FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER CHOICE OF THE TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER IN CHENGDU, CHINA

Abstract

The objective of this independent study aims to identify factors that influence customers' choice of telecommunication service provider in Chengdu, China, and examine the relationship between these factors and customer choice. The study also aims to demonstrate the relationships between these factors and customer choice in the telecommunications industry. Four major independent variables, including marketing mix 7Ps, brand equity, consumer behavior, and their effect on the dependent variable of customer choice, are discussed in this paper. The study collected 400 research questionnaires from customers at China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile service centers in Chengdu, using both judgment and convenience non-probability sampling. Finally, the study concludes with its findings.

          China Mobile dominates both male and female segments and most age groups, except for baby boomers dominated by China Telecom. However, in the married segment, China Telecom has a relatively strong market share. China Mobile is preferred by customers with a master's degree, while bachelor's degree customers are evenly split between China Mobile and China Telecom. China Mobile dominates most occupation segments, except for students, dominated by China Telecom. Middle-income customers prefer China Telecom, while high-income customers prefer China Unicom. China Telecom dominates almost every hobby, while China Unicom dominates in online shopping and collection. All three operators' customers play mobile games and go online for several hours a day using their mobile phones.

          A series of hypothesis tests were conducted to determine if product, price, place, promotion, people, process, physical evidence, brand awareness, brand personal, brand identity, brand recognition, brand preference, brand loyalty, brand experience, and consumer behavior significantly influence consumer choice. The results showed that, except for brand awareness, brand personal, brand identity, brand preference, brand loyalty, brand experience, and consumer behavior, all other factors did not have a significant influence on consumer choice in Chengdu, China.