In a previous article, we talked about how to start a WISP billing business in Kenya. However, starting a WISP business and creating a successful business are two different things. There are people starting businesses every day but not many people can generate sustainable income from those businesses. Being an ISP in Kenya can easily take you from regular guy to millionaire in no time by having a clear strategy, and work ethic. However, it is paramount to ensure one takes the necessary precautions to guarantee success.
The number one reason an ISP business fails is simply that people don’t know about it. Marketing is the bread and butter of business success. The more people know about your business, the more likely you are to make money from it. As such, if you don’t put the word out there, then you will fail before you even begin. Marketing varies in approach, reach, and effectiveness. The marketing approach largely depends on the budget you have since some forms of marketing are more costly than others. The cheapest forms of marketing are social media ads and classified ads. On the other hand, using traditional forms of media such as TV and radio can guarantee a greater reach since these have large audiences. However, these are more expensive in comparison. Alternatively, you could print out flyers, use billboards or implement bulk SMS marketing through services such as SimpleSell SMS.
One of the most underrated forms of marketing is Word of Mouth. Never underestimate word of mouth! What people say about your business or product can make it or break it for you. Research shows that word of mouth is five times more effective than all other forms of marketing. Statistics indicate that people have a 90% chance of buying something that a friend or family member recommends. Word of Mouth is a double edged sword since this is a form of marketing that is out of your control. Consequently, if your services are bad, unprofessional, unreliable etc, bad reviews will effectively deter clients from your business. With time, this leads to poor conversion rates and total business failure. Therefore, it is necessary to consider what customers say about your service to ensure your WISP business remains successful.
In Kenya, one of the major challenges that ISP face is equipment failure. Whether people are looking for the internet for entertainment or work, quality and stability are crucial. Providing poor connection and a lot of downtime can prove detrimental to your quest to becoming an established ISP. It is crucial to ensure that your equipment is at its best to ensure your clients get the best possible service. By interacting with ISPs in various parts of the country, I have realized that equipment failure is often a result of overloading. People tend to overload their infrastructure by taking on more clients than they can handle. In turn, clients end up with poor or no internet coverage and a lot of downtime. Another common cause of equipment failure is cutting corners. Substituting equipment, buying second-hand devices and mishandling devices. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with trying to save money. However, many newcomers often fall victim to unscrupulous characters who sell them faulty equipment in the name of helping them save money. Therefore, it is crucial to stay alert when making purchases or decisions regarding equipment.
Another common problem plaguing ISPs in Kenya is security challenges in the form of theft. I often saw the issue colloquially termed as “jaba man” in ISP groups. From what I have heard among ISP providers some people specialize in stealing and selling networking equipment. With IT literacy on the rise, the number of tech-savvy individuals is growing steadily. That said, people can easily spot valuable networking equipment and devices. Always take this into consideration when selecting a relay station and ensure that your equipment is secure.
There is nothing more appalling than poor work ethic and unprofessionalism. Some internet service providers have little respect for their clients. In turn, this leads to a mass exodus of clients to other providers. One of the easiest forms of professional behaviour is proper communication. Refrain from rudeness, unethical behaviour or unnecessary confrontations. Also, actively seek to listen to client needs and respect your business agreement. One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make is failing to keep their word. For example, if you said you will provide 10Mbps, honour your word and provide what the client paid for. You need to form a good relationship with clients to ascertain that they remain faithful. According to the Pareto principle, 80% of all your business revenue comes from 20% of customers. In other words, return customers are the ones that keep you in business. Also, these return clients are the ones that expand your network through referrals. And as we had mentioned earlier, word of mouth is crucial to business success. If you fail to invest in a good relationship with clients you are actively sabotaging yourself. People have different needs and expectations. Therefore, it is necessary to grasp your client's needs and meet them in the best way possible.
The main reason clients will come to you is to get an internet connection. So naturally, if your network has issues, your clients will abandon ship. As such, check your hardware and software equipment regularly to ensure everything is running smoothly. You can choose to do regular diagnostics and monitor your client’s reception remotely. Such vigilance will ensure that you form a good reputation for network stability and speed. In addition, you can expand your overall success by continually improving the user experience.
In the rapidly changing economic environment, it is expedient to expand one’s social network particularly in your area of expertise. Trends are changing every day and thus it is necessary to expand one’s awareness of such trends. One of the latest trends in ISP is automation and M-pesa integration. Simple WISP Billing is one such tool aimed at easing the billing process for internet service providers. The system works with managed access points (e.g. Cisco Meraki, Ubiquiti Unifi, etc.). The approach enables you to identify users, sessions, and costs hence increasing your WISP billing efficiency. The system automates billing via M-Pesa and works with both Paybill and Till Numbers. It offers both an external captive portal as well as a voucher system. Actively improving your user experience as well as the ease of doing things on your end will prove valuable to your business over time.
Finally, another very important approach to succeeding as an internet service provider is to have a Unique Selling Point. A Unique Selling Point (USP) refers to a trait that differentiates you or your business from other similar businesses. This could be an incentive for your clients. For instance, I know an internet service provider that offers free migration for new clients that want to shift networks. Such an incentive makes prospective clients more likely to make the move. Some ISPs give incentives such as pay for four months get one free. Such incentives reduce the risk for ISP by ensuring clients pay their bills in good time. There are several ways that one can differentiate themselves from the competition. However, for this unique selling point to work, it must have some value to the target audience. Thus one must understand the demographics of the target region. A good incentive can drastically change a company’s sales, which is every business’s goal.
By Christine Njoki - Published 30th Jun 2021, 11:59pm
