International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 International Journal of Management (IJM), 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume

me 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), pp. 89-97 IAEME IAEME, http://www.iaeme.com/ijm.html

IJM

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND PREFERENCE TOWARDS HATHWAY BROADBAND INTERNET- AN EMPIRICAL STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO PUNE CITY, MAHARASHTRA.
Dr. Arun H. Gaikwad Science College, Sangamner (Ahemadnagar) E-Mail: arunhgaikwad@gmail.com Prof. Mrs.Nandini Milind Deshpande Sinhgad College of Arts & Commerce, Narhe, Pune. E-Mail: deshpande.nandini@yahoo.in

INTRODUCTION
Internet is an ideal electrical communications system which permits any person or machine to reliably and instantaneously communicate with any combination of other people or machines anywhere, anytime, and at zero cost. It is the latest and most powerful invention, with a current reach to every corner of the globe, and already moved into space on a floating web of satellites. After the WTC attacks, the internet played a key role in keeping communication going, performing as an efficient and stable network for thousands of effected worker in lower Manhattan when desk phones and cell phones had failed. Unlike a telephone call, which requires a direct circuit connection between two telephone sets, data sent over the internet consists of discrete packets that can follow different channels in a sequence over time and rejoin at the final destination, in a process known as packet switching. For that reason, important information was able to flow around damaged of destroyed cables and telephone switching equipment. It gives the ability to make complex information like audio, video, and interactive functions accessible to a world wide audience at an extremely low cost. The internet is based on a common standard, the TCP/IP network protocol, which provides all computers

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

on the net with the same interface and capabilities. This common foundation makes all of the internet technologies- Email, web, Usenet, IRC, MUDs, mailing lists- available universally to anyone connected to the net. It fosters free speech on a global scale and is the largest common area that has yet existed in human existence where the digital information travels at about 2/3 of the speed of light on copper wire and on fiber optic cables, 200 thousand kilometers a second and its based on one of the simplest concepts digital 1s and 0s. The Hathway Broadband Internet is promoted by the Rahejas, as and of the leading cable broadband services providers. The company offers analog and digital cable television services across 125 cities and towns and high speed cable broadband services across 18 cities. The company owns and operates cable networks that reach approximately 8 millions cable homes across India, supported by 71 analog head ends. 19 digital headends and more than approximately 15,000 km of HFC network. The company has acquired interest in more than 21 multi systems operators (MSO) and independent cable operators (ICO). It addition, the company had 3,22,135 broadband subscribers as of November 30, 2009. As per the company, it is currently Indias largest cable broadband enabled homes passed, as on November 30, 2009. As of December 31, 2008 the subscriber base constituted approximately 54% of the total cable broadband market in India. (Source MPA report)

BUSINESS SIZE AND REVENUES

Approximately 60% of Hathways revenues are generated by cable TV services and broadband (internet) delivery brings in the remaining 40%. In Fy 09, cable TV contributed 62% and broadband 38% of its annual revenue of Rs. 673 crore, subscriptions accounted for 53% of the revenues. Hence carriage fee in value added cable TV services probably accounted for 9% of Rs. 673 crores of Rs. 60.57 crores.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

Hathway Cable & Datacom: Objects of Issue. Amount (Rs. In Crore) Particulars Acquisition of Customers 243.60 Development of digital cable services 156.40 Development of broadband services 83.00 Repayment of debt 96.70 The Hathway Broadband Plans Limited Download plans Plan Speed Installation D/L limit Months Charges Status Blast 2 mbps 600 200 MB 1 49 Postpaid 2048 Limited Modem rental- Rs 50/month,0.80 paise/ MB for additional download Powerway 2 mbps 250 10 GB 3 1,500 Prepaid Expressway 1 mbps 250 4 GB 4 1,100 Prepaid 4 months Expressway 1 mbps 250 12 GB 12 2,750 Prepaid 12 months Special 24 Hrs Unlimited Plans Plan Speed Installation D/L Limit Expressway 1 500 Unlimited Unlimited mbps Hathway 512 512 500 Unlimited Monthly kbps Hathway 512 512 500 Unlimited Quarterly kbps Hathway 512 512 250 Unlimited Xtra kbps Hathway 512 512 250 Unlimited Yearly kbps Blast 384 384 525 Unlimited Unlimited kbps 256 Blast 256 600 Unlimited Quarterly kbps 256 Blast 256 500 Unlimited Xtra kbps

Months 1 1 3 6 12 1 3 6

Charges(Rs) Status 999 599 1,750 3,250 6,000 475 1,269 2,267 Postpaid Postpaid Prepaid Prepaid Prepaid Postpaid Prepaid Prepaid

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

Night Unlimited Plans Plan Speed Installation D/L Months Charges(Rs) Status Limit Night Unlimited from 11pm to 7am Hathway 512 kbps 250 3 GB 2 1,000 Prepaid 512- 3 GB Hathway 512 kbps 250 10 GB 6 2,800 Prepaid 512-10 GB The wealth of products and services produced in a country make our economy strong. Almost all of the products, which are available to buyers, have a number of alternative supplies; i.e. substitute products are available to consumers, who make a decision to buy products. Therefore, a seller, most of his time, seeks buyers and tries to please them. In order to be successful, a seller is concerned with: Who is the customer? What do consumers buy? When do consumers buy? From where do consumers buy? Why do consumers buy? After the second world war, the manufacturers attention has switched over from the products to the consumers and is specially concentrated on the consumer behavior. The manufacturer possesses no control over the behavior of consumers. A modern marketer first tries to understand the consumers and their response, and then he studies the basic characteristics of their behavior. It can be said that a consumer is the pivot around which the marketing system revolves. The selection or choice of products or services by consumers greatly determines the fate of the producers. As such, the marketer must know the consumers, more and more, in order to manufacture the products, which give them satisfaction, in the way customers need. The marketing programmes and policies depend upon the consumer behavior. If one makes out the marketing programmes, neglecting the consumer behavior, one will naturally invite failure. A

careful study of consumer behavior will facilitate the marketer in determining the size, form, style, color-the complete packaging of a brand.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

Consumers or consumer is the central them of the marketing system. For a product to sell with or without advertising, it must satisfy some needs of the consumers. These needs dominate the behavior of the consumers. Buying motives that prompt to buy may be fear, desire for more, variety, fashion, possession, romantic affection and comfort.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study on consumer behavior helps to know who the consumers are, what they want, how they use and reacts to the services provided. The wants of the consumer are carefully studied by conducting surveys on consumer behavior. This study will help to gain knowledge about the influence of consumer to prefer a particular internet service provider company and the problem faced by them on using their services. The aim of the researcher was that the study will help to gain knowledge on the issues such as the factors influencing the customer to prefer a particular brand, the satisfaction of the respondents with their preferred brand and to know the opinions and ideas of the consumers about the brand. SCOPE OF THE STUDY This study focuses on how and why consumers make decisions to use goods and services. The dissatisfaction with a choice of internet facility may have been caused due to a variety of reasons. This can be continuing poor service problem, poor influence of the existing consumers towards potential consumers, web access problem, Hacking or security problems, speed problems; each of these possible consequences of post used services dissatisfaction has significant ratification for internet facility providers. OBJECTIVES 1. To study the consumer satisfaction towards Hathway Broadband Internet. 2. To know the advertisement effectiveness of Hathway Broadband Internet. 3. To know the brand loyalty of the respondents towards Hathway Broadband Internet.

RESEARCH DESIGN
Descriptive research design is one that simply describes something such as demographic characteristics of consumer who use the Hathway Broadband Internet.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

METHODOLOGY
Both primary and secondary sources of data were utilized for the study. Primary data was collected by means of administering a questionnaire to the customers. Secondary data had been collected from various reference books, publications, periodicals etc.

SAMPLE DESING
For the purpose of study, the data has been colleted in different places of the Pune city. Two Hundred Hathway broadband internet consumers were randomly selected for the study. In this method, the sampling units are chosen primarily in accordance with the investigators convenience.

HYPOTHESIS
1. The Hathway Broadband Internet customers are completely satisfied . 2. The maximum customers have chosen this company because of its economical and attractive plans. 3. The maximum customers are having the opinion that it is growing company . Table 1: Table showing the distribution of sex of the respondents. SEX NO. OF REPONDENTS PERCENTATE MALE 160 80 FEMALE 40 20 TOTAL 200 100 SEX OF THE RESPONDENTS

Female Male 40 Female 160 (Male)

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The main constrain, during the survey was to find potential respondents. Sometimes respondents does not co-operated with me or the possibility of ambiguous replies or omission of certain questions made the interpretation of the data difficult. Personal interview method of data collection is very time consuming, when large and widely spread geographical survey area is taken. As most of the respondents interviewed were salaried class, who had a busy schedule, the questionnaire had to be administered rapidly.

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

Among the total 200 respondents, 80 percent of the respondents were male while the remaining 20 percent of the respondents were female. 1. From the study undertaken, out of the total number of respondents, 42 percent of the respondents are falling under the age group of 31 40 years. 2. Among the total respondents in the occupation category, 52 percent of the respondents are falling under the service category. 3. From the survey undertaken, 55 percent of the respondents are using the Hathway Broadband internet from less than 6 months whereas only 29 percent of the respondents are using from 1 year and only 12 percent of the respondents are using from more than 3 years. 4. Among the total 200 respondents, 50 percent of the respondents have choosen limited download plan and 43 percent of the respondents have choosen special 24 hrs unlimited plan whereas only 7 percent of the respondents have choosen night unlimited plan. 5. From the survey undertaken, 71 percent of the respondents got the information regarding Hathway broadband internet from friends and only 19 percent respondents from pamplets. 6. Among the total 200 respondents, 76 percent of the respondents before being the hathway broadband internet customer were the internet customer of other company like 23 percent of the respondents used BSNL broadband and 22 percent of the respondents used Reliance broadband.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

7. From the study undertaken, 34 percent of the respondents have choosen hathway broadband internet because it is economical and 27 percent of the respondents have choosen it because it has very attractive plans. 8. Among the total 200 respondents 43 percent of the respondents spend money between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000 and only 14 percent of the respondents spend money above Rs. 1000. 9. From the study undertaken 82 percent of the respondents felt that the company communicate very well and are satisfied with them, while filing a complaint whereas 5 percent of the respondents felt that the company communicate poorly with them. 10. Among the total 200 respondents 62 percent of the respondents felt that the companys performance have been growing from the date they had taken the internet facility.

SUGGETIONS
The following are the suggestions that can be inferred from the study:1. The delivery of services is based on the human element, hence the employees and agents are needed to be given frequent orientations related to service delivery and customer handling. 2. All the customers who enter the office environment must be given due respect, acceptance of their complaints and enquiry irrespective of their demographic status. 3. The employees should deliver excellent service in such a way that the customer should feel that they are, by all means, important to the organization. These would make them loyal customers. 4. To attract more customers situated in all the areas, advertisement can be given through all Medias to attract the customer. 5. The manufacturers should introduce more sponsorship programmes and use the advertisement tactics to induce the people to prefer hathway broadband internet. 6. The installation charges should be reduced and separate more attractive plans especially for the students category should be introduced which should be more economical to afford, which are at present not so impressive.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online) Volume 1, Number 2, July - Aug (2010), IAEME

7. In order to increase the customers of hathway broadband internet, the hathway company can conduct frequent exhibitions, advertising campaigns in various organizations, institutions etc. regarding their plans, importance and their uses. 8. In order to enhance customer satisfaction, the hathway company must look into all the factors relating to services and frequently intimating the current customer about the current status of the plans, venture of new plans through mobile alerts, e-mail intimation or directly through telephone. This will have a direct impact on the customer satisfaction.

CONCLUSION
The study revealed that in general, all the customers have certain level of expectations from the services that are to be delivered by hathway broadband internet company. Their expectation level varies irrespective of the demographic profile (such as gender, age, marital status, no. of family members, occupation, education & their income) but they look forward to excellent delivery of services. Further, the study gave an insight into the actual experience of services provided by the hathway company. However, the forthcoming years will be more dynamic and challenging for these internet provider companies as delivering excellent services to all the strata of the economy will ensure their share. It is certified that the consumer behavior concept is an unpredictable one in any kind of market. But this study has attempted its best to reveal the same.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Philip Kolter, Principles of Marketing 2. Sherlekar S. A., Marketing Management 3. Davar Rustom S., Modern Marketing Management 4. Ramaswamy V. S., & Nama Kumari, S., Marketing Management 5. Saxena Rajan, Marketing Management. 6. Sontakki, C. N., Marketing Management. NEWS PAPER Times of India Economic Times WEBSITES www.google.com. www.hathway.com

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