Methodology
The VOICE&DATA Mobile User's Satisfaction Survey is an annual affair. This year's the focus was on urban brand conscious users and the medium used was online (self filled), unlike offline (face-to-face) research done in the past.

In 2006, we have almost doubled the spread in terms of no of cities. This year, the sample base was 4,524 across 51 cities covering 23 states. We did not received any response from North Eastern states (except Assam) and Andaman & Nicobar, as Internet penetration is low in these regions. In 2005, the sample was 3,763 spread across 20 cities/towns and adjoining rural areas whereas in 2004 it was 2,245 spread across 14 cities.

In order to reach mobile phone users, VOICE&DATA conducted an online survey in the month of October-November 2006 time frame. The survey link was advertised as a banner and text advertisement using Google AdWord and AdSense. VOICE&DATA conducted an independent telephonic validation of 50% of the respondents to verify their authenticity. The validation was conducted by dialing the mobile numbers shared by the respondents in the survey. Around 98 percent of the respondents picked up the call and there was less than 1 percent error for almost all the seven critical questions validated during the process.

While looking at the survey findings, two points must be kept in the mind a) Internet today broadly represents urban India; b) around 25% of the mobile owners also use Internet, and therefore, the samples thus selected through online were definitely representative of the 'brand conscious' mobile phone users.

We believe that overall satisfaction is a dependent variable and individual attributes are independent variables, either positively or negatively relate to overall satisfaction. We have therefore used a multiple regression-based model to derive these contributions and thereby derived the overall satisfaction at various level; e.g., all users, telecom circles, and operators.

In order to analyze the overall satisfaction of the subscribers with their current service provider, we took up five broad areas that contributes to overall satisfaction-presales/sales, network availability, value added services, customer care, and billing. By considering overall satisfaction as a function of the parameters, we arrived at different weights for these parameters. These weights were then applied on the stated scores for satisfaction to arrive at the final scores for satisfaction.

We have moved a step ahead and apart from user satisfaction studies, the survey also measures the future readiness of mobile operator and mobile handset brands. This was done using JuxtConsult's proprietary brand tracking model "The Brand Momentux" which innovatively adapts the 'theory of momentum' from physics to estimate the future readiness of brands.

The model works on the principle that marketing planning using the current sales and market share figures is like living life 'one time cycle' behind. A brand's current market share only reflects its past performance. It only shows where the brand stands today. It gives little clues on how fit and 'geared up' is the brand to compete in the market of 'tomorrow'.

To be on the right marketing time cycle and know the future 'readiness' and potential of the brand a marketer also needs to measure and track the 'momentum' at which their brand is moving into the future.

There are a set of distinct brand 'diagnostic' measures from this model that we are presenting in this issue that 'quantify' and tell you not only how fit is your brand in its current performance, but also what future direction that fitness is likely to translate into. Each 'measure' used in the model reflects a 'milestone' in the consumer's interaction with the brand in the buying process – from recall, to consideration, to intention to buy, to actual purchase and usage.