The brands winning today are not necessarily those with the biggest budgets or the longest histories. They are the ones responding fastest to changing customer expectations.
That was one of the biggest takeaways from my conversation with Ernst Fonternel, Chief Consumer Officer at MTN South Africa, on the latest episode of the Pat on Brands Podcast.
Our discussion centred on Pi by MTN—the network’s digital-first mobile offering—but the lessons extend far beyond telecommunications. Whether you’re in banking, retail, financial services or hospitality, Pi offers a blueprint for how brands can remain relevant in an increasingly digital world.
Throughout our conversation, Fonternel unpacked why MTN launched Pi, how consumer expectations have evolved, the growing role of artificial intelligence, and what it takes to build products for a generation that values simplicity, flexibility and control.
Here are five marketing lessons every business can take away from Pi by MTN.
1. Customer Expectations Have Changed. Has Your Business?
One of the most striking insights from Fonternel was how dramatically consumer behaviour has evolved.
There was a time when customers accepted lengthy contracts, complicated sign-up processes and limited flexibility. Today, those same customers expect instant access, seamless digital experiences and complete transparency.
The modern consumer compares every experience—not just those within your industry. The convenience of ordering food, booking transport or streaming entertainment has reshaped expectations across every category.
Pi by MTN was designed with these new expectations in mind by offering:
- Digital onboarding through eSIM technology and biometric verification.
- Data-first plans with data that rolls over for up to 12 months.
- The ability to manage or cancel services digitally with minimal friction.
The lesson is simple: customer experience has become one of the strongest competitive advantages a brand can build.
2. Great Brands Solve Frustrations, Not Just Problems
Pi by MTN wasn’t launched simply to introduce another mobile package.
It was created to address frustrations many consumers have experienced for years—complex contracts, inflexible plans, confusing billing and difficult cancellation processes.
Rather than asking, “How do we sell another product?”, MTN asked a better question:
“What is frustrating customers, and how do we remove that friction?”
This is where many successful innovations begin.
The most valuable market opportunities often aren’t hidden in new technologies—they’re hidden in everyday customer frustrations.
3. Digital-First Is No Longer Optional
Consumers increasingly expect to interact with brands whenever and wherever they choose.
Pi enables customers to sign up, activate their service, manage their account and make changes entirely online.
That isn’t simply digitisation.
It’s removing unnecessary steps from the customer journey.
Across industries, businesses should be asking:
- Can customers buy from us without unnecessary friction?
- Can they solve problems without calling a contact centre?
- Are we saving customers time—or wasting it?
Convenience has become part of the product itself.
4. Freedom Creates Stronger Customer Loyalty
Perhaps the most surprising lesson from Pi is that making it easier for customers to leave can actually encourage them to stay.
For decades, many businesses relied on contracts, penalties and complicated cancellation processes to retain customers.
Pi takes the opposite approach.
Customers can adjust or cancel their plans through the app without paperwork, lengthy phone calls or hidden penalties.
This reflects an important shift in brand thinking.
True loyalty isn’t created by making it difficult to leave.
It’s created by delivering enough value that customers choose not to.
Transparency builds trust.
Trust builds loyalty.
5. AI Will Change Customer Experience – Not the Importance of Customers
Artificial intelligence featured prominently in our discussion about the future of telecommunications.
Fonternel believes AI will transform how brands deliver customer service through smarter self-service, faster support, better recommendations and more personalised experiences.
However, he made an equally important point:
Technology should enhance customer experience—not replace it.
Businesses adopting AI simply because it’s fashionable risk missing the bigger opportunity.
The brands that will benefit most from AI are those using it to remove friction, improve decision-making and give customers more value.
Advice for the Next Generation
Beyond discussing Pi, Fonternel shared advice for young professionals preparing for a rapidly changing world of work.
His message was straightforward:
Work hard but also work smart.
Stay curious.
Keep learning.
Embrace emerging technologies like AI instead of fearing them.
The people who thrive over the next decade won’t necessarily be those who know the most today—they’ll be those who continue learning the fastest.
Why Pi by MTN Matters
Pi by MTN is more than a new mobile offering.
It reflects a broader shift in how brands are thinking about customer relationships.
Today’s consumers expect flexibility instead of rigid contracts, transparency instead of complexity, and convenience instead of unnecessary processes.
For marketers and business leaders, the message is clear: innovation should not begin with technology—it should begin with customer behaviour.
The businesses that will lead the next decade won’t simply build better products.
They’ll build better experiences.
That is the real lesson behind Pi by MTN.
