Value Added Services or only Value ?

The telecom services providers are pondering over ways to enhance sales and market share in the Indian market with intense competition. The number of players is increasing with two new players namely Virgin and Aircel. How does the players in this industry strategize so as to attain their objectives?

These companies are resorting to various means in order to gain market share. Vodafone came up with the much hyped Zoozoo campaign while Idea came up with a new idea during the IPL season 2 (Click here for more details). All these companies are now trying to sell their Value Added Services or VAS.

Well, I really don't think that it's a great strategy to promote VAS now, when the world economy is hit by recession. The common people are struggling to avert receiving pink slips. Analysts are working hard to speculate the after math of recession. As such, there is a lot of uncertainity around and the entire financial structure of the country isn't in great health.

As such, who cares about getting beauty tips or cricket scores? The masses now want to stay connected in the cheapest possible rates with absolutely no inclination towards any kind of value added services. They rather want value for money.

In this context, the attempts of several players is laudable. Airtel, which is positioned around knitting relationships, lowered its STD tariffs some time back. Virgin mobile, which is the fastest growing mobile operator has further lowered the STD and local call rates to 50paise per minute.

Well, I think revising the pricing strtegies is the need of the hour and not VAS. Let us see how these VAS providers and promoters fare against those who could feel the pulse of customers based on heinous market scenario.

What an Idea !!!

IPL fever is on its peak and so is marketing war among competing brands. I am talking about the new ad campaign of Idea. 

In the recent days, Vodafone's Zoozoo characters have been the hottest stars in the nation. Vodafone has launched a unique commercial campaign to communicate its services and schemes. The characters are particularly popular among IPL audience.

Well, competitors of Vodafone havn't been sleeping when Zoozoo was making people laugh by its raillery. Here comes Idea with a new campaign which stars Mumbai Indians. The players of Mumbai Indians display their Idea Numbers on screen and ask people to call them and become a celebrity.

Well, the idea sounds great. After all, it is all about sustaining in the market, by creating and maintaining awareness and inserting brands in consumers' evoked set. People are not going to buy Vodafone because of Zoozoos' banter or Idea's "a call away" Sachin or Harbajan. It is just a way to be on consumers' top of mind. This implies that being a part of consumers' evoked set, consumers would consider buying these brands. Ultimately, it is the product attribute that will govern the sales.