This week Vodafone found out that they have customers who care. Not about their brand, not about their services, but about the package. Vodafone was offering the highest speed mobile internet available on the Dutch market and they were offering it at only a tenner. Starting it was easy and so was using it. And then it all went wrong. Vodafone announced that they would be following the market on the speed of mobile internet. And this meant they would reduce the speed to less than a tenth of the current speed, without giving another option or reducing the price. What happened next is something Vodafone could have expected from the beginning. Their customers spoke up. They talked on forums, they talked on blogs, they talked on twitter and everywhere else. The whole deal even hit the Dutch government. And slowly it sank in with Vodafone that this might not be the way to do it. That this might just hurt their client base. And they listened. Yesterday afternoon Vodafone announced that their plans were off the table and that all changed would be reverted. Great. Except that they did go all the way in implementing them. And this will have earned them a lot of sceptisism from the people that would promote them otherwise. And that will consider other providers if they offer the same speed at the same cost. vodafone has just found out that if you have a tribe, and you go against it, it will go against you. And that hurts you even if you revert your decision within four days. It would have been better to consider all the possible options before launching the plan. To talk with their customers about options and to listen to them. It would have made all the difference.
About Arne

Organizations have a story to tell. Everyone has. And I strongly believe that technology is becoming one of our prime ways to connect people, to build relationships, to change the world. Technology is up there with writing, industrialization and the telephone. Those have changed our world. Technology will do that once again. But at a pace that is much higher than anything else.
With my clients, I interpret trends and make them practical. We create insights into the future. I coach and advise organizations, startups or individuals on what the future holds for them. Talk to me if you to find out what it holds for you.
Contact
You can always talk to me. Connect to me on any social network, or mail me on arne [at] arnehulstein [dot] nl or call me diect on +31 653 961 138.
Just donated some funds to @Google as they told me I had a duplicate account that I couldn't trace. It was just below the pay-out threshold and there was nobody I could ask. Interesting revenue model. 😒
Zeg @PostNL mijn pakketje wordt nu voor de tweede dag uitgesteld. Misschien is het handig om mensen zichzelf te laten helpen en alvast aan te laten geven dat ze het net zo goed bij een centraal pakketpunt op kunnen halen. Nu kan ik jullie niet eens helpen. 😉
Meanwhile, at the Weihnachtsmarkt… @ Frankfurt, Germany https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl9Xui9Lr3s/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=
@HamidRSohrabi Big thanks to the awesome team that did all the hard work: @DrGargiBanerjee @SabineV159 @ReiniervdZwet, Thijs van Harten, Emma Koemans, and Corinne Auger! And of course for @arnehulstein for creating the new design!
Tijd voor een concert #Amecet #DeFigurant #Goesgeeftthuis @ Theater De Mythe https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl6wCD6Lcjf/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=
Time to go to church! #dominiontheatre #hillsonglondon #church #travel #theatre @ Hillsong Central London https://www.instagram.com/p/Cldibzrr0KJ/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=
Great marketing. #travel #london #yesterday #backtothefuture #marketing #slogan https://www.instagram.com/p/Clbyk5mrFrC/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=
The breakfast has landed! #london #breakfast #travel #local #food #startoftheday @ Chantal Cafe https://www.instagram.com/p/ClYQpxuLGpw/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=
Installed some nostalgia in my daughters’ room. 👍 https://www.instagram.com/p/ClJYIM_IetC/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=
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