Multi Award Winning giffgaff Enjoys Storming Six Months

LONDON, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

giffgaff, the community powered mobile network renowned for their flexible tariffs and free sim cards, has enjoyed storming success in the first half of 2012, scooping no less than three coveted industry awards since January.

Mobile Industry Awards (2012)

Last week giffgaff was crowned Best MVNO at the Mobile Industry Awards, triumphing in a category noted by organisers as one of the industry's most competitive fields for its innovation, branding strength and compelling marketing.

giffgaff's entry built a potent case for the network's impact on the mobile sector, highlighting the revolutionary  proposition the brand has brought to the market, one that is based on the principles of transparency and mutuality and that puts customers at the heart of the business. The entry charts giffgaff's unparalleled growth over two years from a new contender to a leading social business.

Judges were impressed by giffgaff's success in turning a bold, untested proposition into a thriving and financially robust MVNO.

giffgaff CEO Mike Fairman said: "To be recognised amongst peers as the country's leading MVNO is a powerful affirmation that by doing mobile differently, we're doing mobile right. In 2010, striking out with a new, community-based mobile proposition was an enormous risk, yet our levels of member engagement (more than 100,000 Facebook likes) and advocacy, has continually reassured us. Winning this prestigious award only strengthens our belief that giffgaff is the future face of mobile."

Social Brands 100 (2012)

In late May giffgaff was ranked overall third behind Innocent and Starbucks in the 2012 Social Brands 100, the annual benchmark of brands leading in social media.

The ranking, drawn up through a combination of tracking and analysis of social media interaction, independent research and an expert judging panel, placed giffgaff higher than any other telecom or technology brand, serving as powerful evidence of giffgaff fulfilling its ambitions to build strong member relationships, to listen actively to what customers want and to act appropriately in response.

Even more impressive is the fact that giffgaff scored the highest of all 100 brands on its 'data score' - the measure of intensity of interactions between the brand and the community. Overall this shows how successfully a brand uses social media to create a vibrant community.

Mike Fairman commented: "To be the top rated brand in this sphere is truly sensational and a testament to the incredible community of members that make giffgaff what it is. Two-way engagement is at the heart of giffgaff, since inception we have fought to build deeper relationships with our members through talking and listening. In turn this has created an enormous swell of advocacy and loyalty which has allowed us to take the business from a standing start to a thriving MVNO powered by its community."

Lithium 'Lithys' 2012

In early May giffgaff was named 'Best Social Customer Experience' in the Lithys 2012, a record of companies that are transforming their social customer experiences. Tasked with explaining how giffgaff offers a true social customer experience, the nomination covered innovations such as giffgaff's community support forum, which takes the place of a traditional customer service function, and its Ideas Board, an open platform for members to share their thoughts with the brand.

giffgaff offered compelling proof that its pioneering approach is working. Any question or query raised in the community is answered with 90 seconds, 24 hours a day, helping boost customer satisfaction to 90%, thus putting paid to outdated and inefficient call centres and customer service models. The Ideas Board, which is drawn upon directly to shape the business, has received over 6,000 ideas and more than 50,000 comments, with giffgaff implementing - on average - one member idea every three days.  

Mike Fairman said: "What this achievement shows is that giffgaff has an online community that's engaged with a brand to an extent never seen before. In addition to winning 'Best Social Customer Experience,' giffgaff has also been acknowledged by Lithium as leader of its Community Health Index, defined by its ability to meet members needs."

Power 50

Further to these award wins, Fairman has also been recognised in Mobile Today's recent 'Power 50', ranked 32 in its list of the fifty most influential people in the mobile industry. The list categorises leaders and visionaries in six different fields, with Fairman credited as an innovator whose approach to doing mobile differently has made the larger players 'sit up and take notice.'

NOTES TO EDITORS

What is giffgaff?

• giffgaff is a community-led SIM-only PAYGmobile operator which keeps costs low by encouraging its community members to help grow and run the business
• giffgaff has an customer satisfaction index of 84% and a Net Promoter Score of 75% (July 11)
• giffgaff doesn't do big budget advertising, instead it keeps costs low by using online channels and encouraging its community members to spread the word amongst their friends
• giffgaff has a simple, competitive pricing structure for PAYG, with absolutely no sting in its tail:
  • Calls are charged at 10p per minute and 6p per text
  • Free member to member (giffgaff to giffgaff) calls and texts
  • Competitive international call rates
  • Free calls to 0800 numbers

For more information, head to  http://www.giffgaff.com