I have decided to lend my voice to the call for sanctions against Dstv in Nigeria, despite the fact that I have been cautioned by a couple of entertainers that speaking up against the almighty cable network may result in the banning of my works on its network.
Yes, it is true that challenging these multinationals in Nigeria attracts sanctions especially for entertainers, but I have decided to speak up because I am one of the millions of Nigerians affected by any increment in subscription charges. Moreover, what’s the point of having my works on a platform that my fans can’t afford?
Every entertainer who’s chickened out of this campaign for his/her selfish interest should know that the continuous indifference of Dstv to our plights over the years is a slap on the face of every Nigerian, inclusive of the entertainers themselves. These are the same entertainers that have complained of being shortchanged by Dstv for many years. Nigerian movie producers have complained of receiving peanuts for their works on the same network. Nawa ooo! Should anyone be afraid to express his/her dissatisfaction with a product he/she is paying for?
Let’s make Dstv understand that it is licensed to do business in Nigeria for none other reasons than providing value and the value it delivers has to justify the price charged. Otherwise, we will be persuaded to look for alternatives or invent our own like the Alaba boys are doing. No business can leave out customer value and satisfaction for ever, not even a beast like Dstv. Enough of its appalling pricing strategy. Heck, they have given us a truck load of reasons to boycott their services and it is incredibly ridiculous that NBC which is tasked with the responsibility of protecting our interest has chosen to stay mute even with all our complaints. This is one of many reasons why this country sucks.
Dstv reception is so damn terrible that spitting on the floor where its dish is pegged instantly scrambles the signals. The long rebooting process is another chapter in a voluminous book of frustrations. I wonder if the authorities of Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation are not experiencing this same horrendous customer service and monopolistic tactics that we have forever complained about.
Well, I won’t be surprised to hear that Dstv has special packages for NBC staff. Or how does one explain why its bad PR and continued price hikes haven’t crippled its business in Nigeria? Can Dstv subject South Africans to such substandard services?
It has a very unique and annoying way of practising price discrimination, by selling the same product at different prices to different groups of consumers. What’s most annoying is its refusal to communicate any valid reason for this exploitative act. This warrants for a total boycott of its services across the country. Now that it has seen that we have started complaining and threatening to boycott its services, it will quickly roll out a new promo and a small discount on a new package to keep us on board.
Nigerians should be smart this time around. We shouldn’t accept anything less than a revert to the old price. For Christ sake, must we consistently haggle Dstv to keep prices down or treat us equally with people in its homeland? Sad thing is that our efforts don’t necessarily ensure rates won’t continue to rise because the regulators who are supposed to keep it in check have been compromised.
With all the illegalities perpetuated by these multinationals, isn’t it a miracle that none has been sanctioned? I once asked a Chinese neighbour if he has a permit to drive in Nigeria and the goon waved a N50 note at me saying, ‘this is my driver’s licence.’ These foreign investors use paid lobbyists within our corrupt government to ward off sanctions. I am sure that with this ongoing campaign for Dstv’s sanction, some government officials would have received bogus cheques to turn a deaf ear to our cries.
I don’t even want to think of its endless promo offers and how it makes it extremely difficult for me to know what I am paying for and what services I am actually receiving. Not mentioning the complex pricing schemes that make it almost impossible for anyone to figure out how much any of the bundles it is offering actually costs, especially once the promo is over.
Dstv can’t tell us it doesn’t know that the absence of simple, transparent pricing reduces consumer confidence and increases distrust but it has deliberately chosen to capitalise on the monopoly status given to it by our corrupt government to deny us the benefits of simpler pricing, fewer plans, and greater transparency.
Maybe it is so big that its competitors will have to attack multiple markets to fully take it down but it should also know that if a company’s success routinely sacrifices the satisfaction of its customers, it inevitably becomes more difficult to sustain growth and generate revenue.
The question now is, when will NTA and other local stations make use of innovative methods and bypass their old ways of doing things so that if Dstv doesn’t attempt to change and provide efficient customer services, its future in Nigeria will no longer be as bright as it thinks.
CLICK HERE to follow us on Google+ so as to get instant updates on published posts.
CLICK HERE to Subscribe to our BBM Channel (C002D3966 or search for '9ja Ninja') to get live updates on published post.
CLICK HERE to Subscribe to our BBM Channel (C002D3966 or search for '9ja Ninja') to get live updates on published post.
Follow @9ja_Ninja
Please drop your comments below
Top Stories
- REVEALED: Full Story Of How The Lekki Robbery Attack Happened [MUST READ]
- SHAME: 2 Nigerian Policemen Fighting In Front Of A Bank (WATCH VIDEO)
- Beautiful Dunnie Wants You Guys To See Her Assets
- PLEASE HELP: I Caught My Mum Sleeping With My Friend
- Fashola's Statement On Lekki Robbery Is Totally Irresponsible – Reuben Abati
- Photos: Alaafin of Oyo And His Wives Visit The University of London
- Awww! See This Adorable Selfie of Khloe Kardashian & Niece Penelope
- "If I Don’t Get Up At 8am, My Kids Will Be Late For School" Eldee Talks On Life As A Family Man
- Aide To Katsina Governorship Aspirant Flees With N500M Campaign Fund in Abuja
- Shopaholic Oge Okoye Hits a Gucci Store in Dallas
- Beyonce Stuns In Ankara
- Traditional Healer Rapes 14-Year Old Daughter Of Patient! SEE Photo
- Jonathan Confesses At Last: I Didn't Speak With King Of Morocco
- Lovely Dakore Akande Covers Exquisite Magazine March Issue
- Amber Rose Hits Back At Wiz Khalifa With Sexy Bikini Pics
- ODD: Monk Shocks Many By Sitting In Pot Of Boiling Water While Praying (Photos)
- Bride Walks Out of Wedding after Groom Failed Simple Maths Test
- Two Terms Now Birth Right? Patience Jonathan Declares That Her Husband Must Complete His Two Terms
- President Jonathan Meets With Leaders of Christian/Muslim Communities in Yola (Photos)
- Bomb Blast Rocks Internally Displaced Persons Camp In Maiduguri
- Photo: Mercy Johnson Wants You to Rate Her Look
- Tonto Dikeh Wows In New Pics
- Suspected Stowaway Dies In Arik Air Plane In Lagos
- Photo: Atiku Abubakar as a Young Nigerian Customs Officer
- 2face & Annie Idibia Step Out In Style (Photos)
- Davido Confirms His Relationship With New Boo, Sira
- OMG! Would You Rock these Toe Nails, Ladies?
- Photos: Opeifa Brings Fashola To Papa Ashafa, Agege To Inspect Damage Of Rainstorm
- Mide Martins Explains Why She Married Her Husband
- Chimamanda Adichie Stuns in New Photos for Vogue April 2015 Issue
DStv. Enough of the de- marketing.It has now become obvious that the drive to boycott DStv is powered by competiting pay TV operators and fuelled by ignorance. Have you tried to regulate the rising air fares? How about the cost of toothpaste or the rising cost of bread ? How do you sponsor a drive to pay less than cost price for a premium product? Do you buy a product at premium cost and redistribute at no cost? You talk about monopoly. How can DSTV be a monopoly when we have Starsat ( who just won the rights for the Bundesliga from DSTV) Consat, ACTV and others. Where is the monopoly? Is this not the same way we killed HItv? Asking them to sell us premium content at too low a price. Where are they now? You are trying to pull down a company that you should be praising for changing the face of entertainment in Nigeria. There is nowhere in the world where Pay as you Watch exists on pay tv. Check google. What exists is pay per view which is a situation where you pay in addition to your regular subscription, and that cost is often triple your original cost. Imagine paying as much as $100 to watch the recent Man Utd vs Arsenal match alone?! Is it not infact a lie from detractors that DStv has substandard decoders? Have you seen the competition’s decoders? Perhaps you need to so that you know that for the lie it is. if you must know, DStv in Nigeria is one of the lower priced packages across all MultiChoice operations. Bthanks to Google. Go and check your facts rather than spouting what ill minded propagandists are touting! Is it also not true that all MultiChoice operations across south Africa have increased prices including south Africa It’s a free market in Nigeria. The regulators give licenses to all who qualify. Consat, Montage, Startimes, they all have licences to operate, so they should operate! Rather than seeking to bring down DStv, who has paid its dues and kept Nigeria entertained for over 20yrs, people should seek more information on the pay TV business. Just as with Hitv, it is not DStv’s fault that the other operators do not live up to expectation. Why has the cost of everything else gone up but DSTV must remain the same? Is it a social service? You cannot put the blame of poor governance and poorer business decisions on DStv. People need to take responsibility for their actions!
ReplyDeleteIt's quite obvious you work for DSTV....Please save that comment of yours to yourself. Nigerians will unite and DSTV will go.
DeleteGood riddance to bad rubbish...people like you are farfetched from the truth.
Mo Bee or whatever your name is, have you considered the fact that DSTV compared to premium cable providers in other countries with a market audience as Nigeria is crap?
DeleteWhat makes you so dedicated to proving the reasons why DSTV is perfect for Nigeria? is it because you work for them? you enjoy the fact that it takes 10 minutes of your time just to boot up your decoder? Or the fact that you get your channels scrambled with an E-16 error every time the wind blows?
DSTV SUCKS, accept it or not, I have personally written letters to them a few times telling them how much of a cap they truly are. All you did was blabb about the facts that had already been put into consideration before the writer posted his article, and sincerely none of your points made any sense because if you travel outside the shores of this continent you would be shocked at what cable subscribers actually get to pay for way better services.
I for one, if I had much options, I would long have dumped their ass outta my shelf because when I consider their products, services, costs and their dead customer service relationship, I get really mad. Its impossible to believe that I would have to pay an additional #1k5 for calling cards or RESET smses every month since September just to get the service I paid for, and I did once walk into their outlet only to be told that there was nothing they could do for now.
Man let's be realistic, in Nigeria DSTV is synonymous with premium cable provision and I personally do not believe in the fact that it is so because of their awesome services and pricing, the reason which I strongly believe is "Monopoly" they've been arround for a while but with no real challengers in the game, like it was with MTN, they play the god of the cable world. Isn't it ridiculous that in a country of almost 200 million people all we got in Cable service is DSTV? .
Untill we get unrealistic people as yourself out of the way, we would continue to encounter similar problems, because its obvious that you believe in the one eyed king policy, which I believe shouldn't be applicable in a country as Nigeria and not even now in the 21st century.
Our governments are so insensitive to the plights of her citizens. Nigerians just have to unite on this issue of DSTV in order for us to put an end to this barbaric act of extortion.
ReplyDeleteDSTV must change or leave our country.
I think uncle GEJ should see to this, probably that will earn him lots of vote.