Issues in Change of Name

I remember when I had to spend some days at the MicCom Golf Resort, Ada, a couple of years ago and the inconveniencies to which I was subjected by my GSM network because it had not spread its services to that part of the country. Ada is completely out of town, some good kilometers away from Osogbo- you can then imagine how frustrating it was for not being able to speak with one’s family.

And then the prices of SIM cards crashed, meaning I could have abandoned mine for another, especially one that covers the entire nation like no other. But to my surprise I am not even ready to let go of my SIM card. So, what exactly is the gluing attraction? My network does not have the largest number of subscribers neither is it the highest marketing communication spender in its sector. However, I like its courtesy, e.g. even if your credit is low, it does not cut you off in the middle of your conversation- it politely reminds you to recharge.

Secondly, it is simply reliable! Ironically, I did not start out with my present network when GSM technology was introduced to us in 2001- my wife uses the first line now and is she crazy about the network! So I can do a fairly good comparative analysis of a couple of networks because they are in my home. Thirdly, my network is extremely generous with airtime stretching your validity period like they never want you to go!

However, I am disturbed that the network might, unintentionally though, be taking its customers for granted. I cannot just understand why it had to undergo name change about four times in five years- yet we, subscribers, are still loyal! Before I traveled out on vacation lately, I was only reading in the papers that my network was about to be “acquired” once more by a foreign company but by the time I returned, I was initially confused by the rapid changes it had undergone in just 30 days!

The logo completely confused me while its new advertisements did not immediately register with me- even now I cannot say I am familiar with its new marketing communication positioning. But an acquisition or whatever you want to call it can successfully happen without changing the brand name, e.g. Safeway Inc. based in Pleasanton, California, acquired longtime Chicago grocery store chain Dominick’s in 1998 but decided not to change the Dominick’s name.

According to Teena Massingill, manager of corporate affairs for Safeway Stores, “people had shopped at Dominick’s for years. We wanted to keep those customers.” The brand’s identity is its fundamental means of consumer recognition and symbolizes the brand’s differentiation from competitors. For those of us on my network, the brand image is based on practical experience of the service concerned, i.e. informed impressions, and how far this meets our expectations. While I’ m still very much satisfied with my network’s services, I am not confident enough to say I know my brand any longer! As I write this article, I confess that I do not know the details of my new network’s logo!
For non-subscribers their image of my network is based almost entirely on uniformed impressions, attitudes and beliefs.

Another confession- when I request to buy recharge cards, I either call the company’s first name ever, or the one before the latest! I personally feel betrayed by the endless name changes. Are we forgetting that there is a certain amount of equity that accompanies a brand name or company name? Is my network not risking losing customers who have come to know and trust its name? Could another name change serve as a nudge to investors that the network is looking at new markets?

How does my network’s management look at its company name compared to subscribers’ perceptions? What if there were many more GSM service providers with quality offers- would we, loyal customers, still stay with our network? I understand that adopting a name that is associated with a respected brand can help customers feel more comfortable with the new brand. Also, branding experts posit that winning employee support for a name change is a key to keeping customers from leaving.

I am afraid that the name change habit is not about to end with my network. However, it should note that soon such changes would spark vehement objections from longtime customers. Perhaps that will serve as a reminder to the company that when it renames itself, it might be toying with customer loyalty. Is the brand not thinking of being with us for years, and remaining strong by evolving over time? It needs to be properly managed
so as to stay relevant, and motivating to stakeholders and its society.

My network can only remain a brand if it engenders some kind of emotional reaction in me - it must live in my mind! As it were, its image is rather distorted in my mind. The big question is: what effects will the frequent name change have on the equity of the network in future years? Brands that usually gain in value focus ruthlessly on every detail of their brands, coming up with simple, cohesive identities that are consistent in every offer and in every contact with consumers.

I hereby challenge my GSM network to create consistency and impact. The continuous radio announcements, etc. explaining the name change as far as I am concerned, are a waste. How many illiterate subscribers understand the phonetics? New names ought to be implemented in stages over, e.g. an 18-month period during which the company name could go from, e.g. CML- Pay As You Go to CML- Business Time and finally, to CML.

Companies need not be so busy with their mergers and acquisitions they do not take the implementation process of a name change seriously. According to Kirsten Osolind, CEO of Chicago-based Reinvention Inc. a branding company, “oftentimes the process, more than the name, is what will make the brand an enduring brand.” The naming process, if it must happen at all, must be clear, insightful, logical, and focused; it must pave the way for buy-in throughout an organization. The fact that it is being acquired by a McDonald’s does not necessarily mean it must adopt that name!

You must do a competitive naming audit, positioning research and development, ideation and generation, audience testing, visual brand extensions, etc. If you ask me, just retain the old name no matter the number of times ownerships change. The important thing is to achieve a memorable, compelling and ownable name.