Customer Dictatorship is my new term, you can’t imagine that evolving out of today’s customer behavioural pattern. I have read in the times an article titled, THOSE WHO COME TO YOU BECAUSE OF PRICE, WILL GO AWAY BECAUSE OF PRICE. Yes, unbeatable this can be true but at the same time, those who keep us in business are that who pay for the products and services available and that suits their need.
Looking at the trend of things, the customer has got some agencies backing it up for example, Consumer Protection Agency, Nigeria Communications Commission, National Lottery Board amongst others. The Consumer Protection Agency sees to the way in which Consumer rights are protected, Nigeria Communications Commission, the way in which services are provided by the Service Providers and the National Lottery Board, in such a way that all promotions from the network can be standardized. With all these, customers have got a say in many ways.
Another way of considering Customer Dictatorship is this; many customers choose the network of choice based on freebies especially. It is getting to a point wherein adverts no more appeal to customers but what is offered by the network. On-net reduced charges, off-net reduced charges, bonus on incoming calls, sms charges amongst others. Customers have acquired SIMs of virtually all the networks in such a way that when a freebie starts on a network they migrate to that network, if it comes on another network, they also migrate to that network. Since the days of a network domination has ended, the era of network dictating to the customer has crushed.
Customer Dictatorship is also happening in the way in which they sensitize one another immediately a new product is released. Calls, sms, social networking platform, blackberry messaging are being used to notify one another of the latest network gist in town on the networks. People can no more be pinned down, they are the ones determining their mobility on the networks.
In Customer Dictatorship, the attractive the customer service, the attractive the network with reduced issues, the better the network quality, the better the hope of being a giant in any industry. The best way to keep being on top of the game is just ensuring that customers are right there with you in your offerings from the product and services angle.
Since, we strive for the same customer, since we are in a dire competitive world. It is the fastest to market approach that is taking sway now on the customers. If you launch a product that supersedes that of another network, you can get the customers. Is this not Customer dictatorship? The challenge is quite open to everybody and it goes do, treat your customer the best way and you have them, if not they can dictator your existence in business.
Olutayo Irantiola
4:46pm, 10th October, 2011.