According to research from Paywizard, many pay TV subscribers would like to be able to pause their subscriptions while they're away from home on vacation. The back office vendor says today's subscribers are looking for greater flexibility from their TV packages.
The Paywizard research, conducted in partnership with Decipher, indicates that providers need to be more adaptable to consumer preferences and circumstances when it comes to upgrading or downgrading their packages. Consumers said they wanted greater simplicity when making subscription account changes, along with better responsiveness and an improved understanding of their needs.
Among the findings:
- One research respondent praised providers that enabled users to instantly change their TV subscription. "These pay TV packages are like a rubber band. You flex them in and out and it's fine."
- Another participant wanted to be able to pause their account and then restart as an existing customer. "You wouldn't have to fill out the form again - you just pick up where you left off. That is really great."
- On the need to have flexibility when it comes to changing circumstances, a third commented, "Nobody likes to be tied down, do they?"
"The feedback from the focus groups mirrors what we are hearing from consumers across the globe," said Bhavesh Vaghela, CMO, Paywizard. "Today's subscribers' circumstances change all the time, and viewers want providers that can be agile and keep up with their needs. For instance, if you're shutting up the house and going off to the South of France for August, you don't need pay TV at home, and many people resent paying for it while they're away."
Viewers in both the UK and the United States told researchers that upgrading their package should be easy - just a few clicks away - that they don't mind upgrade marketing if it's a good deal, and that they don't want to be locked into a long restrictive contract.
"Subscribers want freedom, and by being more adaptable, operators can build loyalty, improve engagement and drive even greater revenues," said Vaghela.