Growing telecoms through incentives

THAT Nigeria’s telecommunications industry has the highest growth rate is no longer news. However, sustaining this trend remains a concern considering expectations from customers. The rapid growth of the industry from about 400,000 telephone lines in 2001 to over 150 million telephone lines as of last September according to figures released by the regulator is attributable to many reasons. Perhaps, the most critical of the reasons is the dogged determination of the operators to grow telecom services across Nigeria, using a combination of aggressive measures.

Running as a sub-text in all the measures is a willingness to dip hands into their pockets to provide incentives to critical stakeholders to encourage massive product and service uptake and service expansion across Nigeria.

All the major operators deserve full marks in this area, as they have all since the commencement of Global System for mobile communications service in Nigeria introduced a wide array of incentives for customers, dealers and other manner of stakeholders involved in service expansion in the country.

Nigeria’s indigenous telecommunications company, Globacom has particularly mastered this art. Coming into the market behind at least three major operators, Globacom entered the market with zeal to make an impact. The operator, which introduced per second billing, has pushed boundaries in its effort to push telecom expansion in Nigeria. Many of the most aggressive sales promotions in the country have been pioneered by the company.

Understandably, Globacom has been named the fastest growing telecommunication company in Nigeria in the last decade by a number of authorities and bodies, including, the industry regulator, NCC which as recently as June announced Globacom as garnering the highest number of subscribers in the first five months of this year.

A group of stakeholders that the operator has consistently incentivized and empowered over the years are its trade partners. Last year, the operator showered its business partners with a wide array of exotic cars that remained the talk of the town for many months.

This year again, Globacom claimed to have invested millions of naira in acquiring dozens of exotic cars for many of its business partners who have pushed new frontiers in taking its products and services to nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

At the company’s 2015 Business Associates Dinner held in Lagos penultimate Saturday, Globacom gave out state-of-the-art cars including Range Rover Sports, Range Rover Autobiography, Toyota Land Cruiser Lexus and Prado SUVs, multi-million naira credit notes, plaques and other gifts to its partners to make history as the most rewarding telecom network for dealers.

One of the recipients and Managing Director of Office Devices, James Odogwu, said, “Globacom is a great company. Doing business with Glo is good business. Glo knows how to reward their partners and when the reward would come it is always big”.

Another awardee, the Bajulaye of Ijebuland, and Managing Director of Demus Mayors, Otunba Ademola Adenuga, thanked the company for appreciating its partners in such an extraordinary way, adding that they were now sufficiently mobilized to improve their performance this year. “Glo is a strong brand which rewards its partners in a very big way,” he said.

Another star partner, Alhaji Mohammed Mutiu Anthony, Managing Director of Easy and Quiet, also stated “every time Globacom comes on board, it is always big. I promise to continue to support Globacom with all the strength I have. I am going to use 95 per cent of my abilities to work for the company.”

Similarly, Prince Ubong D-Imoh of Idems Ultimate Limited said Glo had set the pace in the industry. “The company has beaten our imagination in their reward system. Kudos to Globacom for this appreciative gesture which will definitely spur us to do more”, he said.

Globacom’s National Commercial Coordinator, Globacom, Mr. Yomi Ogunbamowo, in an address delivered on behalf of the company’s Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., said the company was always eager to reward its partners in appreciation of their role in enabling Globacom take its services to millions of Nigerians.

Globacom’s Regional Marketing Director, Ashok Israni, who also spoke at the event said the company would focus on four key pillars in 2016. These are huge investment in the brand, innovation and new proposition, highly improved customer experience and digital marketing which would enable the company to improve in all areas.