Abstract:
Although several industries suffer from churn,
it is more pronounced in the
telecommunication sector where customers are
acquired and also defect quickly. Controlling
customer defection is the major problem facing
the telecom industry nowadays. The research
aimed to explore the underlying causes of
customer switch behaviour in Zimbabwe’s
mobile telecom industry. Primary data was
gathered from three mobile telecommunication
operators using a case study design. Data was
gathered from key informants who comprised
telecommunication subscribers, employees
and management. The population of the study
included more than 12,000,000 subscribers of
Econet Wireless, Telecel, and Net One Pvt Ltd
inter alia offering mobile services. Stratified
and purposive sampling was used in this study
as a form of triangulation. Quantitative data
was gathered from a sample of 356
subscribers. Findings from the study showed
that customer defection in Zimbabwe’s mobile
telecommunication industry is fueled by
competitor promotions, poor service quality,
and customer dissatisfaction among other
factors. It is recommended that Zimbabwe
telecom firms should collaborate with rivals in
the industry when launching marketing-mix
elements and other strategies. In addition, the industry should benchmark its service
standards with international principles.
Furthermore, the industry should regularly
carry out market research in the form of
customer surveys to understand customer
needs, wants and preferences to reduce
customer switching behaviour. It is also
recommended that telecom firms procure
quality products for sale to their customers.
