 values. If we are dealing with a situation where our company is the best and is perceived as the clear and pronounced leader, then we would rank our competitive availability for that factor as a 1 (By the way, if there is no competition for a given factor, then we are, by default the best, therefore ranked as a 1). If, on the other hand, we were the worst in the market, then we would rank at a 10. If we seem to win and lose evenly, depending on the situation, then we might weigh it with a 5. eXcellence in Telecommunications The Telco Churn Handbook Perception Is a Part of the Equation When evaluating your rating of the competition, keep in mind that consumer perception S just as important as the reality of the situation. Many times, the low-cost provider can have a reputation as a high cost provider, causing many consumers to make decisions based on perception rather than reality. This can be especially devastating when you have a reputation for poor quality or coverage. Therefore, we must factor both reality and perception into our appraisal. Price Since price is the number one reason for customer churn, it is obviously important to evaluate the pricing alternatives offered by the competition. Getting price information can be very easy or very difficult depending on the situation. In the most obvious cases, your competition will put up aggressive price-based campaigns that offer low flat rates to customers. These price situations are easy to identify and address. It can get a bit more difficult when the competition begins to bundle offerings and create complex pay plans, offering various minutes at various times or combining long distance and wireless services into the same package. These complexities can make the job of comparing prices quite difficult for both the consumer and the competition. In the final analysis, however, consumers will figure out the bottom line and SO must you. Quality and Coverage Getting competitive information about quality and coverage will be difficult unless you have access to some