Laddering Study

Verizon Wireless
Created By:
Courtney Wood
Katie Pakkala
Michael Flowers
Meghan VanZyl
Brian Bush

Objective Review
The purpose of this laddering study was to obtain an understanding regarding the attributes,
consequences, and values that are of importance to both male and female college students when
preparing to make a decision to change or stay with their current cell phone service providers.
Verizon Wireless works to keep its successful positioning in the communications industry, based
off the wants and needs of their target consumers. After carefully analyzing 10 individual
interviews, a perceptual mapping study will order the attributes by importance based on the
consensus of all interviews combined, and acknowledging how each attribute is connected to
another.

Methodology
Initial Interview Plan

The group as a whole conducted a total of 10 in person interviews. Location of

each interview varied based on the interviewee/interviewer discretion. Each
member of our five person group conducted two interviews, each using 1 male
individual and 1 female individual totaling to 5 males and 5 females interviewed.

Participation Qualifications

Our target market included both male and female college students (currently
enrolled) with a normal approximate age range of 18-22 years old.

Interview Series of Events

All intros started with the explanation of the purpose for conducting the laddering

study, including that it was for the Consumer Behavior group project.
Our interview process has two conjoined phases: Pre-Survey/Information, and
Survey/Analysis.
The Pre-Survey/Information stage provided the interviewees with the objective of
our project, and an idea of what the interview would entail.
Then the Survey/Analysis stage contained the official interview, along with the
group members collecting sufficient data and pulling out the key points that
would help us summarize the characteristics and attributes within Verizon.
By using this method to conduct our interviewing process, our group was able to
develop a hierarchal value perceptual map that contained the ordering of each
attribute by importance and how each correlates with each other.
Some conflicts that could be prevented include having inaccurate information.
Considering that only 10 interviews occurred, had there been more conducted
interviews, our data would be closer to accuracy. Possibly guiding the group to
other various attributes that were not discussed prior, becoming excluded from
our visual mapping.

Executive Summary
The purpose for our study is to analyze and determine the significance of specific
attributes that consumers find most important when choosing the right cell phone service
providers. Our group coordinated 10 face-to-face interviews of both male and female college
students who own cellphones and are/are not considering switching cell phone providers in the
near future, with the intent of ultimately analyzing the Verizon cell service provider. After
analyzing each interview, our group concluded that Internet access, price, service availability,
texting, and social media access were the most important attributes for representing our target
market.
During the interviews, all the participants were very clear to recognize what they looked
for when choosing their service providers. Our group was able to pinpoint the effects that each
specific attribute had for our participants, and gain an understanding of how each one
collaborated with our service provider in question, Verizon. Our interview process has two
conjoined phases: Pre-Survey/Information, and Survey/Analysis. The Pre-Survey/Information
stage provided the interviewees with the objective of our project, and an idea of what the
interview would entail. Then the Survey/Analysis stage contained the official interview, along
with the group members collecting sufficient data and pulling out the key points that would help
us summarize the characteristics and attributes within Verizon. By using this method to conduct
our interviewing process, our group was able to develop a hierarchal value perceptual map that
contained the ordering of each attribute by importance and how each correlates with each other.
Ultimately our group can conclude that Verizon is one of the top cellphone service
providers with our research suggesting that seven out of ten male and female college students use
this provider; therefore, candidates that use Verizon are more prevalent than those of whom
receive service from other cellphone carriers. Internet access, reasonable pricing, service
availability, texting, and social media currently represent the desired attributes of the chosen
target market of male and female college students who are/are not considering to change service
providers. On the contrary, different demographics (Ex: men and women age 65 and up) may
pose a variance in rank of these features offered, because essentially attributes like social media,
texting, and Internet access, are aimed at a younger aged target market. Potentially leading this
demographic to purchasing a more basic and affordable cell phone service.

Analyzed Data
For our laddering study, our groups target interviewees included male and female college
students (approx. 18-22 years of age). The reason we chose to target this specific group is
because, as college students ourselves, we understand that cell phones are a big necessity among
students to network/social network, keep in touch with family/friends, and for various safety
reasons. Many students are fortunate enough to be included into Family Plan contracts, resulting
in cheaper cell phone bills every month for whoever the bill payer is. Others who are not as
fortunate to have deals like that available are then left to in a sense fend for themselves, and find
a provider that accommodates their needs and wants within their price range. Our study is
focused around Verizon Wireless, as it contains many quality attributes that go beyond
reasonable pricing and variety to choose from.
Many of the individuals in this group were under the Verizon service provider, without the
hesitancy to stay with their services. The interviewees knew what qualities they desired within
their providers. Key responses to interview questions highlighted below, will help with
understanding the attributes each individual from the selected target group find important and
sensible.

SERVICE AVAILABILITY
Q: Have you ever experienced any problems with your cell phone service provider? If so,
how was it handled?
A: There is no Verizon cell tower in Adrian, so when the power lines go down, its
frustrating not having service available to utilize cell phones.
Q: Are you happy with the Customer Service department of your phone company?
A: Depending on the day, sometimes they are helpful, and other times I feel as if I am
wasting my time to continuously be put on hold.
Across the board, all Verizon customers that were interviewed agreed that the cell service is in
good condition, close to never having their phone search for signal within the City of Adrian that
does not contain a Verizon cell tower. When there are power outages the repair company is
efficient and quick at getting the power back on in a timely matter. Verizon Customer Service,
compares to that of typical Customer Service, meaning that the workers they have are nice but
not always knowledgeable about all the procedures used to fix, repair phones. A few students

said that when they call Customer Service you have to plan ahead because of the obnoxious
amount of time that you could be put on hold.
INTERNET ACCESS
Q: What do you most commonly use the Internet for?
A: I use on the daily social media apps, along with searching the web.
Q: How expensive is it to pay for Internet data?
A: Maybe between $20-$30, when Im connected to WiFi my data does not get used, so
thats a perk to being on campus often because theres usually a WiFi signal
somewhere close.
After gathering the data for use of the Internet, the results that were found are not shocking. Most
participants use the Internet for social media networking, web browsing, and music. Not all of
the participants had data usage available on their phones, on account of it tending to be a little on
the pricier side when going to purchase a phone. Many students utilize their access to WiFi on a
daily basis so that the limited amount of available data does not get used up too quickly.
PRICE
Q: Where did you purchase your cell phone?
A: Im from Ann Arbor, and theres a Verizon store close to my house, and thats where I
got it.
Q: How long have you had your cell phone service?
A: I think Ive been with Verizon for about 7 years.
All interviewed phone owners with the exception of one who chose to order their phone online,
bought their phones in Sprint, Verizon, or Wal-Mart stores. The number of years that someone
has been with their provider tells you how much faith that customer has in their services and
products. Most interviewees have been with the same cell phone provider for numbers of years,
on account of the service being affordable for themselves, and the trust in the product reliability.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Q: What social media sites do you typically use?
A: Normally Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Q: How many hours per day do you spend on social media sites via your phone?
A: Around 2-3 hours.
The use of social media is the most prevalent attribute on a cell phone that coincides with todays
trends and habits. Along with Snapchat and Instagram, even though they are photo based
messaging, blogging on Facebook is still widely used by people of all ages, and more recently
employers to check personal profiles. After averaging the number of hours that all 10
participants, the probability of finding a student on the Adrian College campus without a
Facebook are very unlikely.
Values: Trust, Financial Security, and Networking

Consequences: Budgeting, Belongingness, Signal,

Attributes: Price, Internet Access, Social Media Access, Price, Texting, And Available Service