Mạng và viễn thông P46

Public Networks and Telecommunications Service ProvidersHistorically, telecommunications networks have been run by state-owned organizations, who have operated as legally protected monopolies. These organizations tended run telecommunications to in a manner similar other public utility services (electricity, gas, water, etc.), providing only a few to very basic services, but in a reliable and well-engineered fashion, and available at almost any location to anyone who cared to apply.
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Mạng và viễn thông P46 Networks and Telecommunications: Design and Operation, Second Edition. Martin P. Clark Copyright © 1991, 1997 John Wiley & Sons Ltd ISBNs: 0-471-97346-7 (Hardback); 0-470-84158-3 (Electronic) 46 ~ ~~ Public Networks and Telecommunications Service Providers Historically, telecommunications networks have been run by state-owned organizations, who have operated as legally protected monopolies. These organizations tended run telecommunications to in a manner similar other public utility services (electricity, gas, water, etc.), providing only a few to very basic services, but in a reliable and well-engineered fashion, and available at almost any location to anyone who cared to apply. Recently, the trend has been to ‘privatize’ the established ‘publictelecommunicationsoperator’(PTO)andallow new operators to setupnetworksin competition. The objectives in so doing are to improve the quality and diversity of available services, while simultaneously reducing unit costs and attracting private capital investment; in other words there is an attempt to make the PTOs more commercially responsive. Where com- petition is now a reality, the public telecommunications operators (PTOs) are forced minimize to running costs to work at maximum efficiency and so keep their prices competitive. In addition, PTOs are forced to adopt a much more commercial attitude towards marketing and business strategy. This chapter reviews briefly how some of the basic principles of marketing may be applied to a telecommunications marketplace and in addition outlines some of the PTOs’ options for business development.46.1 COMPANY ‘MISSION’ Like any good business, a PTO needs to define its business objectives clearly, including its overall mission and its strategy for achieving it. A typical mission of a PTO might be: 0 to provide a sufficiently diverse range of telecommunications networks and services to meet business (and/or residential) customers needs 831832 NETWORKS PUBLIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERS 0 to provideservices of highquality at afairpriceandtooperate in an efficient manner, developing the business to sustain growth in company earnings 0 (possibly) to accept an obligation to serve the community at large, providing tele- communications remote for areas, other and specialized services forminority groups, including the handicapped 0 to establish and maintain a certain market share The mission needs to be sufficiently clear to motivate company staff appropriately, but sufficiently flexible to allow for change in business circumstances. Realizing the company mission and determining day-to-day strategy is the task of company management. Each of the various functions and organizational departments need to be kept working in concert - serving their customers. It is no good having a brilliantly well-designed product orservice, if the customers for whom it intended are is so unaware of it that they do not buy it. Similarly if it is far too expensive, not well enough made, simply too difficult to purchase, or if the customer service is poor, then customers will not want to buy it.46.2 IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING THEPTO’S MARKET The first part ofaPTO’smarketingprogrammemustbe to identifyacustomer requirement. A good deal of insight, imagination and research is required to analyse potentialwaysinwhichacustomer’sbusinesscan be improved by aproduct or service,in returnforpayment.Theproductor servicemay makethe customer’s activity easier, more effective, cheaper, more enjoyable, or may be attractive for some other reason. A large PTO will be wise to maintain a balanced portfolio of products and services. Dependence on too few products leaves a company prone to rapid loss of business whenever there is a sudden and significant change in market demand, or when a rival company rapidly introduces a much better product. Nonetheless, each product must be of clearly defined in terms the customers need that serves.In classical marketing terms it this means getting the four P’s right: product, price,place and promotion. In PTO service terms we interpret these as follows:46.2.1 The Product Telecommunications products (or services) shouldnot be specified only in termsof ...