“You can’t market your way out of a bad experience.”
When companies start bleeding customers, many turn to marketing as a quick fix — running ads, launching offers, or rebranding in hopes of winning back loyalty. But what happens when marketing is used to mask deeper, unresolved issues? The case of Zuku, once a dominant internet service provider in Kenya, is a powerful example.
Zuku is currently facing one of the most drastic declines in market share in the Kenyan fixed-internet space, slipping from a market leader to trailing behind both Faiba and Poa Internet, and far behind Safaricom, which holds over 36% of the market.
While the company may be investing in promotions and outreach, the real problem lies elsewhere — in the customer experience.
What’s Going Wrong? A First-Hand Perspective
Like many Kenyans, I once relied on Zuku for home internet. But when a technical issue recently disrupted my service, I reached out through all available channels.
What happened next shocked me:
I was blocked.
No reply, no resolution, just outright blocking — for trying to get support on a service I was paying for.
This wasn’t an isolated incident.
Zuku’s Red Flags – A Breakdown
1. Poor Customer Service
- Users report being ignored, blocked, or dismissed when trying to report issues.
- Support is unreachable or non-responsive across social media, email, and phone.
- A Reddit user said it best: “Their customer care is straight-up rude.”
2. Unreliable Internet Speeds
- Despite marketing “high-speed fiber,” users frequently complain of:
- Buffering issues
- Slow downloads
- Service downtime
- These are critical failures in a digital-first world.
3. No Ownership or Accountability
- When service goes down, there’s no communication.
- No timelines. No follow-ups. No apologies.
- Compare this to Safaricom, which:
- Notifies users of outages
- Offers compensation or free bundles as a goodwill gesture
4. Stagnant Growth
- Zuku added fewer than 3,000 users over multiple quarters.
- Meanwhile, Poa Internet added over 20,000 users in a single quarter.
- Jamii Telecom (Faiba) now has over 418,000 subscribers — significantly more than Zuku’s 267,000.
5. Internal Management Conflicts
- Reports have emerged of shareholder wrangles and corporate in-fighting affecting decision-making and innovation at Wananchi Group (Zuku’s parent company).
- Lack of leadership direction undermines both staff morale and customer trust.
Marketing Can’t Save a Sinking Ship
Zuku could invest in billboards, influencer campaigns, and social media giveaways — but unless the product experience improves, it’s a lost cause. Marketing can amplify your value, but it can’t disguise your failure.
What good is a catchy ad if your customer is:
- Waiting 3 days for support?
- Calling a hotline that goes unanswered?
- Paying for 20Mbps and receiving 3Mbps?
- Blocked when trying to get help?
Lessons for Marketers and Business Leaders
- Fix the product before selling it harder.
If your core service is broken, scale back on marketing and focus on operational fixes first. - Listen before you speak.
Instead of pushing ads, tune into customer feedback. It’s more valuable than any metric. - Build a culture of accountability.
Clear communication, compensation, and transparency build long-term loyalty — not just short-term retention. - Make support your competitive edge.
In markets with low differentiation, service is everything.
Final Thoughts
Zuku’s decline isn’t because it doesn’t have a great product idea — it’s because they stopped listening. When customers feel ignored, disrespected, or mistreated, they leave. No amount of marketing can bring them back until the root issues are addressed.
If you’re losing market share, pause the ads and start asking:
Why are people leaving?
Only then can marketing truly become a tool for growth — not just damage control.
🔁 Have you had a Zuku experience? Or a similar case of poor service masked by flashy marketing? Let’s talk.