The AT&T opportunity calling program: Responsiveness and implications

Abstract

One of the key objectives of AT&T consumer long distance marketing is to offer “personalized services” to the 85-million-customer household base. A primary concern is to communicate with customers in a way that is relevant to them. One of the ways AT&T seeks to accomplish this goal is through direct contacts (mail and telemarketing) with the consumer. An example is a direct mail program called the AT&T Opportunity Calling^® Program which was launched in 1984 to provide information about AT&T and its offering during the transitional time following AT&T's divestiture of the Bell Operating Companies. This direct mail program sought to provide value to consumers by recognizing the different needs of consumers, and responding accordingly. Specifically, Opportunity Calling rewarded customers for their patronage by providing them with discounts on commonly used goods and services. (Note: The Opportunity Calling Program officially ended on December 31, 1988.) In order to gain a better understanding of the consumer, a marketing research study was undertaken in late 1986 to tailor a segmentation scheme specifically for the Opportunity Calling universe. The study sought to determine significant attitudinal, demographic, behavioral, and geodemographic factors that contribute to participation in a direct mail program like Opportunity Calling.