BT Global Services had run into trouble in Germany in its numbers rental business when unscrupulous operators had started to use them to fleece consumers. A seemingly normal phone number would turn out to be a premium service and the consumer’s phone bill would go up alarmingly.

The Challenge

With the press hounding the company for its failure to protect consumers, BT’s first reaction was to stay silent and ride out the storm. But with the lack of response and action interpreted as arrogance, the press – and by now local and national TV news channels – started to directly attack BT as the source of unscrupulous business practice. Then BT called AxiCom.

The Approach

AxiCom advised BT to get out and rigidly clarify the exact and known facts of the case. This meant admitting some naivity and even neglect of the consumer, but it blunted the swords of the hostile press. An informal BT statement was drafted containing an explanation of the background to the crisis and BT’s unwitting involvement in it. BT with AxiCom produced a consumer advisory note on how to safeguard themselves against this fraud, and a hotline-number was handed out to all media.

The Results

The articles and TV news stories published after BT’s statement highlighted the danger for the consumers, the fact that it was fraud - but fraud by the diallers, not by BT. BT was covered as an proactive, responsible and supportive company.