An experience earlier today had me shaking my head. I moved homes over a year ago and despite repeated requests to remove me from their mailing list, as I no longer subscribe to their service, my former ISP continues to send me updates.
Anyway, two days ago, the ISP apparently experienced a service outage where I used to live. Since then, they kept sending regular email updates every 8 hours or so, assuring that their technical team was working on the issue. This morning, I finally got their email saying the internet service has been restored. I was happy for them and their customers.
We Said Sorry, Now, Let’s Hike Prices
Rather curiously, however, barely three hours later, I received another email from the same ISP. This time, they were announcing a nearly 30% hike in the subscription fee due to economic challenges and inflation.
Talk about bad timing! I mean, their customers just went through two days of no internet, and barely three hours after restoration, they send an email about raising subscription fees?
From a marketing perspective, this could have been handled so much better. Here’s how they missed the mark and what they could have done differently:
Read More: If He Fails, The World Will End.
Empathy Matters: What Could Have Been Done Better?
Understand the Customer’s Experience
First things first, let’s put ourselves in the customer’s shoes. After enduring a two-day outage, it is likely the customers were frustrated and maybe even angry. The last thing a customer wants to hear right after service was restored was that they would be paying more. This timing made the price increase feel like a slap in the face.
Stagger the Communications
Instead of sending the price hike email immediately after the service restoration, the ISP could have waited a few days. Let customers enjoy their restored service. Allow them to calm down and appreciate the reliable service before hitting them with bad news. Haba! Naija is tough enough, as it is! Timing is crucial in managing customer emotions.
Separate the Issues
The price increase and the outage are two separate issues. They should be communicated separately and ideally, at different times. The ISP could have sent the price hike notice, say a week later, with an explanation about the economic challenges and the efforts they’re making to continue providing quality service.
Engage with Your Customers
Encourage feedback. The ISP could have asked for customer opinions on how the service can be improved following the outage. Implementing a price hike after such engagement would have been a lot more palatable. Engaging with customers can turn a negative situation into an opportunity for improvement and loyalty building. It shows that their opinions matter and that you’re committed to bettering their experience.
Conclusion
The Yorubas say “ti won ba ran ni n’ise eru, a maa nfi ti omo je” (even if you were sent on an errand as a slave, deliver the message as a free born). This means that one must learn to read the context, situation and recipient of a message to deliver it correctly. Managing customer communications, especially during outages and price hikes, requires careful consideration and planning. In the end, it’s all about timing and empathy.