Index Number : 10271066 Programme : MBA Accounting and Finance Level: 600 part 1 Course : Research Methods Topic : The Impact Of Data Services On The Profitability of Vodafone Ghana INTERVIEWEE Name: Kweku Afful Name of Institution: Vodafone GHANA Unit: Accounts section Position: Accounts Officer Purpose of the Interview My name is Adu Frank a student at the University of Professional Studies in Accra. I assure you that this interview is solely for academic purposes, and any details you provide will be confidential. In view of this, I would kindly urge you to provide accurate information concerning your company. Interview guide 1. What is the nature of the business? 2. What is the history of the company? 3. What do you want to accomplish as a company in the next five years? 4. What are the major problems that are interfering with the smooth operation of your company? 5. What are your plans to address these issues? 6. Does your market share and profitability suffer as a result of these challenges? Transcript of interview Interviewer: Adu Frank Interviewee: Accounts Office Setting: at his office Date: 15th May, 2021 Start time: 1:00pm End time 1:30pm Status: recorded by writing Me: Good morning, Sir! Thank you kindly for agreeing to take part in the interview. My name is Adu Frank, and I am an MBA student at the University of Professional Studies (UPS) in Accra. As part of my project, I've come to conduct a short interview. This is purely for the sake of education. PRO: Good morning, my dear, and thank you for taking the time to come here. I also work for Vodafone Ghana as a controller. ME: Thank you Sir, actually the interview is about Vodafone Ghana’s products and services in general as a whole. PRO: No problem; I'll do my best to respond to your questions while remaining compliant with the institution's confidentiality policy. ME: What is the nature of your business? PRO: .Vodafone Ghana is the country's largest telecom provider, offering mobile data and speech, fixed voice and internet, mobile financial services, and a fiber backbone. In terms of market share, it is the second-best operator, with the best voice clarity and 3G+ data rates. ME: What is the history of the company? PRO: Since 1974, Vodafone has been around. Vodafone offers the kind of cutting-edge service for which the Vodafone Group is known around the world. Vodafone has received nearly 75 local and international awards in Ghana in the last four years, making it the most awarded telecoms company in the country. ME: What do you want to accomplish as a company in the next five years? PRO: Vodafone Ghana will concentrate on new product development while also promoting the local economy. Vodafone Ghana's goal is to get communications products to the people who need them the most. ME: What are the major problems that are interfering with the smooth operation of your company? PRO: Yeah, you've asked a question, so I'd say the problems we're having with our internet connectivity are our main concerns. As a result, customers have expressed dissatisfaction with their usability in certain regions. ME: What are your plans to address these issues? PRO: To fix the network issue, we will extend data connections. To solve the data issue, this expansion must be completed. ME: Does your market share and profitability suffer as a result of these challenges? PRO: The data problem may have an impact on our market share and profitability because when customers complain, they lose confidence in Vodafone, which may lead them to switch to another network. As accountants we want to make sure we make profits and if these issues are affecting our market share, it will reduce our profit. ME: Thank you very much sir for your time. PRO: You are welcome my dear. Description of the problem The issue at hand is the slow speed with which our internet connection connects. Institutions and individuals in Ghana are connecting to the internet in their offices and homes on a daily basis. Mobile telecommunications have brought internet to remote areas; anywhere you can obtain a signal (phone antenna), the service provider is likely to have a GPRS service available (Ibid). However, Vodafone Ghana's introduction of systems that provide quality internet connectivity or link favors urban areas. Due to the extreme poor network provided by internet service providers, even those in urban areas are sometimes unable to access the internet. As a result, internet connectivity is a major challenge for Vodafone Ghana. The internet connection is unbelievably sluggish, offering 3G and 2G networks, and in certain situations, Vodafone customers experience full internet network failure. As a revenue making company, these issues have affected the profit making of Vodafone Ghana What caused the problem? Vodafone, Ghana's telecommunications network, has been struck by a major network outage, preventing customers from accessing the internet or making international calls. Internet service providers aren't interested in areas where their investment doesn't equal their return, according to (Da-Costa and Dankwa, 2012). As internet service providers and mobile network operators want to extend their coverage to remote areas, they are unable to do so due to a lack of equipment. How to solve it I assume that the slow internet connection, specifically with Vodafone Ghana, is due to the inability to catch up with technological advancements. Vodafone could extend its 4G internet coverage across Ghana's sixteen regions and environs, allowing users to access the internet faster. In addition, Vodafone Ghana needs to deploy equipments such as a communication tower in rural areas in order to enable internet access in remote areas. Conclusion Education, industry, health, and social connectivity are only a few of the applications of the internet in today's world. However, the slow speed of internet connectivity, especially by Vodafone Ghana in rural and remote areas, is nothing to talk about. As a result, it is critical for Vodafone Ghana to address its slow internet speed issue by introducing network infrastructure and cutting-edge technology to improve internet speed for its users.
