An assessment of the effect of customer portfolio management on new product design in the fixed telecommunications sector in Zimbabwe: a case of Telone Pvt Ltd Zimbabwe

Abstract

This research was carried out to investigate the extent customer portfolio management affects new product design in the fixed telecommunications sector. The objectives of this research were to determine if customer portfolio size affects new product quality, to establish the effect of corporate customer relationships on new product features and to determine if customer portfolio revenue contribution affects new product cost. These objectives were used by the researcher to review literature put forward by numerous authors and researchers identifying their agreements and disagreements on the topic understudy. The researcher used both descriptive research design and exploratory research design. Descriptive research design was used to acquire data through questionnaires while the exploratory research design was used to acquire more detailed information through in-depth interviews. Corporate customers, employees and management for TelOne Harare and Gweru were targeted by the researcher. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used as research instruments and data gathered through these instruments was presented using pie-charts and tables. The conclusions of the research were that customer portfolio size positively affects new product quality, corporate customer relationships have a positive impact on new product features and customer portfolio revenue contribution affects new product cost. However the researcher recommended that TelOne may consider investing in customer portfolio management for them to satisfy the needs and wants of the ever demanding customer.