Tuesday, July 26, 2011
DESMOND CYRIL
I don’t think I can really point out the unusual sentiment that is pushing me to write about the telecommunication networks in Ghana. It’s probably the fun that’s going on with all of them striving so hard to win over customers.
When I write, I don’t intend to malign or unnecessarily dwell on the derogatory aspect of entities. I just write what i see and what the facts are. Based on this assertion, I think it’s prudent for me to briefly share my views on the various networks in Ghana and what they’ve been up to in relation to the numerous"funfair of advertisements" and apparent desperation for more customers, whom they can't even adequately satisfy.
Quite recently, The Mobile Number Portability policy, or whatever they call it had begun full implementation, prompting the hitherto insensitive, unreliable and evidently inefficient Telecommunication networks to add more value to their operations and pay ardent attention to the needs of the consumer.
The inability of a person to switch from a network to another and still retain that same number had been a major hurdle that inhibited or militated against customers’ ability to switch from a literally despotic power wielding Network to the other which is relatively better.
However, with the kind of platform that mobile portability creates, ensuring that one switches to another network without a change in number, one can’t help but to laud this ingenious idea and hope for the best.
What I like about this whole thing is the hype it brings in competition, which instantly propels quality of service, reduction in price of network products etc at the advantage of the consumer. This has even culminated in the various humanitarian agendas that had, have and are being undertaken by the various Networks
Neither does the Most Thievery Network fail in providing timely intervention to our anemic society. VOODOOFON, sorry Vodafone doesn’t fall short either in this respect.
Nor does TIGOAT……. Or EXPIREDSO relent in the interspersed building of schools, constructing of boreholes, financing public health etc………………
Those networks who hitherto thought they could flaunt and flex their monopoly because of the apparent assertion that customers wouldn’t be able to divert to other networks since they fear losing their numbers would have to start rethinking, which of course I guess they’ve started.
The adverts are so much and it’s not even funny!!!!!!!!! Some are just annoying and disgusting and one can’t even make a head and tail of what their putting forward.
Perhaps they’ve become so desperate that their ability to put ideas into thoughts and creativity has suddenly being dashed by the glaring truth of Mobile Number Portability.
For me, I see this on a brighter side. The fact is that but virtue of the initiation of MNP, the various Mobile Networks have been put on their toes and have suddenly being “thought the thing”, that the customer is always right. I’m sure this has in a way preempted certain frivolous promotions, giving way for a more transparent and crystal clear initiatives, devoid of outrageous and despicably ferocious promotions, which were aimed at winning customers at all cost for their(The networks') own benefit without any empathy to the plight of the customer. This had really changed and I think the networks deserve to be patted at the back.
Of course one would agree with me that the Networks (service providers), are sometimes despicable and attribute congenital flaws in basic service provision. I simply can’t come to terms with the way we’ve been bullied for so long. Even now with the MNP, they still maneuver their antics and prowess in ultimately squeezing the cash out of consumers in a subtle way. I don’t utterly blame them because they are not NGO’s in anycase…
But I don’t think that gives them the impetus, the effrontery, the audacity and the incumbency to practically subject the consumer into a literal “tree bank”, where they could pluck their money based on their own predispositions, considering how they tactically device ingenious means to make the money(from so called promotions, bonuses etc).
Their promotions are nothing to write home about. They promise heaven and earth but always renege on this flurry of outrageous promises. I think they could do better.
Their promotions are nothing to write home about. They promise heaven and earth but always renege on this flurry of outrageous promises. I think they could do better.
I wonder why we still call them Networks if they don't work at all, so the obvious name that comes to mind is NetUnwork, because for now, that's what they represent......
For one particular Network, calling their helpline is an effort in futility. One Hour is too short to get a response from them. The other time, it took me over 1 and half hours to get to them and i didn't even get any sensible result from them to address the issue i had with my chip.
I won’t succumb to the temptation of evincing the various networks who perpetuate these frivolities but I think you all would unanimously agree with me that these networks have robbed us for so long and it’s high time they stopped these “Jacketed thievery” sealed under the obnoxious and repugnant impression of promotions and bonuses. This to me is just a case of robbing “Peter to Pay Paul”.
The “pendulum” of this situation is how it would be a sheer mischief for anyone to say in a malignant contest that the networks have been entirely worthless and a bunch of “money suckers”. The fact weighs between the good and the bad.
Vodafone for example have undertaken several humanitarian projects which attest to the fact that they have not entirely been snobbish of the plights of the society. MTN and AIRTEL have also been paramount and conspicuous in the building of schools, supporting Brilliant but needy students as well funding medical bills for people who couldn’t afford. These I think are steps in the right direction and needs to be positively elevated to highlight the enormous achievements they’ve chalked.
This does not however, shield the apparent truth that the networks have been abysmal in service provision, but rather interested in hoax promotions, incessant impressions of low tariffs( which they strive cunningly to recover through “unethical” means)……….so they say “ Free weekend calls, or double bonus, or from…. To ….., u could pay this less, free texts” it’s only an alien from space who wouldn’t read into these cantankerous offers and bonuses because they will certainly recover every single offer they’ve made.
They trumpet a barrage of apparently incessant bonuses which do not yield any result but a mischievous scheme to sift the “cash out of trash”. So today it’s an issue of “buy one, get two free”……and people fall for this, not knowing that they would surely account for every pesewa they’ve enjoyed as bonuses.
Some say they are waiting for GLO to redeem them from the apparent insensitivity and empty bonus and promotion advert sprees that are being practiced in the Mobile Network field. But who knows?, maybe they would also join the fierce race of office extortion that is going on and probably overtake its predecessors,
What is important is that, even though these networks namely MTN, VODAFON, AIRTEL,TIGO, EXPRESSO continue in their interesting escapades, one cannot downplay or simply prejudice the enormous humanitarian projects they’ve undertaken and the best they do to ensure customer satisfaction.
