During hard times like this – high cost of living, political intolerance and peak school/college tuition paying season – people get angry pretty fast. Some even scout for excuses to vent anger.
A communication slip from a public transport company offered the firm’s customers the opportunity to express outrage. But the rage was way out of proportion with the corporate blunder.
The mass transporter needed to consider the vulnerabilities of its core market, before publishing the offending message. But even after a quick damage control response, the transporter realised how easy it is to rattle customers.
The offence may not have been deliberate, but it lacked thought on the consequences of the withdrawn ban on fish transport: “Following complaints by some of our clients on poorly packaged/fish products contaminating their accompanied luggage, we temporarily suspend the carrying of fish/fish products as accompanied luggage in our buses.”
Within minutes of the publication of the ban, social media was awash with protests. Then another corporate message surfaced to unban the intended ban:
“The suspension has been lifted. You can carry your fried, dried, smoked, salted mbuta, ngege, kamongo, omena, etc, ONLY as accompanied luggage on our buses on condition that it is appropriately packed.”
The message unbanning the ban misses the dynamics of the fish transport market. It suggests the company does not know why it transports unaccompanied sacks of omena from Gwasi or Sori beaches in Homa Bay county to Nairobi. Or from Sio Port in Busia county to the city of mass omena consumers.
Fish vendors do not travel to the source every time they want to replenish their stocks. It saves time and money if they work with contacts at fish landing beaches and drying sheds.
Once the order is made, the contact transports the sacks of omena to the nearest offices of the preferred transporter. Traders collect their consignments from the bus cargo offices.
When you cut off this arrangement, you kill business. You hurt Mama Omena, Mama Mboga and consumers with one corporate communication misfire.
But public reactions went beyond reason, even with the lifting of the offending ban. Responses ranged from the sarcastic to the hyperbolic.
An offended customer wrote: “Stop beating around the bush … just say you don’t want to do business with the Lakeside people…” The generalisation went off tangent.
Although the withdrawn ban covered all types of fish, audiences understood the message in their own ways. Some expanded their responses to include a ban on carrying fish-eating passengers.
Another offended user fired widely: “You mean only-fish eaters are allowed aboard your buses?"
Then there was this: “The National Association of Fish Eaters of Eastern Africa will defend the right of its members to transport all types of fish by any means possible across the region. Omena, especially, deserves respect, as commoners' hunger breaker.”
The association may not exist, but the response showed the PSV operator the huge catchment it had offended. Lake Victoria, the source of fish transported in those buses, is a shared water mass across East Africa.
Fish from Uganda passes through Busia and Malaba into Kenya, then to Nairobi, and other towns along the way. Fish from Tanzania passes through Sirare, for onward delivery to Nairobi, through other towns along the way.
“Someone tell [the transporter] that we carry fish in our German Beasts. In 2019, I carried Mbuta, Omena, Ngege, Fulu and Wiu [types of fish] aboard KLM Airbus A380 from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Schipol, Amsterdam. Don't bring for us!”
The offended consumer was saying because he carries fish on international flights, there was no way a local bus company would impose such a ban without alienating its customers. Other PSV vehicles, including long-distance buses, have not outlawed fish transportation.
Then there was this, which was harsh: “Who is your public relations officer? If you can not carry fish products change your routes to Shakhahola … there are several bodies to be transported…”
“RH87JECIEP Confirmed. Ksh1,350.00 sent to [transporter] for account 932470 on 15/8/23 at 7:53 AM. New M-PESA balance is Ksh3,423.68. I booked [transport], but due to my love for our fish I have cancelled the ticket.”
Not all responses were negative though. "Cut some flak. This is the only professional bus company remaining. They have listened to you. Perhaps it could consider offering their ‘fish carrying clients’ some special packaging to prevent the said contamination.”
