Innovative Product Strategies and Customer Satisfaction of Smart Phone Products; a Study of Infinix Phone

ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship between innovative product strategy and customer satisfaction with a focus on Infinix mobile phone users in Ilorin South, Kwara State. The objectives of the study were to: (i) determine the influence of incremental innovation on customer satisfaction; (ii) examine the extent to which process innovation affects customer satisfaction; and (iii) analyse the effect of product innovation on customer satisfaction. The research adopted a survey design and utilised a structured questionnaire for data collection. The study population consisted of users of Infinix phones within Ilorin South, and a sample size of 384 was determined using Godden’s (2004) infinite population formula. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that: for hypothesis one, incremental innovation had a significant influence on customer satisfaction (R² = 0.501, β = 0.708, t = 18.241, p = 0.000); for hypothesis two, process innovation also showed a significant influence on customer satisfaction (R² = 0.508, β = 0.713, t = 18.505, p = 0.000); and for hypothesis three, product innovation exerted a strong and significant effect on customer satisfaction (R² = 0.609, β = 0.781, t = 22.722, p = 0.000). The results further affirmed the model's fitness in all three cases. The study concluded that incremental innovation, process innovation, and product innovation significantly enhance customer satisfaction. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Infinix should continue to upgrade existing products through strategic incremental changes, enhance internal processes for better efficiency and responsiveness, and prioritise bold and customer-focused product innovations to remain competitive and foster long-term consumer loyalty. 
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