@muganda
excellent post. You have hit the nail on the head as to why the remaining safcom guys aren't going to move quickly.
It is actually the reason why safcom shareholders should be shaking in their knees as we speak. Number loyalty and this mobile payment thing.
Sometime this year, number portability will be a reality. You will be able to move with your phone number to the better provider. I am sure that is what YU is counting on.
Mobile payment portability. It is also something that is coming soon. So you will be able to move money from mpesa to zap to orange one.
Data..see my earlier post on data. If zain goes 3G, see the move with safcom modems being converted to zain and more likely orange. By the way, orange is the one to watch on data.
The days of forced loyalty to a product are coming to an end. You can no longer force customers to stick with you because of Mpesa, or your phone number.
So when the first statement that came from safcom was " I will not change my rates because my shareholders will not make money on the poor people in Kenya" came out, I considered it the most stupid press statement since Kalonzo was Yes, NO, Yes, Yes, No No Ye.
It meant that to me the consumer, I am useless unless I own shares in this wonderful company.
That was the end of safcom rise.
Look at what happened today. The moment they announced their rates, they then gave conditions. from now onwards, anytime safcom comes up with a product, everyone will be looking for the conditions. Trust in this company is gone.
It is not the price. It never will be the price. Price wars never help any company and the indians know this. It is perception. They have managed in one week to make everyone including those still with safcom think that safcom is a greedy company led by people who don't care about the poor in Kenya.
Remember what Bharti said when they came to the market. They want to be known as the "village provider". They will give the villager like me products that I can understand.
Now go to shags and explain to my cucu that it is good to use safcom because they employ Kenyans and their P/E ratio is good, their 4G network is the best in the world etc. Now by the way pay more to call if you only have 20 bob to call.
Then you will understand why you should be dumping safcom shares until the next CEO comes in. As far as I am concerned Michael Joseph's attitude may be a liability to this company now.
Jose: If I make it through this thug life, I'll see you one day. The Lord is the only way to stop the hurt.