Good morning Skunks,
Recently I have been inundated by calls from
relatives/friends/acquaintances/clients about which ISP they should use for
internet services at home/office etc. and I usually recommend the services I
use as I can be honest about what they can expect based on my own experience
(with the usual YMMV warnings).
Then I got thinking, when I was in the UK each time I referred a customer
to my ISP and they signed up I would get 1 months free bandwidth. Each time
you referred a new customer to a satellite TV company once they signed up
you would BOTH get 1 month free on the premium package. Mobile phone
companies had the same incentives if you got them a new customer to sign up
for a post-paid package.Even my web host gives me a free one month discount
for referring a new customer to them! Peanuts for them but at least I feel
appreciated!
Basically these companies understand the very high value of a word of mouth
referral. For example, when my mother asks me which ISP she should install
in her house she is going to trust what I say and will happily sign the 12
month contract on that basis. You can send her 20 sales people but they will
not be able to convince her as surely as I can in 10 minutes simply because
of my relationship with her. The same goes for other family, friends etc.
These referrals save ISPs money (they dont have to send someone out to make
the sale) and it makes ISPs money (they get a new client locked into a 12
month contract). Now why don't Kenyan ISPs encourage us to make these
referrals. I asked my ISP and I was told they “do not do that”. Come on, I
am bring you new clients and making you money and I am already a long term
customer. Show some appreciation!
One ISP even told me that it sounded like I wanted a bribe! Ala? They could
not see the logic of reward current customers, especially when they are
bringing in new ones!
--
Pamoja
e:daudi.were@gmail.com <e%3Adaudi.were(a)gmail.com>
skype: d.were
