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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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Proceed<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 12th Annual Conference © 2011 IAABD<br />

fur<strong>the</strong>r light follow<strong>in</strong>g mobile number portability <strong>in</strong>troduction <strong>in</strong> July 2011. Instead, “tangibility”,<br />

“empathy”, “assurance”, and “responsiveness” were more important and s<strong>in</strong>ce customers perceived MTN<br />

to be engag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, majority stuck with <strong>the</strong> company over <strong>the</strong> long haul. In addition, <strong>the</strong> high<br />

switch<strong>in</strong>g cost associated with number change <strong>in</strong> Ghana, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> absence <strong>of</strong> mobile phone number<br />

portability could be a possible reason for customers to stick with MTN. The study fur<strong>the</strong>r revealed that<br />

“responsiveness” and “empathy” are <strong>the</strong> variables that had significant relationships with retention <strong>of</strong><br />

MTN’s customers. The rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g variables, “tangibility”, “reliability”, and “assurance did not have any<br />

significant relationship with customer retention. Thus, <strong>the</strong> alternative hypo<strong>the</strong>ses that “tangibility”,<br />

“reliability”, and “assurance” play significant positive <strong>in</strong>fluences on customer retention are rejected.<br />

Instead, <strong>the</strong> study revealed that “responsiveness” and “empathy” have significant positive <strong>in</strong>fluence on<br />

customer retention with “empathy” hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> strongest positive <strong>in</strong>fluence. Thus, if MTN wants to<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ue <strong>in</strong> its activities to reta<strong>in</strong> customers it should <strong>in</strong>vest more <strong>in</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g empa<strong>the</strong>tic and responsive<br />

services. However, s<strong>in</strong>ce customer retention alone cannot ensure bus<strong>in</strong>ess survival and growth, MTN<br />

needs to do more to recruit new customers. Perhaps this may be possible by look<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

o<strong>the</strong>r service quality factors such as “tangibility”, “reliability” and “assurance” <strong>in</strong> order to rema<strong>in</strong><br />

competitive.<br />

Selected references*<br />

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Quality”, Journal <strong>of</strong> Retail<strong>in</strong>g, Vol. 69, No. 1, pp.126-39.<br />

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Cron<strong>in</strong>, J. Jr., S. A. Taylor (1992), “Measur<strong>in</strong>g Service Quality: A Re-exam<strong>in</strong>ation and Extension: A Case<br />

<strong>of</strong> Complexity, Information Technology, and Transaction Governance Structure.”,Journal <strong>of</strong> Market<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

Vol. 56, pp. 55-68.<br />

Dawk<strong>in</strong>s, P. M. and F. F. Reichheld (1990), Customer Retention As A Competitive Weapon, Directors<br />

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DeSouza, G. (1992), “Design<strong>in</strong>g a Customer Retention Plan”, Journal <strong>of</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Strategy, pp24-25.<br />

Fisk, R.P., S.W. Brown, and M. J. Bitner (1995), Services Management Literature Overview: A Rationale<br />

for Interdiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary Study", <strong>in</strong> Glynn, W.J., Barnes, J.G. (Eds), Understand<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Services Management, Wiley, Chichester, pp.1-33.<br />

Fornell, C. (1992), “A National Customer Barometer: The Swedish Experience”, Journal <strong>of</strong> Market<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

Vol. 56 No. January, pp.6-22.<br />

628

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