Demand for entertainment, connectivity, and information never dies, and Television broadcasting and Internet Service Providers have dominated this arena for a long time. However, the industry is undergoing a rapid transition due to revolutionary technology and connectivity surge. Soaring costs and long-standing complaints for poor customer service have contributed to a significant rise in cord-cutters in recent years as viewers continue to forgo their subscriptions in favor of over-the-top (OTT) streaming services.
Smartphones are another significant change driver. Although the cable TV industry has initially benefited from broadband by increasing revenue streams, now younger consumers are increasingly turning to wireless carriers to view content on devices other than televisions, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, etc. According to a report, over 60% of customers aged 18 to 43 are more inclined to spend their time on streaming platforms. What’s more, the pandemic has fuelled the trend.
Customers are becoming more demanding. So, cable and internet companies need to quickly adapt to the customer-centric culture of today’s highly competitive and volatile market. Today’s customers want service to be provided on their chosen devices, at their convenience, and wherever they want. Poor CX or any mistake can be another nail in the coffin among the fierce competition. Still, dissatisfaction and frustration when dealing with these service providers are common due to poor customer experience management. So, let’s first review issues and challenges in customer experience management (CXM) that are severely affecting TV and ISP businesses.
Customer Experience Management Challenges and Issues Plaguing TV and Internet Service Providers
Communication Issues:
The TV and Internet service Industry often fails to offer the basics of excellent customer experience management or CXM – seamless communication and reach. Customers often find it challenging to reach their customer support. They must navigate long wait times and a complex maze of automated systems or IVRs to talk to a human agent. Worse, they might not receive clear and concise information after all that struggle, and their concern falls on deaf ears. So, a lack of transparent and efficient communication leaves customers feeling frustrated and unheard, impacting their overall experience.
Service Outage and Downtime:
Another common occurrence in the TV and Internet service Industry is service outage and downtime. Weather conditions like freezing cold often make your TV and internet service go kaput, followed by a wave of desperate customer calls asking for assistance. However, service providers often fail to offer these customers timely and effective technical support. Moreover, long wait times in support calls and unhelpful troubleshooting guidance lead to prolonged resolution and poor customer experience.
Billing Delays and Errors:
Billing errors and delays are another common pain point of customers. Some providers have complex billing systems that are difficult to understand. Discrepancies and inaccuracies in billing and delays in receiving them lead to disputes and dissatisfaction. Inadequate customer service management is often slow to resolve these billing issues, making customers feel their concerns are not a priority.
Inflexible Subscriptions:
Subscription plans offered by TV and ISP businesses fail to meet evolving customers’ needs. They may feel stuck in a plan without having a choice to upgrade, downgrade, or simply customize. When the initial offer periods end, many services become add-ons, resulting in additional charges, making customers frustrated and even angry, and eventually leaving the provider.
Lack of Personalization:
Personalization is the key to delivering memorable customer experiences in today’s highly competitive market. TV and ISP companies are not only competing with industry rivals but also with OTT platforms and other disruptive entrants in this industry. Falling short in personalization and recognizing customer preferences and usage patterns leads to losing existing customers and refrains businesses from gaining new ones as well. Customers receive irrelevant promotional offers and recommendations and are treated the same way despite each being unique. It leaves customers feeling they are simply another number in the provider’s database.
Inconsistent Quality of Service:
Customers often complain about fluctuations in internet speed, resolution quality, or channel availability to customer service in this industry. It disrupts their entertainment experiences and leaves them utterly dissatisfied with your services. Inconsistency in services is a significant issue. It happens when service providers do not invest in maintaining consistent and high-quality services. Many providers also lag in picking up new technological trends, such as fiber-optic internet, etc., making them less desirable to customers, and available options are plenty.
The Consequences of Neglecting CX in the TV and Internet Service Provider Industry Are Dire
Customer Churn: Dissatisfied customers will go directly to competitors, contributing to higher customer churn.
Losing Revenue: The service provider will lose revenue as customers leave the brand, and the rest are unlikely to upgrade or purchase premium subscriptions.
Negative Reviews: Unhappy customers often tell their experiences more and spread negative word of mouth. Often, they vent their dissatisfaction on social media, and negative reviews and words spread to more people faster.
Brand Reputation: Negative CX damages the service provider’s reputation significantly and is hard to repair, making acquiring new customers more difficult.
Increased Expenses: More customer complaints and queries need more resources to address them. Service providers need to fix errors or delays. All these lead to additional expenses.
Redefining Customer Experience: How TV and Internet Service Providers Can Improve CXM?
TV and Internet service providers must adopt new business models and infrastructural changes to satisfy always-connected, tech-savvy customers. Overcoming a history of customer dissatisfaction for years needs a reliable and experienced CXM service provider for customer support with the right tech stack to handle omnichannel service delivery in a complex ecosystem of connected devices, successfully breaking the silos and ensuring a seamless transition. Remember, they want customer support at their convenience 24/7, in a channel of their preference, and hate to repeat or start over.
Cord cutters (who canceled their subscriptions) and cord nevers (who never opted for any subscription) need some extra effort! Custom and flexible bundling of TV and Internet services together and individually in several locations and states with competitive pricing will give any provider an undeniable edge. Cable and broadband businesses must turn to outsourcing providers with expertise in creating omnichannel service plans, deploying digital channels, and using real-time analytics and insights to improve customer experience and increase income. Hire one with a skilled workforce, technological expertise, and process design and optimization capabilities.
A CXM partner proficient in order processing, order management, multiple billing systems, new movers, pending disconnects, and retention is critical for surviving this industry. Moreover, find customer support vendors with adequate expertise in wireless networks, packages, premiums, streaming, high-speed internet, video, voice, and relevant technologies to satisfy customer needs to battle the support challenges. A CXM service expert with vast experience in Customer Service, Tech Support, Live Chat, Email, and Social Media can be a great ally to sustain in this challenging terrain with advanced technologies to automate processes, implement social media listening, and enhance quality monitoring.
