Winning a 15-year Contract
How We Helped a Foreign Telco's Inroad to Indonesia's Growing Telecommunication Field

Firm: Fortune PR -- Jakarta
Client: XL
Specialty Area: Public Affairs
Date: 01/01/1995


Telecommunication Field
Awareness/SE
Fortune Public Relations

In February 1995, a worldclass foreign telco which was already present in Indonesia for a few years approached FORTUNE PR with perception problems. The management felt that its image in Indonesia was lagging with no clear understanding of its corporate capabilities despite being a worldclass operator and having extensive expertise and experience. They should have been known by officials of the ministry of post and telecommunication as well as the national carrier who holds the monopoly.

Besides, the government was opening a tender for 15-year joint operation contracts with private companies, the first time in the history of Indonesian telecommunication.

FORTUNE PR proposed:

1.A telephone survey amongst its target audience on awareness and perception of the company and undertanding of its capabilities during March 1995.

2.Establishing the company's positioning and company message out of the survey results.

3.Arranging meetings with the target audience obviously through FORTUNE PR's established contacts during March-April.

4.Arranging high profile events subsequent to the meetings,including:
a.study visit of domestic carrier officials to its headquarters
b.donation of equipments to the telecommunication institute of higher learning
c.visit by the company's CEO with the President and or Vice President of RI; round up assistance from the Ambassador in June.

5.Business intelligence, since a lot of worldclass operators were also eyeing the contracts.

FORTUNE PR did:

1.Telephone surveys to some 30 persons from the ministry, the domestic and international carriers, members of the Telecommunication Society, Associations of telecom manufacturers, etc.

It was found out that this company was barely known by officials from second echelons and below, while this mid-management level played important role in evaluating their tender applications. Decision making process in Indonesia is peculiar that it usually combines up and down currents, "looking for harmony".

2.Establish its positioning: "expertise and experience, long term commitment to the development of Indonesian telecommunication field."

The message was "we are here to stay and help."

3.Through established contacts, meetings were arranged both with highest ranking officials and technocrats. It was also found out that former management tended to neglect this aspect. Discussions were carefully designed to ensure the desired messages were carried.

4.Of the three proposed, only 1 did not materialize due to lack of time and layered approval (i.e. donation).

The CEO's visit to both the President and the Vice President was highly successful.

The company managed to raise its profile through publicity.

5.Through FORTUNE PR contacts, the company got the telecom 5-year plan so it could tailor its Indonesian program accordingly.

Clippings of news and articles, and recorded informal meetings with telecom carrier officials were given to the company to alert them of issues at stake.

Result :

In mid August, FORTUNE PR sent news - albeit in the wee hours - to the company of its success in willing the contract. The news itself was obtained from a media contact who managed to have it through inside informer.

The company signed a 15-year joint BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) contract with the government of Indonesia on October 15, 1995.

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