An Insight into the Mind of Mobile Phone users – The battle of Needs & Aspirations!

In continuation to my previous post on Pakistan’s handset industry; this article will shed further light on the same industry but highlighting the opposite side of the spectrum .i.e. the mobile phone users. The mindset of our local mobile phone user is very unique & complex. Influences of socio-economic & demographic factors, peer pressures & life style etc are the main driving force through which the consumer ends up owning a particular model for his/her communication needs.

“A professional looking guy is standing nearby you, he is pretty calm & collected but needlessly try to show of his latest PDA, few seconds forward than he pulls out his phone stylus & tap here & there on the screen than put the phone in his pocket while giving a good gaze to all the near by guys boasting a smirking proudly smile“.

I bet many of you have observed incidents like these but have you ever wondered why on earth a decent looking guy in professional attire can ever do this kind of antics.

To further explore this mindset, let’s look closely, the phenomenal growth in mobile penetration have created a very unique socio cultural psyche. just imagine from a 12 year old kiddy to a 60 year old man are all playing with the small communication device known as mobile phone. A rough estimate suggests that in Pakistan the usage span of a new cell phone is mere 3 months (means majority of local users upgrade their cell phone within 3 months time).

Confused, let me throw a simple question. What exactly do you want from your mobile? The 3 top of the mind features which comes instantly should be the core reason for you to owning your current handset; if that isn’t the case than you must have lost the battle to the aspirations which are hiding somewhere underneath your mind.

Sound interesting right, precisely your honest answer is the basic premise of this article. Pondering further on this same concept, I have summed up the Pakistan’s mobile user into 2 main categories (2 basic types of users).

1. Those who are driven by their needs (read 3 core phone functionalities)

2. Those who are driven by their aspirations (Users who can easily suffice their communication requirement through a say Rs. 10k mobile phone but instead they choose to carry a cell phones worth Rs. 40K or more)

In every mobile phone user’s mind there is a battle going around, a battle between their needs & aspirations. Some own phones to suffice their communication needs while some own phones to meet their aspirational urges.

 

Now look at the mobile phone user preference chart while making actual decision, the data is a study & I have used extrapolation for analysis purposes as it enable us to understand the psyche of local consumer. Also take a look at the chart depicting local consumer purchasing pattern.

 

I personally have come across so many professionals/ executives who take their hands on any new business phone which hits the market, to few of them I even asked the question why you are carrying a blackberry/ PDA or a latest Nokia E-series phone…. the only answer I got in reply was we need to check our emails 24/7 & that’s about it (surprisingly no words about PIM, one of the major feature of any business phone since majority of them doesn’t exactly know what this Personal Information Management really stand for). I have even tried to convince majority of them that there are cell phones which can meet your exact requirement in half of the price you want to spend but my efforts always go in vain.

The main reason lies in the consumer mindset (the aspirational value attached to carrying a business phone) since the consumer tend to believe that how he/she will look professional (read top executives) if they are not carrying a BlackBerry or a PDA phone.

And this is not just a local phenomenon, even mobile users of developed countries tend to be manipulated by their desires & aspiration rather looking to their actual communication needs. Hence this battle between needs & aspiration will continue…. how long, i am not too sure…