In a world where customer satisfaction drives business success, industries like healthcare, energy, utilities, and financial services have Net Promoter Scores (NPS) averaging above 44, according to Customer Gauge's 2023 report.
Yet, scroll to the bottom of the list of 12 sectors, and the story shifts for telecommunications with an average NPS of just 31.
This trend is particularly relevant for telecom companies in Mexico, where legacy providers like Telcel, Movistar, and AT&T have neglected to focus on the customer experience and disregarded the demand for more reliable and affordable services.
Enter Mirlo.
Mirlo is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) platform built specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Mexico, designed to address the pain points of traditional telecom services.
Through features like flexible plans, seamless online management, and rapid activation via Sims and eSIMs, Mirlo stands as a customer-focused alternative in a market that often overlooks SMBs.
According to, Rafael León, the co-founder of Mirlo,
The idea was simple but powerful—we wanted to create a telecom service that SMBs could actually depend on. Traditional telcos in Mexico haven’t made things easy for businesses with complex contracts and unresponsive customer service. - Rafael León (Co-Founder Mirlo)
Mirlo aims to change that by offering a telecom solution that SMBs find both accessible, adaptable, and affordable to their needs.
Mirlo’s Inception Story
Mirlo, co-founded by Rafael León and Germán Zuccol, was inspired by their shared frustration with traditional telecom providers in Mexico, which often left small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) feeling undervalued and underserved.
For SMBs, getting lines with traditional telecom providers can take weeks or even months. Most of the time, they have to go to a store, deal with account managers and use spreadsheets to manage their plans. Even simple tasks like topping up lines can take days. At Mirlo, we make it easy—customers can get started in less than 15 minutes, manage everything through a simple dashboard, and even get mobile devices if they need them. We’re here to save businesses time and make telecom something they can actually rely on. - German Zuccoli (Co-Founder Mirlo)
This personal experience motivated them to build a solution that was not only customer-centric but also agile and scalable.
“We (German and I) knew we could create a better way for SMBs to manage their telecom needs—one that was more aligned with their business goals,” Rafael explained to VC Mexico. “From the beginning, our mission was to create a solution that small businesses could trust and rely on.” - Rafael León
How Does Mirlo Work?
Flexible Plans and Coverage
Mirlo provides a variety of business-focused plans tailored to meet different needs. Options start at just 99 MXN per month for a basic plan, ideal for essential services like activation codes for WhatsApp and other platforms. For businesses with greater demands, Mirlo offers higher-tier plans and flexible contract durations, ranging from a few months to multi-year agreements.
The higher-tier plans, offering between 3 GB and 40 GB of data, include robust features such as coverage across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, as well as unlimited access to social networks. These plans are particularly well-suited for businesses with cross-border operations or mobile teams.
All plans come with 1,500 minutes of talk time per month, SMS allowances, and “hotspot” capabilities, ensuring smooth and reliable connectivity for businesses of all sizes.
Our goal is to let our customers focus on their business growth without the constant worry of connectivity issues or hidden fees. We’re here to simplify telecom, not complicate it. - Rafael León
Mirlo Dashboard
When a business joins Mirlo, the onboarding process is fully virtual and can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. Once onboarded, businesses gain access to a comprehensive dashboard that provides an overview of all their lines and data plans, allowing them to easily monitor usage for each line.
Additionally, Mirlo offers businesses the flexibility to reassign existing cellphone plans to new lines, enabling seamless scalability as teams grow or change with new members joining and departing.
Mirlos’ Go-to-Market Approach
Mirlo's approach is built around three primary pillars: digital marketing, social media engagement, and an emphasis on referrals. This trifecta has not only driven initial traction but also set a foundation for sustainable growth. As Rafael described:
- Outbound: Strong team of BDRs targeting companies to help them save money by switching to Mirlo.
- Social Media: “LinkedIn and Facebook became our key channels to engage directly with users. We could answer questions, share success stories, and build an organic connection with our audience.”
- Referrals: “Referrals were a game-changer for us. We created an incentive program that encouraged customers to bring in other businesses. It’s a win-win—the referring customer gains a reward, and we gain a new, warm lead.”
