Midlands State University

Faculty of Commerce
Business Management Department

Name: Chapanda Kudakwashe Gracious

Registration number: R0645087
Level: 4.2 (PDP)

BM403 Assignment
Pick a service business of your choice. Identify the stage of
service delivery it is at and why.

Due date.
22B February 2010
For my researches I went to Econet wireless Zimbabwe Gweru branch. Econet Wireless
is a diversified telecommunications group with operations in nine countries in Africa,
Europe, and the east Asia pacific rim, offering products and services in the core areas of
mobile and fixed telephone services, internet and satellite. the group is headquartered in
south Africa and runs each operation as a stand alone entry with full local board and
management control. Econet currently has operations in Botswana, Burundi, Kenya,
Lesotho, new Zealand, Nigeria, south Africa, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

The mission of Econet Wireless is to provide international standard telecommunication

services to all the people of the world, beginning in Africa. And the vision is to serve by
pioneering, developing, and sustaining reliable, efficient and high quality
telecommunications of uncompromising world class standards and ethics. Econet is a
company committed to finding a best way forward in a fast moving and highly
competitive technological field. To remain at the top the company is pursuing innovative
solutions, and is constantly growing its knowledge base with uncompromising passion for
excellence.

Changing the customers’ world has required Econet to take a holistic approach to the
successful provision of telecommunication service. It has expanded its operations to
encompass all aspects of the provision of telecommunication service. Econet has now
established in the core areas of internet, fixed wireless, phone shop, satellite and
transaction processing services. The focus is more on positive transformation of
customers’ lives and the communities in which the company is operating, hence its
current corporate positioning which is summarized in the pay off line “inspired to change
your world”

Services offered by Econet Wireless.

Sheuing (2009) defined a Service as an activity performed for another person or
organization. It is essentially an experience that is largely intangible in nature.
Professionals are highly trained individuals who are committed to delivering excellent
service to their customers. Customers are other employees who depend on a professionals
performance for the success of their own efforts.

Mobile offerings.
Buddie – Buddie is a prepaid package designed for subscribers who receive more calls
than they make. The benefits of Buddie are that there are no monthly subscriptions, no
connection fees, no credit checks, total cost control, recharge anytime when you run out
of airtime, instant connectivity, migrate from one package without loosing your existing
number, twenty four hour customer care. We have also Libertie as another mobile
offering and its benefits are just the same as Buddie. Finally there is business partner.
This is the contract package, especially designed for corporate organizations, small
business enterprises, and private individuals who are top end users.

Data offerings
Econet has leased lines as part of its data offering. Leased line is always connected to the
internet. It is perfect for companies looking to exploit the full potential of the internet. It
is a reliable and dedicated business internet connection. Anyone who is reliant on the
internet for their business can benefit from leased lines. VSAT is another data offering
offered by Econet. It is a secure and reliable medium for connecting geographically
dispersed locations. It allows remote locations to communicate with other sites. Broad
band provides a high speed internet connection for residential and business customers.
General packet radio service is a mobile data service available to mobile phone users.
This is basically a service that allows the mobile subscriber to access the internet and
transfer data with their mobile phone.

From the services offered by Econet Wireless and the way it operates it can be noted that
Econet is providing a world class service to the customers. According to Lipe (2009) a
World Class Service is exceptional professional service that matches or surpasses the
level of service rendered by other organizations. World class service: requires service
excellence, consistently exceeds customer expectations, involves frequent dialog with
customers, is characterized by continuous improvement, uses benchmarking to foster
superior service, surprises and delights customers.

The name Econet is well known in Zimbabwe for providing excellent services. This can
be seen through it having a larger market share than any other competitor. Econet is at the
top of them all with a 51% market share. The reason why most people are preferring
Econet services is because of the quality that is being offered.

Econet is seen as improving continuously each and every day. It started as offering
telecommunications only but now it has diversified to meet the changing customer
requirements. Due to technology people need to be always on internet for business and
news. Econet is providing that service on mobile phones for easy access of internet for
the customers. Econet is competing with international companies like Vodafone so it
should provide excellent services if it is to meet its mission of being at the top.

In terms of technology the Econet company has found it as a source of first move
advantage. Econet was the first mobile cellular company in the world to introduce a
mobile news service of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the South African
Broadcasting Corporation. Econet was also the first operator in Africa to introduce a duo-
numbered SIM card which was launched in Zimbabwe in 1998. Econet is also a first
African telecommunications company to build an international satellite hub in the United
Kingdom.

The workforce of Econet are very innovative. Ideas that are being used by the company
most of them emerged from the employees. The line managers are the one who are
directly linked to the customers and the workforce so the top managers of Econet usually
listen to their suggestions. Overally the quality of services that are being offered by
Econet wireless are very high. Service Quality means meeting customer expectations or
requirements. Customers compare perceived performance with their expectations to
determine whether they have received quality service.
Reference
Lipe J, (2009), Keys to delivering world class service, retrieved from
www.emergemarketing.com on 18/02/09
Sheuing E, (2009), World class service retrieved from www.businesspower.com on
18/02/09
www.econet.com 18/02/09