Question

How has the Mobile Telephone Network (South African cellular service provider) Company changed its business/marketing strategy to meet the customer’s needs and expectations in the host country? (2-3 pages)

Answer 1

Mobile Telephone Network(MTN) stand's out for its innovative and unique approach on delivering value to it's customers, with an extremely strong focus on maintaining a unique customer experience. Over the past few years the company has made extreme progress in it's growth strategy in the host country South Africa by enabling it's customers to enjoy the benefits such as affordable smartphone devices. MTN has sold over 10 million smart phones leading to a 52% rise in data revenuw pushed by amazing data and voice offerings.

Along with this MTN has strongly focused on perfecting it's digital performance which they beleive is the key to drive growth. MTN especially in South Africa are investing heavily to improve their infrastructure coupled with smart devices and innovative products to offer to it's customers, which has enabled them to serve their customers with affordable mobile broadband services and life changing products. Last year the devices sold to the people of host country surpassed market by 69%, which gave more reasons to beleive in their strategy of providing affordable and own-brand smart devices to the digital gap. MTN is also aiming to coreect it's split on technology usage by customers via 2G, 3G and LTE services connectivity. Also designing and delivering value-packed deals- which can offer a mix of voice, data and sms services with the latest devices.

The Change in Company's Business strategy over the past few years reflect the clear long term vision, and committment to serve the customers with innovative products and services with best of experiences to bridge the digital divide.

To  further help the customers and also as a part of marketing strategy MTN unveiled it's first digital store at the MAll of Africa. THe store is designed to offer a one to remember in-store customer experience. This is just one of many stores MTN has planned to open in South Africa. Along with this MTN also has an app MTN app, which provides customers with real time support and information on product and services, like real time billing and spending control and other innovative things packed in the app features.

Also focussing on transformation, MTN South Africa is working on upgrading it's core to support 5G. And they are planning to setup this between 2021 and 2022 focusing on South African context. In the same pursuit MTN has chosen Ericsson to identify and develop use cases and applications which will help in digital transformation. OUt of many MTN chose Ericsson to modernize MTN South Africa's LTE and radio access network. MTN beleives South Africa will undergo huge digital transformation in coming years, which can boost Nation's economy. And thus they strongly beleive launching 5G will acoomplish this transformation.

As a Business and Marketing Strategy MTN has also taken initiatives like:

* MTN took initiatives in South Africa of establishing over 50 multi media centres named Digital schools which aims on providing students,schools and institutions higher learning with internet access by provining computers and internet coonnectivity.

* MTN has also been working in South Africa with Department of Basic Education to develop content for information technology textbooks.

* Helping schools and institutions incorporate digital solutions into teaching methods.

* Apart from this also understanding it's social responsibility and supporting healthcare, enterprise development and support for other causes of national priority in South Africa through the Y'ello Hospital project, setting up health centres with computer equipments and latest technologies.

*Involved in programmes which provide entrepreneurial skills for SME's ranging from entrepreneurship support to provision of micro loans and equipments aimed to improve skills and business management knowledge.

As a part of Business and Marketing Strategy MTN is providing aid during the times of natural disasters. And also getting involved in other social esponsibilities. MTN is aiming to be an integral part of daily lifes of people in South Africa in all verticals and domains. And this approach seems to be working in their favour.

Serving the customers in all possible ways and in worst of situations has made MTN the first choice for people.