The Arrogance Of Safaricom and Bidco Will Be Damaging In The Longrun As Raila NASA Boycott Digs Deeper

A Case for SafariCom and Bidco Industries’

By Topi Lyambila via FB

Seriously who advises these people? That is if they have a PR department.
Ever since the declaration of the NASA Boycott, I have waited to read or see some billboard/ storyline go up in the name of damage control; but so far NADA.

What I get and ti is my opinion remember, is that these guys are either clueless or a bunch of arrogant farts who have made enough money and know that the cat is still in the bag and therefore do not need the over or close to 10 million users who will walk away from their products.

Business is Business! And yes it should never get mixed with politics, but by the very nature of the users, like it or not whatever goes down is political in every sense of the word.
This is mine to the stakeholders of those boycotted companies (for free) a customer however small, makes part of that huge profit you rake in from sales annually. The silent users who consume your products quietly regardless, do so because, as often is, there’s no adequate competition or alternative. Do you ever ask yourselves for how long this is gonna be? I doubt.

In your position, I will not hide behind the smokescreen created by political shenanigans. I will launch what we refer to in PR circles a ‘Charm-Offensive’, geared towards assuaging that customer who has or is bound to lose faith in my product. Many of us expected both Safaricom and Bidco industries to show that they have no quarrel with Kenyans and value every one of them regardless of tribe or political affiliation! Go tell Mama Akinyi, Mama Bonareri, Mama Charo-Mwakio and Mama Chacha, even Mama Komora, Mama Juma, Mama Jakaiti and while at it reach out to Mama Mueni, Mama Mumbi and Mama Naserian, without forgetting Mama Shabaan, Mama Kosgey and Mama Wafula, that you value them all. Tell them how all along you have been making a substantial contribution to their lives and will continue doing so in earnest without fear or favour. Talk to the NASA Leadership and state your case, because you need those customers more than they need you.

In business you must learn to read the signs of the times and adjust your image accordingly. Isn’t it laughable that in some Safcom commercials – within a space of less than one minute you hear a line to the effect ‘Mpesa iko kwa Mama Shiko… nyuma ya kiosk ya Mama Mwangi’. I will not even mention the give-away accents of the players and hey before you go labelling me tribal, I have no problem with the biased casting of the players, but when played out at a time when you have a divisional crisis, with a number of communities threatening to leave Safcom, don’t you think that kind of bias helps drive the last nail in the you know what? I know my Mwalimu Ngaruma is cocking his head ready to let fly. My case is ‘damage control’ you taught me tough times call for tough measures.