Sprintspeed is off-target
I work for Sprint. You have probably seen our new ads for the Sprintspeed campaign. Very pretty adds and I like the tech behind it. I also hear consumers have a positive feel for the campaign. I think it completely misses the point. Why?
- Most of our customers have a phone from us (duh #1).
- The number one thing our customers use is voice calling (duh #2).
- The number one concern of any phone user in the world is network quality (duh #3). Battery life is the second concern.
Speed is not on the chart, since irrelevant. It does not help make a call (unless you are using Push to Talk, like Direct Connect).
The campaign would be much better suited to a product line (EVDO Rev A Air Cards and modems) or business unit (Xohm), rather that a phone company. Rev A will not matter much, though, since Verizon is doing the same thing. Xohm has real speed advantages but already has a plan and it is, in a word, "better".
What will Sprint do in its struggles to find a meaningful message to customers? Let's face it, there are very few dimensions to the industry that matter to customers. Verizon and ATT focus on the network (duh #4) and they are winning.
Maybe we should say we give the best care (that's a big lie now, but who knows in the future) or have the best services and make it happen. Speed is just a function of the technology we buy (and hence, not a sustainable advantage) and not much for the employees at large to rally around or impact.
