Southern Phone Company – missed opportunity
I got another spam phone call today from an Indian call centre. They had all the usual characteristics:
- The one minute delay upfront.
- They knew who I was, but did not say who they were.
- They talked AT me; with the fake “you are my long lost friend” tone.
- The script was very defensive – we are a community organisation, we are incorporated in Australia…
The community organisation part did perk my interest. But I assumed it was probably a lie, and told them to piss off.
The really sad thing was, Southern Phone Company is real! They are community based. And community owned. And 100% Australian.
And now I hate them as much as I hate any other business who makes unsolicited and disrespectful phone calls.
Southern Phone Company completely blew their one major differentiator, by sinking to using the same low-brow hard-sell technique that every other small and try-hard telco uses. No doubt, this decision was probably driven by the same short-term symptomatic fix mentality that runs other telcos. It does not bode well for their community efforts.
According to their website, they are supposed focused on regional Australia and the specific telecommunications challenges there in. The reason regional Australia is so poorly looked after by telcos is because the bush is imply not lucrative enough – it simply costs more to service regional customers.
And now this supposedly regional-focused business is trying to get into the urban market. By using the lowest common denominator way to do it. It says volumes – and the wrong things about Southern Phone Company.
They have a powerful cause that could have been leveraged to garner support from both regional and urban customers. Cause-based businesses and marketing works. But they blew it!
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18 comments on “Southern Phone Company – missed opportunity”
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i had a call from them and it is not the first , they act as if they are calling on behalf of telstra as they mention their name a lot. i asked where they were ringing from and the guy with the indian acent said sydney, the call was late in the afternoon about 4.30 and i was put onto the supervisor and he said it was morning , so hey were they in sydney… i dont think so…. why do they lie?
The funny thing is Joy, they would not think of this lapse in integrity as “lying”.
And yet, to customers, these inconsistencies make the company untrustworthy. They are seen as “lies”.
i had a call from them this afternoon and they claimed they were funded by the federal goverment, and yes Telstra was mention alot as well. If they were set up to sevice the regional areas why are they the urban market????
i have saved lot of money with southern phone company.
idon’t think this company has a bad reputation in the market.yes i have also received a call from indian call center but that telemarketer was good to me.
Thanks for the comment john. You make a good point.
They obviously provide service, and probably have many many happy customers. And to these customers, their reputation’s probably good, or at the worst; neutral.
Not being an existing customer, my post was about my response to the first contact with them.
I have worked for southern phone company (Head office in Moruya NSW)and the call centers who are independent companys had a list of instructions to stick to but a lot of the time they did not as the operators are paid by the number of clients they sign up so they tend to bend the truth. Southern Phone company is a good and fair teleco and is owned by NSW councils only and profits are returned to the community
Thanks Peter. Southern Phone company would have presented a much more compelling, unique and strong position had they chose a method of marketing/signing up new customers that is actually sympathetic to their values. This sort of piecemeal approach, where different aspects of a business act independently of the core values/purpose, communicates a lack of brand integrity. To the detriment of the business!
When I originally signed with Southernphone I was tricked by the approach described above, but I had overlooked it due to the way Southern treat me now – always answering the phone personally and giving excellent help immediately. If I received the original sign up invitation call today there is no way I would fall for it as I am so much more aware of sneaky methods used these days – but 5 years ago I wasn’t as educated. I also think it wasnt quite as hard sell then but it was definitely misleading and I agree that this type of approach gives the completely wrong impression. I dont understand why companies dont seem to care what we the consumer thinks of them.
It is good to hear that at least their customer service treats people well.
This is a classic example of the lack of congruence across an organisation. The marketing people uses a marketing technique that is clearly inconsistent with how customer service works.
This is nothing short of a fractured personality. Imagine what they could do if all hands knew what each other were doing, and they were all drumming to the same beat!
But it takes guts to do that. It is easier to to just let each department do what others have done before – in their own isolated silos.
I was very much tricked by the marketing techniques from this company. No integirty at all, and very little regard for the customer. Unfortunately, I entered into a verbal contract, of which I am now trying to cancel – due to the breaching of the contract by the company (not me), however they want me to pay and excessive sum (which was not pointed out to me, and is not mentioned in their brochure. I am taking the matter to ‘fair trading’. I would go back to the mega-phone before signing up with SP.
just letting you all know that Southern Phone Company has not employed indian call centres for telemarketing for over a year now. all sales that are generated by southern phone company are inbound sales in response to either tv campaigns or mail outs. people need to get their facts straight when making outlandish comments on a small company that is trying to make a difference in regional australia. sure it costs more to service regional australia, but southern phone company is based in regional australia. in the bush, just like the customers we look after!!!
Moving to southern phone co was the best move I have made in regard to telco’s. We were approoached over 2 years ago via an aussie call centre. After originally moving the land line, I now use multiple mobiles and their internet. While you people are pretending to be consumer watchdogs and legislators, you obviously continue to use second rate providers.
I’ve only been with Southern for 2 months (from Telstra), but I am very happy with the service. No trying to make a computer understand you and I have not been called “mate” once.
I learned about Southern from a flyer, mentioned it to a friend who said that his parents were customers and happy with the company so I decided to give them a go.
Just added signed up for their broadband.
Never go back to Telstra.
I wrote before but after the last comment it prompted me to put in a good word for them again as I am still with them after about 4 years – and they are still answering the phone – not a machine! Give me discount on my long distance – offered me the change as they noticed my usage changed and it was better for me – great broadband. (No I dont work for them!) I dont know how they are marketing now but they make up for any past mistakes with their actions as a business. Wish there were more like them – for instance Telstra have just given my Mum the worst run around after Dad died – and it is so hard to call them to account – horror story!
Have just received unsolicited mail from Southern Phone advertising their Home Super offer. The advertising is full of so much free credit, free SMS’s, etc. Do they think we are idiots? Answer – YES!! Nowhere does the blurb in the post mention the call pricing which is extortionate. They say the rental is free bu of course it isn’t; it’s just part of the price not implicit itemised separately. With a 24 month term contract cost $19/month terminated early, this is no cheap offer. Mobile calls 4 times what you can pay elsewhere. Landline national calls 3 times. At these rates, you would use up your so-called “free” amounts very quickly and then be paying heaps more than elsewhere. Why can’t Australia put out honest marketing?
Thanks so much for some really helpful comments. I was keen as mustard to change to Southern Phone from Telstra. A mailout offering an incredibly great deal on a home and mobile contract sounded too good to refuse. I’ve never heard of them so I checked out the website. Then I got even more excited! Profits the community so on and so on… So how come something sooo good isn’t a houshold name? I don’t want to misss out on this “limited offer,” yet, I really want to find out more because I hate the sound of a 2 year contract. Hmmmm I think I’ll just try googling what do customers say…I have decided NO THANKS.
All your experiences have helped me to make an informed decision. Thanks for sharing them. Jen, Coffs Harbour NSW
“Mobile calls 4 times what you can pay elsewhere. Landline national calls 3 times.”
Colin you must have been reading a different website to me.
I got the mailbox ad today and I cannot see how it’s not good deal. I estimate my landline and mobile total monthly bill will drop from $110pm to $58pm
I was told about Southern today after i argued with Telstra and told them to get lost after 15 years of service with them.
I personally compared the $49 cap mobile plan via the website and over the phone between southern and telstra. Here is my personal working out of the breakdown.
Southern is:
10 cents dearer per 30 secs for calls
2 cents cheaper for each call connection
Same price for text messages
No contract at all (Telstra is 12 months no matter what)when taking my own phone and number.
$50 more call credit with southern. I worked out for myself that this will balance the difference in call costs (40 cents per 30 secs with telstra and 50 Cents per 30 secs with Southern)
I found the guy to be friendly, honest and helpful. He mentioned that telstra are cheaper for call costs but southern provide more credit to compensate. I googled as well as i have heard nothing about them and i arrived here. Aussie owned is also a good one.
After watching that Sol fellow take that huge payout from Telstra and their lack of service i am moving.
I had a Telstra guy tell me after i complained about signing a contract when they cancelled my plan today “Suck it up and take the 12 month contract – Its only 12 months anyway”
Bye Telstra