Tuesday, August 16, 2005
TRACS Report, no relation to TRAC
A press release about The TRACS Report crossed my screen just now. It said, in part
I was mightily curious whether The TRACS Report was a TRAC initiative, so I called the number and spoke to Craig O'Neil, the Carrier Relations Director of The TRACS Report. From our conversation, it seems that The TRACS Report is what it appears to be, and there is no relation to TRAC. The TRACS Report folks seem to be making an honest attempt to do market research on carrier performance -- something we all need -- see, for example, their website rateyourprovider.com. Clearly they are just getting started, and they have a long way to go -- see for example, their Massachusetts carrier survey.
The one thing I find a bit . . . unusual . . . is that this market research firm didn't even do enough market research to figure out that their name could be confused with another established telecom organization of dubious reputation.
Will they change their name before their brand equity gets tangled up in the TRAC legacy? If they don't, what will that tell their customers about their market research acumen?
The TRACS Report can best be described as a combination of Consumer Reports and J.D. Powers . . .I've been TRACking TRAC, the Telecommunications Research and Action Center, which has been exposed by New Networks Institute and others as an astroturf affiliate of Issue Dynamics, a Washington, DC, lobbying and PR firm specializing in orchestrating pseudo-grassroots campaigns.
I was mightily curious whether The TRACS Report was a TRAC initiative, so I called the number and spoke to Craig O'Neil, the Carrier Relations Director of The TRACS Report. From our conversation, it seems that The TRACS Report is what it appears to be, and there is no relation to TRAC. The TRACS Report folks seem to be making an honest attempt to do market research on carrier performance -- something we all need -- see, for example, their website rateyourprovider.com. Clearly they are just getting started, and they have a long way to go -- see for example, their Massachusetts carrier survey.
The one thing I find a bit . . . unusual . . . is that this market research firm didn't even do enough market research to figure out that their name could be confused with another established telecom organization of dubious reputation.
Will they change their name before their brand equity gets tangled up in the TRAC legacy? If they don't, what will that tell their customers about their market research acumen?
Technorati Tags: MarketResearchInsight, Telcos, TRAC
Comments:
David,
TRAC and IDI are great organizations with a terrific history of accomplishments. Everything you want to know about them is on their web sites. TRAC was founded in 1967 as the National Committee for Public Broadcasting, became the National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting and in 1983 -- 22 years ago -- became the Telecommunications Research and Action Center. At that time I was the Executive Director.
TRAC has published many useful documents and at the time of the ATT break-up I wrote Reverse the Charges, How to Save Money on Your Phone Bill. It was distributed by Book of the Month Club.
TRAC continues to publish accurate and useful consumer saving information. People should go to www.trac.org and sign-up for TracNotes our weekly publication.
IDI is a consultancy. We work for a large number of corporate and non-profit organizations. Information that has been "exposed" is right on our web site. http://www.idi.net The company itself was founded in 1986 and is now 19 years old. During our history we have helped forge many a win-win policy collaboration. Most people who were there in 1996 know, for example, that IDI was primarily responsible for Section 255 and Section 706 language in the Telecom Act. We continue to work closely with long established NGO's to help build bridges between non-profit and corporate organizations.
I suspect if they looked into things, TRACS would be very pleased to be associated with TRAC's brand.
People who are interested in the truth or would like to talk civilly about matters are free to contact me directly at sam@simon.net
Sam
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TRAC and IDI are great organizations with a terrific history of accomplishments. Everything you want to know about them is on their web sites. TRAC was founded in 1967 as the National Committee for Public Broadcasting, became the National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting and in 1983 -- 22 years ago -- became the Telecommunications Research and Action Center. At that time I was the Executive Director.
TRAC has published many useful documents and at the time of the ATT break-up I wrote Reverse the Charges, How to Save Money on Your Phone Bill. It was distributed by Book of the Month Club.
TRAC continues to publish accurate and useful consumer saving information. People should go to www.trac.org and sign-up for TracNotes our weekly publication.
IDI is a consultancy. We work for a large number of corporate and non-profit organizations. Information that has been "exposed" is right on our web site. http://www.idi.net The company itself was founded in 1986 and is now 19 years old. During our history we have helped forge many a win-win policy collaboration. Most people who were there in 1996 know, for example, that IDI was primarily responsible for Section 255 and Section 706 language in the Telecom Act. We continue to work closely with long established NGO's to help build bridges between non-profit and corporate organizations.
I suspect if they looked into things, TRACS would be very pleased to be associated with TRAC's brand.
People who are interested in the truth or would like to talk civilly about matters are free to contact me directly at sam@simon.net
Sam
