The above title may sound too harsh for a brand that is supposed to be one of the most admired brands in the Nigerian market, but it was actually borrowed from a Twitter User under the trending hashtag, #Boycottspectranet.
The user, @LekeDFokunmu wrote, “@spectranet_NG is a fraudulent business. @EFCC and NCC please investigate these frauds before they empty our coffers.”
Some eleven years ago, specifically in 2009, Spectranet came to Nigeria after being awarded an operational license by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. The company’s emergence in the Internet Service Providers (ISP) sector heralded what consumers felt will be a new vista for internet consumption and connectivity. So, they threw their trust behind the brand which quickly got a wide spread customers base and up to 50% of the ISP market share.
But a few years down the line, it became evident to the consumers that the Spectranet brand is a “fraud,” out with different schemes to empty the consumers’ coffer. The Twitter hashtag, #BoycottSpectranet will shock every discerning brand and PR expert as to the level of apathy consumers are developing for the brand!
Two years ago, in an article it titled, “These challenges could ‘kill’ Spectranet’s market share, online market intelligence news platform, Nairametrics noted that, quite a number of Spectranet’s customers are unsatisfied with the quality of service they receive from the company. A quick look at their social media platforms will confirm this
“Most customers’ complaints centre on the constant letdowns they experienced – the poor nature of the network, and irresponsive customer service. These customers feel cheated by Spectranet whom they say parades itself as the best ISP in Nigeria while selling products and services that do not work. Some even go as far as calling the firm “fraudulent” for parading themselves as a 4G lite provider, even though their internet service can at best be classified as a 3G network.”
This is over two years ago. But then, the company has what can best be described as a criminal indifference to customers complaints as it has done virtually little or nothing in regards to consumers complaints. More unfortunate too is the fact that these complaints are directly channeled to the brand through it social media pages, specially Twitter and Instagram. These complaints are reaching a crescendo with the Coronavirus pandemic that has forced internet use and data consumption to skyrocket.
No doubt, if there is an award or recognition for the most hated brands by consumers within the Nigerian market, the Spectranet brand will sit comfortably at the top of the medals table. A stroll within the brand’s most recent promotions today on Instagram via consumer comments shows just how they perceive them to be:
Instagram user, @oluigbonkechi commented on a promotional flier promising peace of mind: “Which yeye peace of mind. Please give me value for my money, your services are poor even your customer service officers are so incompetent.”
@aleorine, another Intagram user commented on the brand’s promotional flier promising a 100% bonus: “You people are becoming fraudulent. Aside the crappy network. I renewed my subscription ahead of time because of the 100% bonus. Yet you didn’t give the bonus.”
@iam_babie_dolly, commenting on the brand’s network, wrote: “Please you people should work on your network 😭😭😭 since last month I renewed my sub can’t do anything with it! Total waste of money. Honestly, I’m not impressed!”
@khayjy feels she has been deceived into paying for something she never consumed by the brand: “I just paid for the Exo mifi online and I didn’t get any confirmation message whatsoever ever, then I’m just getting to know that my area is not covered yet. I want a refund and I’ve been trying to call your customer care number, it’s saying unrecognized, your coverage areas should be clearly started and not making people pay for what isn’t useful to them, I need a refund as soon as possible!!!”
@peachpalace77 captures thousands of other users complaints with this: “Started paying 19k for unlimited internet, because of my Netflix. I had no idea I was paying for unlimited bullshit, it takes a whole day to watch one movie with your network. You guys have lost it. I guess it’s time to move to the next one, rubbish.”
Other users like @sommmie have one worded or sentence description for the network, “The most useless network.” @three_lions_court_enterprise phrases it as “The most useless internet 😅”
Perhaps what the brand and its handlers need to understand is that business is built on customer relationships, and brand perception sets the tone. Today’s consumers share their opinions and experiences widely, and their peers trust them when it comes time to buy or pass.
In fact, after having a positive experience with a company, 77% of customers would recommend the brand to a friend.
Companies, of course, should want to cultivate a positive brand perception among their target consumers. A research from Salesforce’s 2018 “State of the Connected Customer” report shows that today’s buyers are more knowledgable and less loyal than ever before. Consumers are looking for better experiences and are willing to switch brands until they find one that meets their needs. Which is why creating and maintaining a unique brand matter.
The reality is that your customers matter, and so do their opinions. Positive brand perception means consumers are more likely to choose your business over a competitor. It also means that they’re likely to bring in new customers to your business since 60% of customers will refer friends and family to their favorite brands. Negative brand perception means they’re more likely to choose a competitor—and tell other potential customers why they didn’t choose you. In other words, brand perception impacts your bottom line—a lot.
In some cases, perception is influenced by word of mouth — recommendations from friends, online reviews, tweets, and Facebook rants. In other cases, it’s our own experiences — both online and off — that shape the way we think about a brand.
But from every indication, this company is unconcerned about the kind of service they render to these consumers or care about their perception. The onus now lies on Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, as the regulator of the ISP space to wade into Spectranet’s activities or revoke their license at best. Nigerians are tired. Nigerians are fed-up with crappy services. Nigerians want value for every kobo they spend, especially in times like these when income is getting lower and its cousin, expenditure is getting higher.
So why does NCC allow Spectranet get away with cheating Nigerians and the anti-grant agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is looking away could only be explained as the usual act of government nonchalance to the suffering of its citizens.
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