KIANEWS How cable operators can advance the customerexperience
14. 02. 2021 Sunday / By: Robert Denes / Generic / Exact time: BST / Print this page
As competitive pressures have increased, cable operators have sought ways to improve the customer experience, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce churn. However, cable networks are highly complex, making progress difficult. This paper examines a four-pillar approach to measure, manage and assure services and experience in a new way, starting with the network topology, through the services, and to the insights to th customer, that brings demonstrable improvements in customer satisfaction.
In public opinion polls, cable companies have consistently ranked among the lowest in customer approval, with the dubious distinction of being some of the country’s most disliked companies. The 2019 JD Power customer satisfaction survey clearly demonstrates that the top cable companies still have a way to go to improve their customer approval levels.
There has been ample reason for this, ranging from reliability to service quality - with poor customer care and support being the prime factors for consumer dissatisfaction. For example, when internet or streaming services aren’t working correctly, the cable company is usually the first to be blamed regardless of the reason when, in fact, most of the time the cause lies with Wi-Fi or other issues in the home network.
The historical perception of many cable customers is that MSOs don’t offer a good customer experience, which was primarily due to the lack of market competition. In recent years, however, cable MSOs have felt the pressure of competitive threats from fiber, 5G and OTT providers, which has been a compelling driver for change.