users will have the AirTel “brand experience” inspite of not
using the service.
While Mr Pota highlights the fact that the usage of the tune by other operators means “free
advertising” for AirTel and the users having a positive disposition towards the product, the
nature of reaction from competition remains unclear.
“Competition will not do well to adopt a knee jerk reaction and will have to come out with
advertising that is well thought out” explains Mr Kapoor. He anticipates a situation where the
new entrant (AirTel) will continue to be more aggressive.
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24. MILESTONE OF COMPANY
1 Mobile phone operator, Bharti Airtel, became the first Indian telecom company to serve 50
million customers last month, and is now the world’s tenth largest wireless carrier.
2 Bharti has doubled its user base in the past 14 months alone, and hopes to reach 100 million
subscribers by 2010, according to company executives.
3 “Our next 50 million will largely come from rural India as our plan is to reach 5,200 census
towns and over five lakh villages, covering 96 per cent of the Indian population,” said
Bharti Airtel president and CEO, Manoj Kohli, at a news conference this week.
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25. 4 Bharti Airtel, India’s leading telecommunication services provider, today announced that it
had crossed the 50 million customer mark. With this, Bharti Airtel has achieved the
distinction of becoming the fastest private telecom company in world to achieve this
landmark in a single country - within 143 months of start of operations. The 50 million
customer base covers mobile as well as broadband & telephone customers.
5 Commenting on this major global landmark, Mr. Akhil Gupta, Joint Managing Director,
Bharti Airtel said, “We are delighted to have achieved this major landmark, which puts
Bharti Airtel amongst the top telecom companies in the world. It underlines the strength of
our unique business model and our vision to provide affordable services like lifetime
prepaid to customers across the length and breadth of the country. I would like to thank our
partners for having shared our vision. This milestone highlights the emergence of India as
one of the top telecom markets in the world and we are proud to have been at the forefront
of this growth. Going forward, we believe this growth momentum will remain intact and we
are gearing towards the 100 million customers mark.”
6 Bharti Airtel crossed the 10 million customer mark in November 2004. In July last year, it
crossed the 25 million customer mark.
7 The company added the next 25 million customers in just 14 months. This is amongst the
fastest rate of customer additions by any telecom company in the world.
8 Mr. Manoj Kohli, President & CEO, Bharti Airtel added, “This is a very proud moment for
us and I would like to thank our 50 million customers for believing in Airtel. It is a tribute
to our commitment to provide best-in-class services to our customers and lead the market
with exciting innovations. We are committed to create a world-class organization and
benchmark it with the best in the world. As the market gets ready for the next wave of
growth, we are committed to expanding our telecom networks wider and deeper across the
country and partner India’s growth story.”
9 In the mobile business, Bharti Airtel plans to make considerable investments in Network
expansion to establish presence in all census towns and over 500,000 villages across India
by 2010, thereby covering 95% of the country’s total population. The company’s strategic
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26. focus will be on further strengthening the Airtel brand through best-in-class customer
service, which is backed by wide national distribution.
10 In the Enterprise business, Bharti Airtel will invest substantially in the long distance
business to achieve the scale of a global carrier within next 2-3 years. It is also
strengthening the corporate business towards becoming a preferred managed services
partner for the top 2000 corporations. In Broadband & Telephone SBU, Bharti Airtel will
initiate large-scale deployments of broadband network infrastructure in 94 towns, with a
sharp focus on the home and SME segments. It is readying to offer triple play to its
customers with the launch of its IPTV service.
AirTel has taken the lead on many occasions. It has been the first
• To launch Cellular service in Delhi on November, 1995.
• Operator to revolutionalize the concept of retailing with the
inauguration of AirTel Connect (exclusive showrooms)in 1995.
• To expand it's network with the installation for second mobile
switching center in April, 1997 and the first in Delhi to introduce the
Intelligent Network Platform First to provide Roaming to its
subscribers by forming an association called World 1 Network.
• First to provide roaming facility in USA. AirTel has the largest
automatic roaming service "SMART ROAM"- National in 400 cities
in India and "SMART ROAM" - International in over 60 countries
and 95 networks all over the world.
• It is also the first company to export its products to the USA.
AWARDS
 Bharti airtel draws top honors at the mis asia It excellence awards 2006
 Bharti airtel among the top 10 best performing Companies in the world according to
Businessweek it 100 list.
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27.  Sunil bharti mittal is the “ceo of the year” at The frost and sullivan asia pacific awards
2006 And bharti airtel bags “wireless service Provider of the year” and “competitve
service Provider of the year”.
 Bharti tele-ventures is the “best Indian Carrier” at the telecom asia awards 2006
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28. CHAPTER-2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
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29. Review of Literature
what is customer satisfaction?
Customer satisfaction refers to how satisfied customers are with the products or services they
receive from a particular agency. The level of satisfaction is determined not only by the quality
and type of customer experience but also by the customer’s expectations.
Customer satisfaction is one of the main objectives of any organization. Every organization tries
to know the customer satisfaction about their products. So a study on customer satisfaction helps
the organization as well as me to gain a vast knowledge over the real world tastes and
preferences of customer
Whether the buyer is satisfied after purchase depends on the offers performance in relation to the
buyer’s expectations. In general satisfaction is a person’s feelings of pleasure or disappointment
resulting from comparing a products perceived performance in relation to his or her expectations.
As this definition makes clear, satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and
expectations. If the performance falls short of expectations, the customer is dissatisfied. If the
performance matches the expectations, the customer is satisfied. If the performance exceeds
expectations, the customer is highly satisfied or delighted.
Many companies are aiming for high satisfaction because customers who are just satisfied
still find it easy to switch when a better offer comes along. Those who are highly satisfied are
much less ready to switch. High satisfaction or delight creates an emotional bond with the brand,
not just a rational preference. The result is high customer loyalty.
Why is it important?
There are a number of reasons why customer satisfaction is important in
AIRTEL:
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30. • Meeting the needs of the customer is the underlying rationale for the
existence of community service organizations. Customers have a right
to quality services that deliver outcomes.
• Organizations that strive beyond minimum standards and exceed the
expectations of their customers are likely to be leaders in their sector.
• Customers are recognized as key partners in shaping service
development and assessing quality of service delivery.
The process for measuring customer satisfaction and obtaining feedback on organizational
performance are valuable tools for quality and continuous service improvement.
Objectives
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31. The main purpose and objective for this study is
 To know whether the signal is good in their area
 To find out if they are satisfied and aware of the services and offers provided
 To recommend measures for improving the product
Limitations
 The study is restricted only to AIRTEL, Chennai respondents. The view of their other
areas is not taken.
 Few respondents answer was collected.
 Respondents concentrated where the customers of AIRTEL only.
 Since the researcher selected 50 sample size it is not sufficient to cover opinion of
entire population.
 Time duration in conducting the research is very low.
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32. CHAPTER-3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Methodology:
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33. Methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be
understand as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. Research Methodology
is a step by step study of a problem. Physical activities involved in the study are:
 Developing the questionnaire regarding the customer satisfaction of the product
 Optimum respondents as a sample size are chosen for the activity to resemble the entire
population.
 Get the questionnaire filled by the customers in the place through interview or personal
interaction.
 Analysis of data on computer with special market research statistical package called
SPSS.
In this research questionnaire is framed in such a way management wants to know how
the customers are taking things that they had done to them and to find out the expectation of the
customers thus it will impact in policy making of the firm in the current fiscal year.
The questionnaire designed had closed question to find the respondents actual feeling as
well as their opinion rating about the satisfaction regarding the product.
The methodology followed for conducting the study includes the specification of research
design, sample design, questionnaire design, data collection and statistical tools used for
analyzing the collected data.
RESEARCH DESIGN:
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34. The research design is the conceptual structure within which research is conducted. It constitutes
the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of data.
Descriptive research
This study is descriptive in nature where the data is collected through well structured
questionnaire and from the information taken from the customers.
Sampling Design/Techniques:
Sampling is the process of selecting a sufficient number of elements from the population,
so that a study of the sample and an understanding of its properties or characteristics would make
it possible for us to generalize such properties or characteristics to the population elements.
Sampling design is to clearly define set of objects, technically called the universe to be
studied. The sampling design used in this study is probability sampling. Sampling technique used
is Simple Random sampling.
Population:
Population for this research is set as costumers who are using AIRTEL
Sample size:
The research was conducted in Chennai with 50 respondents.
Data Collection Methods:
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35. Collection of data includes both primary and secondary data. The researcher has collected
both of the above data. The data collected constitutes both primary and secondary data.
Primary data:
Primary datum are collected through observation, direct communication with respondent,
and finally by distributing questionnaire to the employees using Random sampling technique the
employees are selected to fill the questionnaire.
Secondary Data
Secondary datum is collected from the official record to obtain information’s regarding
the rate of absenteeism and the various reasons for absenteeism.
Statistical Tools Used
The main statistical tools used for the collection and analyses of data in this
Project are:
• Questionnaire
• Bar Diagrams
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36. CHAPTER-4
ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION
Analysis & Interpretation:
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37. The responses of the customers are valued in this analysis to find the satistaction of the
product. The percentage analysis gives the percentage of the respondent’s satisfaction with
regards to the various components which drives them to buy the product
1. Table showing the opinion on signaling at their area
Frequency Percentage (%)
Good signal 41 84
Bad signal 9 16
Total 50 100
Chart showing the opinion on signal at their area
Interpretation:
The table shows that 84% consumers feel that signal of AIRTEL at their area is good, remaining
16% of them feel that signal is not good
2. Table showing the opinion on customer care services
Frequency Percentage (%)
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38. Satisfied 34 68
Not satisfied 10 20
Never used 6 12
Total 50 100
Chart showing the opinion on customer care services
Interpretation:
The table shows that 68% of the customers are satisfied with the customer care services, where
as 20% are not satisfied and the remaining 12% doesn’t use customer care services .
3. Table showing the opinion on customer care employee’s response to customers
questions
Frequency Percentage (%)
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39. Good response 35 70
Bad response 15 30
Total 50 100
Chart showing the opinion on customer care employee’s response to customer’s
questions
Interpretation:
The table shows that 70% of the customers say that customer care employees response is good,
remaining 30% say that the employees response was bad and they were not satisfied
4. Table showing whether customers use INTERNET services
Frequency Percentage (%)
Using 26 65
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40. Not using 14 35
Total 50 100
Chart showing whether they are using INTERNET services
Interpretation:
The table shows that 65% of the customers use internet remaining 35% don’t use internet
services
5. Table showing opinion on INTERNET services
Frequency Percentage (%)
Satisfied 24 60
Not satisfied 16 40
Total 50 100
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41. Chart showing opinion on INTERNET services
Interpretation:
The table shows that 60% of the customers are satisfied with internet services remaining 40% are
not satisfied with internet services
6. Table showing number of times customers log into internet Per day
Frequency Percentage (%)
Once 5 12
Twice 7 18
More 14 35
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Not even once 14 35
Total 50 100

42. Chart showing number of times customers log into internet per day
Interpretation:
The table shows that 35% of the customers are log into internet more than once per day,18%
twice per day, 12% once per day and the remaining 35% do not use internet services
7. Table showing rating for internet speed
Frequency Percentage (%)
5 12
13 32
9 23
3 8
10 25
Total
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43. Chart showing rating for internet speed
Interpretation:
The table shows that 12% rated 5-star, 32% rated 4-star, 23%rated 3-star,8% using 2-star and the
remaining 25%rated 1-star
8. Table showing Maximum recharge per month
Frequency Percentage
10-100 6 12
100-200 17 34
200-300 8 16
300-400 9 18
400-500 5 10
Above 500 5 10
Total 50 100
Chart showing Maximum recharge per month
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44. Interpretation:
The table shows that 34% use 10-100, 16%use 100-200, 16% use 200-300, 18% use 300-400,
10% use 400-500 and 10% use above 500
9. Table showing whether offers are used by customers
Frequency Percentage (%)
Used 38 78
Not used 11 22
Total 50 100
Chart showing whether offers are used by customers
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45. Interpretation:
The table shows that 78% of the respondent use offers where as the remaining 22% doesn’t use
10. Table showing offers used by customers
Frequency Percentage
STD call cutter 10 20
Local call cutter 11 22
ISD call cutter 2 4
Message offer 20 40
Songs 5 10
Others 2 4
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46. Total 50 100
Chart showing offers used by customers
Interpretation:The table shows that 20 %are using STD call cutter, 22% is using local call
cutter, 4% is using ISD call cutter, 40% are using message offer, 10% are using songs and the
remaining 4% are using other offers
Table showing opinion on offers used by customers
Frequency Percentage (%)
Satisfied 35 70
Not satisfied 7 12
Neutral 8 16
Total 50 100
Chart showing opinion on offers used by customers
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47. Interpretation:
The table shows that 70% are satisfied with offers, 12% are not satisfied and the remaining 16%
is neutral
11. Table showing up to date with current offers
Frequency Percentage (%)
Up to date 27 54
Not up to date 23 46
Total 50 100
Chart showing up to date with current offers
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48. Interpretation:
The table shows that 54 % are up to date with offers and the remaining 46% are not up to date
12. Table showing whether they used other network Connection other than AIRTEL
Frequency Percentage (%)
Used 29 58
Not used 21 42
Total 50 100
Chart showing whether they used other network Connection other than AIRTEL
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49. Interpretation:
The table shows that 58% used other network connections and the remaining 48% did not use
13. Table showing opinion on AIRTEL compared to other connection
Frequency Percentage (%)
Better 27 54
Not better 23 46
Total 50 100
Chart showing opinion on AIRTEL compared to other connection
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50. Interpretation:
The table shows that 54% feel that AIRTEL is better compared to other network connection
where as the other 46% feel the opposite
CHAPTER-5
FINDINGS, SUGGESSTIONS & CONCLUSION
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51. FINDINGS:
This chapter deals with the major findings of the study which are as follow
 Most people fell that AIRTEL signal is good
 Only half of the people are satisfied with the customer care services
 30% of the people are not satisfied with the customer care employees response
 More than half of the people are satisfied with the Internet services
 Only very few people say that Internet speed is high
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52.  A very large number of people get 100-200 recharge per month
 Most people were aware of the offers provided and many of them are using more
than one offer, and most of them are satisfied with the offers.
 In the offers provided, most of them are using message offer in combination with
other offer
 Up to half of the people had used connections other than AIRTEL
But most of the people find that AIRTEL is better than other network
SUGGESTIONS
The main objective of every analysis is to find whether the customers are satisfied with
the services provided. Following are some of the suggestions given for the improvement of the
product and services
 Most the people are satisfied with the offers provided but still some of them
suggested the following for betterment
- Local and STD rates should be slashed down further
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53. - 1 paisa per min offer should be introduced
- Customers feel that compared to other network services offers provided are less
- More slash in ISD rates
 Regarding the internet connection customers feel that the wireless modem
provided should be of more speed i.e., they want it to be as speed as the landline
modem
 Even though many people are satisfied with the Network range but people from
remote areas of Chennai want improvement in the network connection
 Customers suggested to improve the customer care services and the response
given by the customer care employees should be improved
 Some suggested that the dialer tune services should be increased
CONCLUSION:
In the conclude note of my research I am confident to say that the study gave an
opportunity to analyze various factors regarding customer satisfaction.
The sample size is very low so it is very difficult concluding it by saying that it is the
view of whole population.
The time provided for the research is less.
I have understood how a research study is to be conducted and prepare a comprehensive
report. So on and so forth the study has given me a lot of exposure like meeting and talking with
different people.
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54. ANNEXURE
Questionnaire
AIRTEL -- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
1. Name:
2. Sex : Female Male
3. Age : 15-25 25-35 35-45 45-55 55-65 Above 65
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55. 4. Address: _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. Profession: Student Business Pvt.employee Gvt.employee
others
6. Is AIRTEL’s signal at your area is good?
Yes No
7. Are you satisfied with our customer care services?
Satisfied Not satisfied Never used
8. Does our customer care employees respond well for your questions
Good response Bad response Never used
9. Do you use Internet services
Yes No don’t know that internet connection was there
If yes, are you satisfied with internet services: Yes No
10. How many times do you login to internet per day
Once twice more not even once
11. Rate the internet speed
12. Maximum recharge per month
10-100 100-200 200-300 300-400 400-500 Above 500
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56. 13. Are you using any offers
Yes No
If yes, mark the offers you are using now
STD call cutter Local call cutter ISD call cutter
Message offer Songs others
14. Are you satisfied with the offers
Satisfied Not satisfied Never used
15. Are you update with current offers
Yes No
16. Did you use any other network connection other than AIRTEL
Yes No
17. Do you feel AIRTEL is better than any other connections
Better Not better
18. Any suggestions:_______________________________________________
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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57. Bibliography
Web sites:
www.wikipedia.com
http://managementhelp.org/customer/satisfy.htm
http://airtelbroadband.in/wps/wcm/connect/airtel.in/airtel.in/Home
http://www.customersatisfaction.com/
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58. http://www.markosweb.com/www/airtel.in/
http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/customer_satisfaction.html
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