There are no decoders in sight, days after cable TV launch

Pulse on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, decided to hit the streets of Lagos and Abuja to have a first hand feel and see how TSTV sales were panning out.

We were hoping to see the excitement on the faces of customers holding their precious devices just like it was with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 plus devices when they went on sale for the first time in Australia on September 22, 2017.

Mood around Pay-TV dealer offices in Lagos

Pulse got to Lagos Island, stopped by a pay-TV dealer shop named Classic Shelter Services on Igboshere road to find out if the shop has by any chance gotten and sold some stock of the TSTV device (this particular vendor had not yet been listed among the accredited dealers on TSTV Africa’s website).

It turns out the man, Mr. Bolaji Oddi, a veteran in the Pay-Tv business was unsurprisingly interested in dealing with TSTV but said they were yet to get back to him upon his application online, and has no clue how soon they will be in touch.

“I don’t know how soon because we are still talking with them online so I need to find out where their office is so I can go there physically and discuss.” Mr. Oddi said.

He went on to comment that he felt TSTV management should have invited them (dealers) for the launch, and the fact that they didn’t launch in Lagos was a grievous mistake.

“That’s a grievous mistake, they should have launched in Abuja then do a dinner in Lagos, then possibly do something else in Port Harcourt, these are the major places.”

He also thinks they ought to have launched months back, attributing it to the Nigerian factor.

“They should have launched months back, this Nigerian factor will always come into place, you should have prepared your staff, your takeoff, even before launching, let your customers, dealers have the products so on the launch everybody will just go gaga.” Mr. Oddi thought out loud, admonishing them to keep to their words.

Mr. Oddi noted also that people numbering not less than 10 have come to ask for when the product will be available.

On what he thinks about the whole TSTV entry into the DSTV monopolized market, Mr. Oddi remarked saying people are excited because it is owned by a Nigerian, and secondly because of the Pay-as-you-go feature and thirdly that users can beam live football matches emphasizing on the EPL, UCL and La Liga.

According to what he understands by the ‘Pause function’ he said what he saw on the internet was that subscribers can pause subscription seven times a month.

He also expressed his dissatisfaction explaining that TSTV is not supposed to put a limit to the number of times the subscription can be paused.

Mr. Oddi however also has decided to be cautiously optimistic about the whole thing just as most of us have also chosen to.

Moving on to a DSTV/GOTV only dealer along Ondo street, Ebutte Metta West, the sales rep Pulse met there said he doesn’t buy the idea of the Pay-As-You-Go model TSTV is selling to Nigerians, saying it’s not a sustainable business model for Pay-TV.

Also he reasoned that DSTV may be forced to bring down their tariff to hold intact their market share, while also thinking that TSTV will at some point increase their subscription prices.

“As we now have a competition, they will have to bring their prices down,” the young man said.

He also noted that DSTV allows the pause option, only that customers are not aware, explaining that if you subscribe and find out you will not be available for a while, you can go to one of the head offices or call up customer care and make a request that your subscription be paused for a specific period of time.A TSTV accredited dealer sales point on Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba was visited by Pulse. On getting there, a prospective customer, Mr. Abiodun Ajayi from Akoka was already expressing his distaste with the kind of customer service he was getting from the lady that attended to him.

He was displeased when he tried to make inquiries and was directed to go check online for the full details of whatever he might need.

The lady kept insisting he should go online as Mr. Ajayi kept trying to correct her that she was neither showing good customer relations nor representing the TSTV company right.

“You can check it online, online is better, the lady insisted”

“If you don’t have the information, then close shop, can I be very blunt with you, bad customer service’’ Mr. Ajayi remarked.

“In business first impression is the most important thing, if I go anywhere the first time and I’m not treated well, I go elsewhere,” he said.“You can’t send me to your site while I’m here.”"So if I’m not online compliant what happens, I won’t get information?” he continued querying the lady.

‘’You don’t understand, I’m telling you, your customer service is poor, once I’m in your office anything I need to know you tell me, it’s a different thing if I say I’m not satisfied,” Mr. Ajayi added further. (So much for the current Happy Customer Service week).An elderly man then came along and invited us into the office, then informing us that the TSTV package was not on sale yet until next week saying it was not available throughout the whole of Nigeria.“For her to actually equip you with information, sales must commence’’ the man defended her.

“Why do you launch a product when they are not on ground, why are you in a hurry, at least common sense should have told them that before launching, all your agents should have your product already.

"You should have trained their staff to know almost everything so they can speak freely on the product so people won’t be having a doubt about it. It’s a Nigerian thing, I’m not surprised, God will help us in this country.” Mr. Ajayi counselled.

That is one customer of TSTV potentially lost thanks to an abysmal customer service

The Abuja recruitment scenario

Meanwhile in Abuja, when Pulse visited TSTV’s corporate head office located at Gilmor layout, Jahi district, workers were seen fixing the satellite dish.

Work was still ongoing at the facility ahead of its take-off on October 15, 2017.

A source who craved anonymity explained to our correspondent why the satellite company had not taken off despite its launch on October 1.

“There are so many things that have not been fixed yet. If you go to the reception, you will see lots of people who are looking for jobs.

"We are recruiting people, getting dealers, satellite dish installers and so on. As you can see, some people are fixing the dish and so on.

“Again, we don’t want to start in just Lagos and Abuja while Nigerians in other parts of the country won’t get signals. So we’re using this time to fix things before the take-off on October 15.

“The launch was just to tell Nigerians what we’re about and see the reaction of people. We’ll start selling decoders from October 15,” he said.

Our source also seized the opportunity to throw shade at others who have been in the market.

“Also, the launch is to tell our competitors that we’re here and they should get ready because it will no longer be business as usual.

“We heard that they are already giving some subscribers full bouquet channels but that won’t work. Nigerians can’t wait for us to start selling our decoders because they are tired of these other guys,” the source added.

Some Nigerians were on ground to get first-hand information as there seemed to be lots of questions about the brand despite the “social media hype.”

An engineer who identified himself as Emmanuel Chijioke believes TSTV would break the monopoly which DSTV has enjoyed over the years. He, however, expressed reservations on the newly launched cable service.

“Nigeria needs stiff competition unlike what DAARSAT, StarTimes, and others have done so far,” he said.

“With what I have seen on social media, I think TSTV has the power to divide and possibly own the market in the shortest possible time."

“Pay-as-you-go as opposed to DSTV’s outrageous monthly subscription regardless of how many times you watch the stations, plus free internet. I mean who won’t jump on that?"

“My concern, however, is how will they cope with the initial rush? Will they deliver on their promises? I mean, I checked their social media handles and there’s nothing new so I came here and honestly, I’m not sure of what to expect.

“What I have resolved to do now is to wait till after a month and get reactions from Nigerians before I get mine,” he added.

At the reception, job seekers were seen waiting to be called in for interviews.

TSTV had promised to take at least 5000 unemployed youths off the labor market after its launch on October 1, 2017.

Job seekers were seen outside the facility with brown envelopes containing their credentials.

As they step out, the look on their faces was not so good.

“The way I’m seeing this thing, these TSTV people will end up taking their relatives and friends,” one said as they approached the gate.

“Did you notice that some people who came for the interview didn’t even join the queue? They went in and came out smiling while we sat there for hours before going in,” said another who had come for the same purpose.

Back to Lagos

On getting to the Lagos head office at GRA Ikeja, a green colored building, all we met was a security guard who told us the office was still under lock and key. Inquiring about when they were likely to open, the guard said he had no idea.

Pulse made a final stop at another TSTV accredited dealer office in the Central Business District Alausa Ikeja, where we met a certain Engineer Segun and the dealer.

Asking if the decoder was available, the dealer said Lagosians will have to wait till another week (a week shy of the date we got from our Abuja sources).

The dealer and engineer went on to sell the uniqueness of TSTV’s features.

Asking why TSTV would go on to launch when they are not ready to sell, the engineer said it’s okay as they have launched because they can’t say if someone else is planning to bring out the same product already as well.

On the content side of things, Pulse asked if TSTV will be airing all live matches of the EPL, to which the dealer replied: “I think they have the right to show 4 matches, whether premiership or not.”

“The truth of the matter is that don’t bid for premiership directly they partner with those who have bid for premiership rights, which is BeIN, Sky Sports no get BeIN money’’, the dealer explained.

About the free data offering, the dealer said TSTV will be offering 20GB on every subscription but for only the N3000 monthly subscribers - a wide disparity from what a customer care rep on the site told Pulse.

While the conversation ensued, an eager customer called the dealer on phone to find out if the decoder was available, and if there would be engineers on ground to install the set-top box and dish. The dealer said the cost for installation is N3000 and that engineers would be provided.

The dealer also refuted rumors about the MD/CEO Bright Echefu having a past encounter with the EFCC on the charge of issuing a dud cheque.

On the 7 days ‘pausing’ subscription option, the engineer says it would apply to every subscriber.

At the end of the day, Pulse’s investigation can authoritatively say TSTV has not created a good first impression post-launch, with the 'Nigerian factor' very much coming into play every step of the way.

This story was co-written by Pulse senior correspondent