Can anyone of the many who blew their load above, actually point to where Vodacom says they're going to increase prices?
From the article in the OP:
How do the base stations stay up when there's no power? By magic? (3 HAMSTERS ON A WHEEL???.......GO ON THEN, TELL ME.......) How does support happen, (SLOWLY) how is equipment shipped? (BY SHIP) The oil price affects every single bit of the economy.(BUT NOT THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE GSM NETWORKS)
Ye and Voda shareholders still make 5 billion after all those expenses.....so whats your point exactly??? Are you a shareholder or just someone that has that much blind loyalty to your employee that you would actually stand in the firing line and argue this, on their behalf. (Im assuming you are employed by one of them but if not, I apologise I must have missed a few days at school)
Is it not time the shareholders of these Telco's understand (and medical aids, but dont get me started) that like many a company, in hard times should humble themselves, count their blessings for days gone by, and perhaps concede to slightly less profit for the next year. Its not a shame you know, it does not mean they have failed, it means the are actually the upstanding corporate, that they are tying to convince us they are. Why not be the hero of the people in hard times and not mention a price increase or go one better and drop the price? (they wont need to spend so much on big budget marketing and stupid customer loyalty schemes) What better way to get some proper loyalty out of "your" clients?? Dont they understand that its a grudge buy for us?? we dont want to be "your" clients. We choose you for the same reason I buy immodium.
At these prices the consumer pays for their own customer loyalty programs, (the Networks simply steals our money, puts the scheme together and offers it back to us, claiming they are the "good guys" with our interests at heart) so "Shove your frikking BMW's (which you pay for anyway out of the Premium rated SMS systems) and Airline tickets" (Ditto) up a DEAD BEARS BUM.!!! if you didnt steal from us to start with, we could all afford to pay for our own.
All their marketing spend does, is keep the balance with regards to the respective current market share. (And add to the hype so we get brainwashed into thinking we should all worship the "3g experience" (but not use it for VOIP) and be grateful for 3rd world bandwidth cap mentality. Its pretty saturated market at this pricing level, so you are not really fooling anyone with cluttering up the paper, no you are simply cluttering up the newspaper. *(and killing trees) Whats up with the gazillion tariffs, why not put out three flat "reasonable rates" cut back on your advertising, tree felling and spreadsheets and double your client base?? Go figure.
Its all there to bamboozle. Anyone looking for a phone and a tariff these days needs to go to night school and complete a mini MBA to make an informed decision.
So while they "Fix the average" high pricing "Ahem"...telepathically of course, Im not suggesting for one minute........so put your teeth back in the glass.) why dont they just stay in that trance for a little longer, and agree to cut the average GSM network marketing expenditure by the same amount across the board. Do they really think we will miss thumbing through their catalogues while on the crapper? I would rather have cheaper calls, and squirt my ass with a jet of water, than be bombarded with bullsh*t offers.
Its nothing but "clutter" and Chinese DVD players. Its of no good to me, accept on the 23rd month of my contract. Im prepared, like many to sacrifice and hobble with my Zimmerman "into the store" and have someone explain (sorry read off) some specials etc. They certainly don't spend money on training the average "Cell Jock" behind the counter either (*so don't blame the training budget), my experience is that most of the time I need to educate them, (takes me twice as long with a "know all" than it does with the janitor who may be "standing in" while the boss is out) they actually have to read the specials out to you from the same leaflet..........that I read the night before while on the crapper. You are then allowed to find a vacant spot somewhere in store, to guess what phone and tariff is best for you anyway, while they rob the next person in the 30 minute ques. The retail support in the GSM industry sucks.
The problem with all this is they don't have to improve the experience or drop their pants on price, all the Networks are of similar price, and if one makes a move a price war will start, and some shareholder will need to fly cattle class for a year. Not having Telecoms is not like doing without an ice cream, if you cant make business calls, then expect your company to suffer lower returns for the year. They know this all too well, so they charge what the customer will bear, not what is fair.
Note: When you fear for "hackers" get a hacker in ............which one of you clowns wants my CV?? (I want the corner office on the top floor overlooking the lake)
I guess not...........
