Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

I'm not a professional in that field, but I tend to think you'll get more valuable feedback on this from ISP customers as opposed to other retention specialists.

My take on ISPs is that people will leave you for only one of four reasons (I'm sure there are more, but these are the biggies):

1. People move. Can't do anything about that.

2. People find a better deal. As more people think of their Internet connection as a commodity, they will become more price sensitive (the only way to differentiate in a true commodity market).

3. People think your service stinks. If you provide sluggish, unpredictable service, people will try elsewhere.

4. People think your customer service stinks. If people need help and can't get it, they will try elsewhere.

Now, you really can't be all things to all people, at least I don't think you can. So, unless you really feel that you have the power to be the cheapest service with the best connection and the best service, you're going to have to draw your line in the sand and determine who are your customers are who aren't.

Another thing you'll probably want to look into is providing additional services to your customers so that, no matter how bad something gets, they will view it as too big a problem to move their business. Maybe you host their Web sites, maybe you manage their email, maybe you manage domain names, I don't know. But you should consider something that allows you to build more of a relationship between your company and its customers. I don't think providing an Internet connection is enough "glue" to keep someone around, unless of course you're providing that cheap, fast service with great support.

Have I rambled long enough?

Yeah, I think so.

Hope this gets things started.

Paul

Hi William,

I have a suggestion for new customers, why don't you have a Starter Kit e.g. A free anti-virus like AVG https://free.grisoft.com/doc/1 or Avast! https://www.avast.com/ , with a NON IE browser e.g. Fire Fox www.spreadfirefox.com and some FREE anti spy ware products like Spybot https://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html and/or Adaware www.lavasoft.de .Put them all on one cd that you send out to every customer when they first join.

It would have saved me A LOT of time and effort if my isp had done something like that.

The reason is because Spyware and viruses are a big problem on the internet. Using Microsoft’s Internet explorer on the internet is like walking on to the pentagon with bombs strapped to your chest, waving a gun around and screaming “Death to America”, You wont last long!!!

Also if you go around internet help sites, they are ALWAYS recommending to use spybot and adaware to try and fix computer problems. Remember if the internet connection is slow on the computer the customer will blame YOU when in fact it might be because of Spyware. So giving out the cd (with explanations of why it is important and installation help) will make them think you give a crap about them and might also reduce the number of internet problems.

Also the reason I have stuck with my isp is because I only have to wait an hour!!!!!!!!!! (but try to make the wait as short as possible) on hold before I get any customer support. With the other major companies I was always being transferred to ANOTHER person (or machine) and had to wait in line up to 4 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The told to visit the website for more info and that was when I was trying to sign up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make sure your customer support is trained AND well paid, because that was one of the only differencing factors for dial up in New Zealand.

At the moment I am signed up to be a beta tester for New Zealand's first wireless satellite internet connection :) and I get a few months connection FREE.

Sorry this is not what you are looking for but it is a real annoying point for me, if the isp’s just did a few things like supply the cd I suggested, paid there customer support well and gave them training the internet would have been a lot more fun for me (in the beginning).

Carl Crawford