Dukes+A.+Mobile+Focus+Group+Report

Dukes A

TO: Mobile Team FROM: Andrew Dukes SUBJECT: Mobile Focus Group Report DATE: March 21, 2010

Here is my report on a focus group I ran with five participants regarding their mobile device and service. I was able to cover all five questions developed by our team. All the participants were relatively pleased with both their devices and service providers. Likewise, they reported that they will most likely renew their current contract.


 * Focus Group Rationale**

U.S. users of smart phones typically buy a subsidized handset from a particular cell phone provider. Consequently they must consider trade-offs between handset features and the price and quality of the cell network. The purpose of our focus groups is to determine what factors influence these decisions, and whether they are driven primarily by the choice of handset or the provider network. This information will let us better advise Proximity clients about which handsets and networks are most attractive to Gen-Y users.


 * Setting and Participants**

The 45 minute session was held in my house on Sunday, March 21, 2010. The participants were:


 * Lee, 19, a TU sophomore majoring in economics;
 * Barbra, 65, a retired accountant;
 * Jessica, 15, a high school sophomore;
 * Tomas, 53, a bond underwriter working for Travelers;
 * Terry, 52, an auditor working for the IRS.

We covered the following three topics during the session:
 * Session Topics**

__Reason for buying their particular handset__ When asked why they choose their specific device, they responded with a variety of reasons. Tomas, Jessica, and Lee said that they wanted to get the best possible phone. Tom said, "I thought the Dare was the best phone offered by Verizon at the time, so i bought it". Jessica and Lee agreed with Tom's comment. Where as, Terry was more attracted to the price and the flip feature. She said, "I liked the flip phones at the time and the price was reasonable". Finally, Barbra purchased a cheap and basic device simply because she didn't need all the elaborate features, just the calling feature.

__Their provider's reputation and influence__
 * Four out of the five participants said that the reputation had influenced them on which provider to choose. They all agreed that **Verizon's commercials have convenced them that Verizon provides the best service. They praised the commercial's use of maps, which displayed Verizon's superior coverage throughout the United States in comparison to AT & T. On the other hand, Barbra was more concerned about the pricing rather than the actual reputation.

__Features and applications used__ Tomas, Terry, and Barbra use their phone with the basic intention of contacting other people. Thus, they reported that they only use the calling and text features on their phones. Where as, Lee and Jessica use a variety of different features and applications. They use the features of the camera, internet, games, calculator, and calendar. The internet feature was stressed because they could check their Facebooks and Twitters when away from a computer. Lee was the only participant with a smartphone, which he said the applications were useful and entertaining. For instance, he uses the Pandora application to listen to the radio while walking to his classes.

__Satisfaction with mobile device__ Four out of the five participants were generally satisfied with their mobile device. They said they made the right decision when purchasing that particular handset and their phones did what they were designed to do. Lee was the only participant who wasn't satisfied with his mobile device. He complained that his smartphone was difficult to use. "Although i love the idea of smartphones, this one is just too complicated. I still don't know how to fully use it".

__Satisfaction with service__ All of the participants were generally satisfied with their service provider. Barbra, who has Virgin Mobile, was the most satisfied with her coverage. She said, "every time i need to make a call, i hear the other person clearly". However, the other four participants showed some concern regarding the quality of their coverage. Jessica, Lee, Tomas, and Terry all have Verizon Wireless, which they said was a reliable service but had some minor flaws. They complained about certain areas, where they can't get coverage as well as times when their calls were dropped. However, they all plan on renewing their contracts with their current provider.


 * Findings**

The session revealed that the participants: 
 * Used less of their phone and its features if they were older;
 * Used more of their phone and its feature if they were younger;
 * Were attracted to Verizon wireless because of its impressive reputation and advertisements;
 * Were generally satisfied with their mobile device and service.

These findings suggest that there is a split between the younger and older generation. The older generation can easily be reached through tradition media, like newspaper and prime time TV. Whereas, Gen-Y does not consume tradition media making them harder to reach. However, Gen-Y largely consumes media through their mobile devices, which can be used by clients to reach them. The phone's GPS makes the individual's location known. Therefore, ads can be sent based on the individual's location.