Improved network performance is vital for ensuring subscriber loyalty among smartphone users, and provides operators with a significant competitive advantage. These findings come from a new report from Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) ConsumerLab, which also shows that the current mobile networks don’t live up to user expectations. Up to 60 per cent of smartphone users say they experience problems at least once a week and just over 30 per cent encounter problems every day.
The ConsumerLab research looked into the factors that influence users’ loyalty to operator brands.To ensure a good user experience, content needs to appear on the screen quickly. Relatively low levels of satisfaction with network performance are often a result of smartphone users becoming tired of waiting.
However, it is not enough for operators simply to improve network performance in the hope that customers will notice. Communication is essential for improving customer perceptions. Users need to be aware that things have changed for there to be an impact on satisfaction levels, and for this to improve their loyalty to the operator.
The report also shows that a satisfied user is generally less likely to switch operator, leading to higher operator revenue over the user’s lifetime.
