Case Study: Vodafone Consumer Behavior and Individual Differences

This case study delves into the consumer behavior of Vodafone, a leading telecommunications company, focusing on the impact of individual difference factors such as needs, motivation, personality, attitudes, learning, and perception. It evaluates how these factors influence consumer purchase decisions and brand switching, highlighting the importance of understanding consumer decision-making processes for Vodafone's marketing strategies. The analysis covers both internal (personal) and external (political, social, economic, technological, environmental, and legal) influences on consumer behavior. The study further explores how Vodafone can improve its marketing strategies by aligning with consumer behavior theories, particularly through the 4Ps (Product, Place, Price, Promotion). It examines Vodafone's product strategies, including wireless communication services and value-added offerings, and discusses how these strategies can enhance consumer decision-making and brand profitability across various international markets. Ultimately, the case study aims to provide insights for Vodafone to refine its marketing approaches and strengthen its position in the competitive telecommunications industry.

Consumer behavior of
Vodafone

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Consumer behavior and individual difference factors.................................................................................2
Evaluation of individual difference factors on consumer purchase decision and brand switching factors...5
Strategies use for improvement of marketing strategies of Vodafone..........................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9
References.................................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
The primary objective of this study is to analyze the consumer behavior of Vodafone in
accordance with the individual difference factors. The individual difference factors are needs,
motivation, personality, attitudes, learning, and perception and by following these factors the
consumer behavior will be discussed briefly in this context. The individual differences of
customers on the basis of these factors can make a huge impact on purchasing decision of a
people. Therefore, the paper will also evaluate the impact of these factors on consumer brand
switching and purchasing decision for the Vodafone organization.
Being a leading telecommunication company it is necessary for the firm to understand
their consumer decision-making procedures that can influence their decision-making process.
Vodafone is a telecommunication brand that serves worldwide therefore with the help of proper
marketing analysis the customer behavior, as well as their needs, will be discussed thoroughly in
this context. Moreover, the paper will analyze the consumer behavior briefly and thereby
develop proper strategies that should be helpful for Vodafone to improve their marketing aspects
in both the local and international market. Furthermore, the behavior of marketers in accordance
with these marketing strategies will also be further discussed in this context.
Consumer behavior and individual difference factors
Consumer behavior possesses great impact on this telecommunication firm and their
behavior changes due to the individual difference factors. Many scholars suggested that the
individual difference factors possess a vital role in influencing as well as changing the consumer
decision of purchasing a product or services (Keller, 2016). Therefore, it is important for this
Vodafone telecommunication firm to identify the individual difference factors of customer that
may provide a huge impact on the brand growth in various country markets. After proper
researching the individual difference factors of customers that have identified from the Vodafone
Company are consumer needs, customer self-confidence as well as motivation, attitudes,
perception, involvement, learning, and personality (Vodafone, 2019).
Depending on all these factors a customer behavior, as well as its decision, can change
while purchasing some products from any type of organizations. The individual difference
factors of Vodafone fallen under the internal and external influences of a person and therefore

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proper understanding is necessary for Vodafone company to identify their customer behavior
over their brand. The internal factors or the personal factors influence a person to buy those
particular goods or not. Needs is consider as one of the personal factors that influence a
consumer in terms of purchasing decisions (Izogo, 2017). The consumer often purchases or buy a
product according to their needs and therefore keeping this on mind Vodafone constantly
improving their technological aspects so that they can each and every individual need.
By this innovating aspects, they become able to satisfy their consumer needs and thereby
increase their brand position in different country markets (Kumar et al., 2016). However, the
firm faces some problems in satisfying the needs of their customer base because different market
have different needs for telecommunication products and it became difficult for them to satisfy
every person needs. Although they innovate various strategies by which they easily satisfy their
consumer demands in accordance with various country markets. The other internal factors are
attitudes as well as the perception of an individual. All these factors are considered to the
psychological factors because before making any sorts of the decision to purchase a product from
this telecommunication firm the consumers determine all these aspects.
The attitude and perception of a person over certain products have changes when it gives
them plenty of facilities as well as it satisfies their needs respectively. Keeping that on the mind,
the Vodafone firm has made the services that easily provides plenty of networking facilities and
thereby it can help for influencing the consumer behavior (Balaji, Khong & Chong, 2016). In
addition, they innovate various technological aspects which help them to easily change the
negative type of attitude and perception of customers in accordance with their products.
Personality, involvement, and learning are also considered as the individual difference factors of
an individual that also possesses a huge impact on the consumer decision-making process.
Many scholars suggested that most of the people purchase those products that suit their
personality and it generates if they learn properly about the product and use it for time being.
More the person will be involved with the products more will be purchasing power of that
respective product (Schmeichel & Vohs, 2018). Therefore, in order to increase the involvement
and learning aspects, the firm arranges various sorts of the marketing campaign in most of the
regions where they operate so that they easily make positive aspects of their products over
consumer base. Hence, the personality of people changes over these products range of Vodafone

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firm and thereby it forms a positive impact on the mind of their consumer base that easily
influences their decision-making process.
In other words, motivation is also considered as individual influence factors that fall
under the group influence aspect of an individual. With the help of group influence, a person
motivates or demotivates to purchase that respective product or not. The influential group
consists of family members, friends, relatives as well as classmates and their wordings over
certain products can change the buying decision of a person (Kumar & Pansari, 2016). The
consumer generally motivates if they get positive inflame from their groups and for making these
portative aspects Vodafone offers various discounts on the large package so that it easily
motivate the consumer behavior over their product range. These are all considered as the internal
individual difference factors that have been generated from the case study of this Vodafone
organization.
Besides this, the external individual difference factors that influence consumer behavior
in terms of decision-making aspects are the political, social, economic, environmental,
technological and legal factors. Vodafone has provided wireless communication in more than 15
countries and therefore they face some issues in terms of political aspects (Gürhan-Canli, Hayran
& Sarial-Abi, 2016). Due to this reason sometimes their services cannot satisfy their consumer
needs and these possess a negative impact on consumer behavior over this telecommunication
firm. In addition, the society of current world often wanted to be in good network coverage and
therefore on this basis, Vodafone provided all sorts of 3G and 4G services which can easily
influence their consumer base. Hence, their services possess a positive impact on the society that
influences the people to purchase their products from various country markets.
Apart from this, the economic factors also make an influence on the decision making
aspects of an individual in accordance with various country markets. Vodafone has established
their firm in both developed and some developing countries and therefore in relation to the
economic stability they make the service package so that every consumer can afford their
products (Zhang, Guo, Hu & Liu, 2017). Due to this aspect, they able to make a leading position
in the telecommunication industry and therefore the government has also supported them for
running their business procedures in different countries. The technological and environmental
factors both influence the behavior of the customer in relation to various country markets.

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According to the environmental needs, the Vodafone company has improved their
technological aspects and by doing this they easily attract their consumers base towards the
brand (Soto-Acosta, Popa & Palacios-Marqués, 2016). In addition, this provides a positive
impact on the consumer base and therefore they eagerly purchase their products from various
markets. Legal factors also possess a vital role in consumer behavioral aspects because people
only purchase a product when they knew that this good is legally accepted by their state
government. Hence, Vodafone follows all legal rules and regulations of their business to make a
positive aspect of consumer behavior over various country markets (Bahri-Ammari & Bilgihan,
2017). These are considered as the various internal and external individual difference factors that
influence the consumer behavior of this telecommunication firm.
Evaluation of individual difference factors on consumer purchase decision and brand switching
factors
After reviewing the various country market it is seen that these individual difference
factors provide a huge impact on customer purchase decision and brand switching aspects
respectively. It is seen that this telecommunication firm launches 3G and 4G data services in
country markets of Australia, the UK, and the Middle East and also in Asia (Agnihotri, Dingus,
Hu & Krush, 2016). Besides this, it is also noticed that 50 percent if their share came from
wireless telecommunication services and this possess a positive impact on the consumer
purchasing decision. However, much other telecommunication firm gives various offer or
discount package on their telecommunication products and in this case, the individual difference
factors of an individual play a major role. For these factors, the customer sometimes switches
their brand and purchase products from another firm.
In other words, by proper market analysis, it is seen that average demographic age people
are the major target consumer of this firm and for this reason the firm invented the wireless
network communication services (de Sena Abrahão, Moriguchi & Andrade, 2016). Hence, these
procedures provide a positive impact on consumer decision of purchasing or buying products and
therefore the brand switching aspects of the people has decreased. Due to this wireless facilities
are given by Vodafone about 32.5 million customers from South East Asia has switched to this
brand. Hence it increases the consumer numbers as well as the profitability of Vodafone in this
Asian market. In addition, to increase their consumer base and positive impact on the decision-

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making process they also offer the lowest tariff rates in various country markets. These changes
make a positive impact and most of the public network users switch to Vodafone for such
innovative aspects.
In many country markets, both 4G and 3G services are not present and innovation of this
revolutionary technology influence the people to switch their brand over Vodafone services.
Hence, it is clear that by offering various sorts of services and connectivity aspects, Vodafone
able to make positive aspects on the individual difference factors which thereby influence the
consumer purchase decision and brand switching aspects respectively (Oliveira, Thomas,
Baptista & Campos, 2016). Besides this, many countries have active networks and in these
countries, the firm failed to maintain the brand switching aspects of people. In these country
markets they unable to motivate the individual difference factors of people and thereby it does
not influence the consumer purchase decision over this Vodafone brand. However, in today's
environment, they make various branding and promotional strategies by which they easily
influence the customer brand switching process and purchase decisions respectively.
Strategies use for improvement of marketing strategies of Vodafone
By following the consumer behavior theories it is become easier to improve the
marketing strategies of this Vodafone firm and all these aspects related to marketing are given
below:
Marketing strategies on the basis of 4Ps
Product
As per the Weber law of consumer behavior theories, it is seen that an individual
perception will change the consumer purchasing decisions over the Vodafone products.
According to this theory, a person is only attracted when the respective products able to satisfy
their needs (Bruhn & Schnebelen, 2017). By following this perspective Vodafone provide
various offers in terms of their wireless communication aspects such as Post Paid and VAS as
well as pre-Paid services which can easily help this firm to influence their consumer base. In
addition, for improving their product strategy they can provide various services such as small
range of smartphone, messaging and voice services, value-added services as well as broadband

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services. By these prospects, they enhance the consumer decision-making process of their brand
and thereby increase their profitability too in various country markets.

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Place
Vodafone telecommunication firm mainly sold their products in various service outputs
and consumer care shop of this telecommunication firm (Mustak, Jaakkola, Halinen &
Kaartemo, 2016). By following the consumer behavior theories, they can make certain aspects by
which their products can easily available to each and every consumer of both local and
international markets. Hence, their strategy is to sell their products in several retail shops so that
they easily convince their customer to purchase their products rather than to buy products from
other telecommunication firms. By following these aspects in some regions of the world they
make the large base of service networks which thereby makes a positive impact on consumer
behavior as well as decision-making process.
Price
The Vodafone firm has implemented fixed price rate of their products so that they
enhance their competitive advantage in different country markets. However, after understanding
the consumer behavior theories, they can make changes in their pricing strategy and provide
some discounts over a high package that can make a positive influence over customers (Pappas,
2016). By following this pricing strategy the firm able to increase their profitability and it
possesses positive aspects on the consumer decision-making process. As per the Motivation need
theory of consumer behavior, they make high-quality services at a reasonable price so that they
satisfy both their consumer needs as well as increase their competitive advantage too.
Promotion
Vodafone is of the leading telecommunication brand of the world that makes various
advertising approach for their promotional activities. In order to maintain their consumer base,
the firm advertises their products in various fields such as in television, newspaper, and
billboards and also in print media advertisements (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2016). Besides this,
by following the consumer behavior theories they can change their promotional strategy which
can directly influence the consumer of various markets. In order to improve their promotional
strategies, Vodafone can also give advertisement on various magazines, social media such as
Twitter, Facebook and so on, by which they can easily enhance their consumer attraction towards
their brand.

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Marketing strategies on market segmentation approach
For market segmentation process Vodafone develops loyal and solid consumer base and
this can be made after understanding the consumer behavior theories (Garín-Muñoz, Pérez-
Amaral, Gijón & López, 2016). By following the market psychographics they will select the
young people of age range between 20 to 35 years because these age group peoples are mainly
fond of using high-quality network services. In other words, the firm will mainly choose the
semi-urban and urban areas people as they willing to use high-quality services at a reasonable
price. In addition, by selecting these youth cultural people, the firm able to sell their premium
services at a high price. In terms of demographics the firm mainly choose young age people on
both medium and small level markets because only these group of peoples will need such type of
services at an affordable price.
Targeting strategies of Vodafone
After reviewing the consumer behavior theories it can be said that the recharge plans are
made from low to high price with proper data plans in business to customer market. In other
words, for business to business markets, the recharge plan should be made as a package system
so that all large, medium and small enterprises can use this product (Godey et al., 2016). Hence
these targeting strategies eventually help this firm to make positive influence of their consumer
base.

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Conclusion
Vodafone is one of the leading telecommunication brand and therefore it is necessary that
the brand understands the individual difference factors which influences their products and
purchase decisions. After reviewing the individual difference factors it is clear that the firm
sustains their position when only they provide a positive impact on consumer behavior. In
addition, from market analysis, it is seen that individual difference factors possess great impact
on brand switching and purchasing decisions of consumers. In order to increase their consumer
base, the firm innovates various offers and discounts on their product range that can directly
influence consumer behavior. Moreover, with the help of consumer behavior theories, the firm
can able to improve their organization marketing strategies that also can possess a positive
impact on the consumer decision-making process.

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