In order to promote 5G packages, operators are also trying their best

Whether on the Internet or in the real world, the topic of 5G is very hot, with both supporters and opponents, and of course there are many people who just want to watch the fun. With the strong push of the regulatory authorities, the diligent pursuit of equipment manufacturers, and the grand goal of seizing the commanding heights of global technology, operators in the middle layer have to use all their strength to develop. In addition to actively lowering the threshold for 5G packages, operators are making every effort.

1. In addition to the 30% discount on packages, 5G data packages are also available

On November 1, 2019, the three major operators simultaneously launched 5G packages. Thus, 5G has finally entered the stage where ordinary users can freely choose from licensing to construction, from internal testing to invitation testing. Although the network capabilities of the three major operators are very different, the prices of 5G packages are highly consistent.

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Regardless of whether there is any reason for internal coordination within the industry or unified control by regulators, what is ultimately presented to consumers is a slightly different or, more appropriately, no different choice. The entry-level price of a 5G package is around 128 yuan per month, and the 5G traffic included is 30GB.

This is equivalent to the monthly spending power of 50-60 yuan for all network users. The entry-level 5G package is indeed not affordable for ordinary people. The number of high-end users with spending power exceeding 120 yuan per month is limited, and naturally cannot support the operator's 5G construction and maintenance costs. Discount sales have become an inevitable operation for operators.

Since the beginning of this year, operators have launched a 30% discount on 5G packages. Although this has, to a certain extent, brought more mid-range users into the consumption range, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of the year and the complex global macroeconomic situation have made saving money a common choice for the vast majority of users, including solving communication consumption expenses.

In addition, a 5G package priced at 30 yuan and including 30GB of traffic has been launched, and more preferential 5G packages have been launched for some government and enterprise customers. The operator's goal is to migrate as many users as possible to 5G users, and naturally the majority of users have also benefited a lot from this.

2. In addition to price cuts, telemarketing is even more important

Operators have proactively lowered the threshold for 5G packages. Although this has expanded the target customer base to a certain extent and given more users the opportunity to choose 5G at a low price, the operators' goal is to increase users' average monthly consumption (ARPU) through package discounts, rather than simply promoting 5G packages.

Whether it is a 30-yuan 5G data package with 30GB of data or a 30% discount on a 5G package, the number of users who actively increase their average monthly communication consumption expenditure is not as large as one might think. How can we help users achieve the goal of migrating from 4G to 5G packages? For operators, promotion is the only choice.

In addition to sending multiple waves of SMS marketing of 5G discount information, the best option for operators is to make good use of all contact points with customers. These include physical business halls and various agency channels, but they are all limited to the fact that sales promotion can only be carried out after the customer takes the initiative to show up, which naturally cannot satisfy the appetite of operators.

Telemarketing is naturally the advantage of operators. In order to let more target users know about the operators' 5G package discounts, the three major operators have increased their telephone sales efforts. Although this kind of active harassment of users has been stopped by regulatory departments such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, this marketing method has not been cancelled.

Recently, a netizen on the Communication People Forum (forum URL: https://www.txrjy.com/forum.php) posted a picture and revealed that China Unicom's customer service staff has gone to great lengths to promote 5G packages. The picture shows that the phone number 10016 has proactively communicated with users 8 times in the past three months (special note: the phone number alone cannot be used to determine whether it is a promotional activity).

Although the netizen did not disclose his average monthly communication expenses, if there are sales calls that contact users so relentlessly, on the one hand it shows that this user has become the target user of China Unicom's 5G package, and on the other hand it also shows that China Unicom's big data marketing capabilities need to be further improved.

It is important to note that as of the end of October, China Unicom has not yet announced its 5G packages and the number of 5G users. Even the number of 5G mobile terminals in the network is kept strictly confidential by China Unicom. We are not sure whether China Unicom is going to make a big splash or is short of money. Seeing that China Unicom is so hard to promote 5G packages, it is estimated that its 5G package users will not be too few.

3. Precision marketing based on big data should not be absent

The three major operators have all the consumption behaviors of their users, including detailed information such as network access time, network time, package content, and average monthly consumption. Since the 2G era, the three major operators have built their own business analysis systems to conduct multi-dimensional analysis of user behavior, but now, judging from the case of China Unicom repeatedly promoting 5G packages, this analysis is not accurate enough.

From extracting user consumption data to formulating marketing policies to customer service staff conducting telephone sales, the connection problem has not been effectively solved. In the case of this article, China Unicom was exposed because the original sales promotion was considered harassment by users. This should have been a low-probability event that could have been completely avoided.

Operators are used to extracting the accumulated data of existing user consumption behaviors from the system, but they have not effectively utilized the user feedback information, artificially separating the two most basic tasks of user marketing and user research. Operators can fully utilize the touch points of communication with users to understand users' more detailed and segmented needs, and accordingly increase the probability of marketing success.

When it comes to the benefits of 5G, operators will definitely mention its intelligent or smart applications, or simply summarize it as artificial intelligence. In the process of promoting 5G packages, operators should develop marketing systems or marketing applications based on 5G artificial intelligence. For operators, instead of spending huge amounts of money to package and promote other people's success stories, it is better to calm down and explore and improve their most needed marketing capabilities. We believe that operators need to keep the following concept in mind at all times - those industrial enterprises are their own 2B target users, and operators themselves are also their own 2B target users.