CONTEXT: A wireless service provider market is extremely competitive. The growth in the number of subscribers and in revenue over the last decade has been nothing short of meteoric. In the earlier years of this industry, pricing pressure and consolidation caused smaller service providers to be acquired or leave the market. The bigger players try to retain their coveted customers by offering unique services (such as offering rollover minutes in the rate plans, handset subsidies, etc.), which results in the growth of higher average revenue per user (ARPU).

Even with increased ARPU, the net subscriber addition in this industry is somewhat low. So, industry analysts are concerned whether the service providers can maintain high ARPU for long. The analysts notice the current trend is for people to prefer using their wireless phone rather than their wireline phones at home. In the long run, this is considered a positive for the wireless service provider market. To increase market share, wireless service providers are trying to poach their competitors' customers by providing superior quality services, appealing customer calling plans and great customer support.

However, due to recent law reforms, wireless customers can keep their existing phone numbers even if they are moving to a different provider. This has made it harder for wireless service providers to keep their current customers, who become enticed into moving to competitors because of 'better deals'.

Wireless carriers often use subscriber surveys to study strategies that can be implemented to maintain current subscribers while attracting those from other carriers. Recently, Consumer Reports found out that:

- less than 50% of respondents were highly satisfied with their cell phone service

- a significant number of them said they had no service or experienced a drop call or poor connection at least once in the week before the survey was conducted

- nearly 37% of all cell phone users switch carriers each year

- only 10% of subscribers had filed a billing problem with their carriers

- only 40% of those reporting problems said the company's response to a complaint was very helpful

These findings suggest that wireless carriers should focus on improving service quality to reduce dropped calls and should improve billing and customer service in order to to increase subscriber satisfaction.

The wireless service provider is trying to improve their services in order to woo its competitors' customers. Despite that, the service provider has experienced customer turnover and the management team wants to study the reason why customers might be leaving and commissioned a survey. Based on the outcome of the survey, the management team believes that it might be better to understand the reasons for losing subscribers to competitors and, thus, reduce this loss.

The management team has made a survey (below)

Survey:

1. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how would you rate the company's coverage meeting your needs?

2. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how would you rate how well you are able to make or receive calls where you live and travel?

3. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much do you agree that you get few dropped calls?

4. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how would you rate voice quality of the calls?

5. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much do you agree that the company has favorable contract requirements?

6. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much do you agree that the company has calling plans that meet consumers' needs?

7. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much would agree that the company has selection of phones that meet consumers' needs?

8. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much would you agree that the company has error-free billing statement?

9. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how would you rate high-quality customer service provided by the company?

10. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much would you agree that the company has conveniently-located stores?

11. On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely well), how much would you agree the company has lower prices?

12. In what year were you born?

13. What is your highest level of education?

14. Which of the following best describes your household situation?

Question: Design 10 - 20 comparative or relational research questions. These RQs should cover all components of the survey.

Example of relational questions:

Does a customers perception of service staffs friendliness affect their overall satisfaction at the casino?

Does a customers age affect their overall satisfaction at the casino?

Example of comparative questions:

Do men and women differ in their average satisfaction with the casino?

Do customers of different ages differ in their average satisfaction with the casino?