Do it like Netflix, they say
Matrixx Software has researched the intense relationship between human and their handsets and found that most customers would switch to an operator that treated them like Netflix. According to monetising expert Matrixx, which ‘follows the money’ in every business relationship, the ‘customer experience’ is the most important aspect of human-handset relations. The feedback from its investigation is that customers wish their operator looked at them the way application vendors look at their customers. In the relationship study, Amazon (79%), Netflix (51%) and PayPal (47%) were commended for the way they make their customer feel.
The most surprising revelation in the study was that bundles of content were valued much less than the sensitivity of the service provider. Mobile network operators who invested heavily in content to serve their customers may be disappointed to know that free streaming services ranked as the least influential factor in customer satisfaction in both the US and UK. The implication is that comms service providers need to communicate and serve better, with more emphasis on personalisation and customer service, according to Jennifer Kyriakakis, founder and chief marketing officer at Matrixx. “While mobile providers have worked hard to modernise their offering and create a more seamless digital experience, our survey shows that more can be done to engage customers with the kind of digital experiences they expect,” said Kyriakakis.
However, while digital experiences trump the attraction of ‘content bundles’, they still comes a poor third to age-old priorities. The cost of connectivity is still a primary concern. The technical quality of service provided by response times, loading speeds and reliability are the major attractions of a telco. Access to 5G ranks highly among the desired features, reflecting the belief that 5G could offer speed and experiences. “5G presents a real opportunity for operators to differentiate their service offerings and attract new customers,” said Kyriakakis. It’s also crucial to build the additional revenue streams that were previously unimaginable. Cost, the perennial driver of consumer products and services, will take a backseat to quality of service and experience once augmented and virtual reality become mainstream offering, Kyriakakis said.
When asked which app features consumers would like to see from their mobile provider, ease of use ranked top (58% of the surveyed mentioned it) followed by transparent pricing (55%). Providing instant access to services was the third most desired feature (42%). Priorities changed among baby boomers and younger people who grew up with a smartphone in their hand.
The survey data was compiled in late 2022. Respondents included more than 3,000 US and UK adults, age 18 and over.