MARKETING FOR SERVICE FIRMS STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY IN TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Due to constant complaint about the unavailability and provision of telecommunication services in Nigeria, this research work tends to answer basic customer questions and complaints, and present it to the awareness of telecom firms in enabling them providing quality services, and for the effective marketability of their projects. This research work seeks to answer research question about low call rates gaining market expansion, the application of total quality management in providing quality services, effective mobile communication in boosting rural-urban business transaction and innovations in attaining customer’s loyalty. University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) was adopted as the population size, and instruments for data collection were the use of questionnaire and interviews, and the hypotheses were analyzed using the chi-square statistical tool. Based on the analysis of data and test of hypothesis, all null hypothesis of no relationship was rejected. So therefore it is accepted that there is a relationship between low call-rates and market expansion, innovation and customer’s loyalty, TQM and quality service and effective communication to rural-urban business transaction. Finally based on the findings, it is recommended that management of telecommunication industry should adopt low call-rates as an integral part of their marketing strategy in increasing the market share; to satisfying the continuous needs of customers, continuous innovative product/services should be developed in sustaining customer’s loyalty; the implementation of the total quality management concept is recommended to all levels of management in the telecom industry to providing quality services for customers; and the promotion of telecom services should be extended to the rural areas for effective agro business transactions to the urban areas.