Customer Experience in the Canadian Telecommunications Sector

Transcription

1 STRATEGIC ACCELERATION SERVICES Customer Experience in the Canadian Telecommunications Sector By Donnovan D. Simon This document examines the Canadian telecommunications sector and the impact of investments in customer experience on the market. The initiatives implemented by different companies are discussed to determine the impact of focusing on customer experience on the financial performance of the major companies in the market.

2 Background to Canadian Telecommunications The Canadian telecom sector would be considered mature considering the existence of a telephone carrier since The growth of the sector has taken different paths with the ultimate Big 3 (Bell, Rogers and TELUS) gaining prominence over time. Bell the national incumbent began in Eastern Canada and grew from a core telephone service to a full service provider through the acquisition of complementary technologies (cable, media and internet). Rogers on the contrary grew from being a cable provider initially before acquiring wireline and wireless providers. Rogers also started in Eastern Canada. The incumbent of the Western regions, TELUS, grew initially from the merger of provincial telephone service providers then through the acquisition of different wireless and telecommunications service providers. TELUS focused on offering core telecommunications services until its recent foray into entertainment through its Optik TV service. The Big 3 provide services to all regions and cover over 90% of the addressable market in the provision of four core services (wireline, wireless, internet and television). The infrastructure that supports the country s telecommunications is collectively owned by the Big 3 and supports the entry of the new stand-alone providers in the sector. Bell, Rogers and TELUS account for the majority of the sector s $45 billion of revenue in The sector is completed by regional and product specific providers e.g. Sasktel, Wind Mobile and Mobilicity. These smaller companies are either focused on specific geographies where they offer a full range of telecommunications services or are nationally focused on a specific product usually wireless service. Customer Experience measurement in the sector An annual survey conducted by JD Power provides perspective on customer experience rating in the sector 1. The survey focuses on two categories of telecommunications providers - full-service and stand-alone. Full-service providers represent companies that offer a comprehensive range of telecommunications services (home, internet, wireless, and entertainment) while stand -alone represent providers of a single product -in this survey, they all provide wireless services. The survey assesses customers experience (CX) based on the following: 1. Network quality 2. Cost of service 3. Account management 4. Offerings and promotions 5. Customer service 6. Handset 7. Sales process The categories used to assess customers experience have been consistent for the past three years. The survey results (Table 1 below) show marginal improvement by all but one of the full-service providers. Interestingly, the Big 3 are outperformed by Sasktel in the total ratings on customer experience for consecutive years. Importantly however, the overall ratings reflect a positive change for 1 JD Power is a global marketing information services company providing performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions which is a business unit of McGraw Hill Financial. The data refereed to is from the 2013 Canadian Wireless Total Ownership Experience Study - based on responses from 13,300 mobile phone customers. The study was fielded in September 2012 and March Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 2 of 9

3 both Bell and TELUS. All companies could reasonable conclude that their focus on improving core elements of customer concern and frustration is reflected in the steady improvement in the ratings. Table 1: JD Power rating for Full-Service Carriers ( ) Company Sasktel TELUS Bell Rogers The ratings reported (Table 2 below) for stand-alone providers are similar to that of full-service providers. The change in ratings in this category is greater than that for full-service providers. Their total ratings (out of 1000) are also higher than that of full-service providers for. This situation was the same for the 2011 survey. Interestingly, two of the top three ratings in the stand-alone category are for brands owned by full-service providers (Koodo is owned by TELUS which Virgin Mobile is with Bell). Table 2: JD Power rating for Stand-Alone Carriers ( ) Company Koodo (TELUS) PC Mobile Virgin Mobile (Bell) FIDO (Rogers) Solo Mobile WIND 729 Mobilicity 722 Public 726 Overall averages in both categories (full-service and stand-alone) have increased in the last two years and can be attributed to the increased investment in customer focused initiatives by the main carriers. The impact of market and competitive pressures could also be listed as a factor influencing the increased focus on customer experience. New entrants in the stand-alone category have been able to attract the attention and sentiment of consumers in the sector, not only with attractive pricing, but also with the customer experience they deliver. It could be argued that there is a novelty factor that should be acknowledged that may influence the overall ratings. While this is a reasonable perspective, the fact that they have done better than the Big 3 in consecutive years suggests that their approaches may have materially better offerings leading to better overall ratings. The lowest customer experience rating for stand-alone providers in 2012 (704) is higher than all but the leader in the full-service category (712). What have companies done? All the companies (Big 3) have acknowledged, and stated publicly, the need to focus more on customers and their declarations are supported by many different initiative e.g. revised customer strategy; changes in customer offerings; changes in compensation plans; metrics that reflect customer satisfaction/experience (NPI as a measure of success); appointments at executive levels (TELUS has a Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 3 of 9

4 Chief Customer Officer -CCO). 2 The fact that these steps are being taken should be interpreted as a greater appreciation by the Big 3 of the potential impact of customer experience on their future performance. Each of the Big 3 have introduced initiatives focused on improving customer experience TELUS has implemented Clear and Simple this program speaks to the organizations commitment to have the customer realize understanding and simplicity for all core interactions points e.g. rate plans, fees and handset policies. Rogers has implemented the Freedom Advantage focused on simplicity, flexibility and customer choice regarding smartphones and associated services. 3 While Bell does not have a branded customer experience program, there are sections on their website that speak to new initiatives to delight customers. Additionally, the Big 3 have made declarations focused on common areas of customer concern billing simplicity, rate plan simplicity, handset contract simplification, elimination of ad hoc fees and customer support. The JD Power 2012 survey highlighted the impact of online sales and support initiatives on customer perception. The rating (737/1000) was an areas that showed significant improvement over previous years and also one that customer thought highly of. All of the Big 3 have improved customer support options via their websites in addition to mobile apps. There have also been other operational changes reported by companies focused on improving customer experience including call centre improvement, services related to handsets, handset upgrade policies, To some extent it could be argued that the initiatives were reactive as some of the issues being corrected, e.g. fees, handset policies, etc. have been sources of customer frustration for many years. There have been many complaints to the carriers as well as regulatory agencies on these issues in prior years without any meaningful changes. That changes have occurred in the recent past could be validate the view that the companies are being pushed into these new initiatives versus being strategically focused on customer experience. CX Investments and benefits The benefits derived by the Big 3 companies from their investment in improved customer experience can be measured in many different ways. There is the generic financial metrics of revenue, profitability and return on equity that could be examined. There is also the measures of customer behavior that could be examined. The wireless churn rates are one metric that reflects customer behaviour. Table 3 could be interpreted to mean that customers are generally satisfied with their experience with their carrier (in all categories handset, pricing, policies, support) and therefore are not likely to seek alternate carriers. The Big 3 could attribute the persisting low churn rates, in the face of increased competitive options from stand-alone carriers as a positive return on their CX investment. 2 The annual reports for the last fiscal year for all of the Big 3 companies have listed increased focus on customer experience as a key strategic imperative. 3 The information on programs from the companies is based on details provided on the companies websites and in their annual reports posted in the Investor sections of their corporate website. Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 4 of 9

5 Table 3: Wireless Churn rates Bell 1.6% 1.6% 1.9% 2.0% 1.7% TELUS 1.6% 1.6% 1.6% 1.7% 1.5% Rogers 1.5% 1.4% 1.5% 1.8% 1.3% Another benefit that the Big 3 could attribute to the investments made in improving customer experience is the average amount that continues to be spent by customers. Average revenue per user (ARPU) is a popular metric within the sector reflecting customer value. It could be argued that having exceptional retention rates (read churn) would extend to influencing increased spend especially as smartphones and other mobile devices create increased demand for data and related services which create new streams of revenue for telecommunications providers. Where customers ratings increase, as has occurred for most of the major providers, there is good reason to conclude that there would be greater inclination towards new, relevant products and services, even at premium prices. The third benefit that telecommunications providers could attribute to their investment in customer experience is the overall market perception and stability. The overall revenue of the top customer experience performers continues on a healthy growth path as shown in Table 4. With minimum customer experience standards at seemingly acceptable levels, customer confidence has encouraged investment both in terms of new entrants e.g. Wind Mobile and Mobilicity, while strengthening the positions of traditional players. The broadening of the market without any material distribution of market share can be interpreted positively for the Big 3 and other incumbents. Even in the case of Rogers, where their customer experience rating did not improve, there was no sense of imminent adverse market threat. Table 4: Gross Revenue for Top CX performers (CAD$ Billions) Bell TELUS Rogers Sasktel Total % change 1.04% 2.30% 5.94% 2.74% 4 These reported churn rates are for post-paid wireless customers. The rates for pre-paid wireless customers are generally double the rates for post-paid subscribers. Most carriers are keen on minimizing the churn of post-paid subscribers as they usually have more invested to acquire them and spend more on price plans. Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 5 of 9

6 Deductions The results of the different companies in the Canadian telecommunications sector are influenced by many factors, including customer experience. Regional nuances, partner network effectiveness, advertising investment, brand awareness, etc are some of the factors that may have impacted how customers perceived their experiences with different providers. There are also many other forces operating in the market that may influence customer experience that may not be reflected in the data provided. From the data available, many deductions can be made regarding the relative impact of customer experience on the results of the companies in the sector. While causality is not always easily established, there are rational assumptions that make the deductions reasonable. 1. Market pressure drives CX investment It is reasonable to conclude that the Big 3 are all driven by the factors that are current concerns in the market. There is therefore a clear effort by all players to be in stride with the actions and offerings of other carriers. To some extent, the customer can almost always expect to have very similar options from all companies. None of the Big 3 have therefore been able to significantly differentiate on offerings and in most, if not all cases, there is immediate reaction by each to new initiatives geared at improving customers experience. These relate to rate plan simplicity, handset contract simplification, issue resolution time and other issues customers have consistently raised. It could be argued that the prior focus on profitable existence trumped customer experience. Where the pain was consistent from all carriers, there was little incentive to be different. The increased competitive forces in the market in tandem with the revenue profile rationalization requirements have driven some of the changes (even though they may appear otherwise). The major companies are clearly more inclined to acknowledge and respond to customer concerns with comprehensive strategies to meet both customer expectation as well as operational goals. Is a simpler rate plan likely to drive more revenue, not really? Is the perception of the simpler rate plan likely to attract and retain more customers, yes? The perception of the laggards does not change easily. Rogers has been at the back of the pack in terms of customer experience for a long time even though they have pushed many customer experience initiatives ahead of the others e.g. handset replacement program, simpler rate plans and new hardware. The entry of stand-alone providers has also created market pressure to perform, as they have created competition in a category likely to be very sensitive to price and service. 2. CX ROI not always proportionate to financial performance The data on the performance of the major Canadian telecoms shows that the CX investment is not likely to show proportional results. It could be attributed to a greater level of maturity and loyalty from Canadian telecommunications consumers. None of the Big 3 have reported sub-optimal results and each continues to maintain market relevance. It is clear however that some companies, e.g. TELUS and Rogers, have seemingly done more to promote their increased focus on customer experience. The ratings on CX have not however shown any alignment with the declared investments. Especially in periods of economic buoyancy, the companies are able to report positive financial performance. All have maintained good market value and profitability, despite the ratings in customer satisfaction. None of the financial metrics reflect adverse market response. All the companies have found ways to lead on different financial metrics e.g. Bell on total revenue (driven by a broader customer base, while TELUS wins on average revenue per user (ARPU). Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 6 of 9

7 Table 4: Wireless Average Revenue per User (CAD$) Bell $54.29 $51.70 $52.03 $53.55 $55.82 TELUS $63.00 $58.46 $57.64 $59.10 $60.39 Rogers $64.34 $63.59 $63.03 $60.20 $ CX investment is segmented Consumer vs. B2B vs. SMB While the CX ratings reported do not provide data by market categories, there are other declarations made by the major telecommunications providers which outline their key business drivers and strategic areas of focus. It can be concluded that companies will strive to deliver market acceptable customer experience to all categories with premium offerings in some categories. The consumer sector with over 30 million subscribers will likely benefit from an increasingly better the base service offerings. These basic offerings are also likely to continue improving in step with the market dynamics discussed earlier. The new or niche market categories are likely to see even more investment as companies attempt to create sustainable diversification. Strategies are being realigned to create wow outcomes to capture niche areas.e.g. TELUS has a shown a huge focus on health care segment in addition to a broadening of offerings in entertainment (Optik TV). It is understandable if CX efforts are greater in that sector versus in the declining wireline business. Similarly, Bell has invested in media and content and would likely segment its investment to drive desired results through premium customer experience in areas considered critical to the rationalization of key revenue streams and market leadership. 4. It is a journey for customers and companies. The steady improvement in CX ratings for companies in the sector indicates an acceptance of the integral, yet perennial, nature of customer experience investment. While it could be argued that the TELUS is clearly ahead of Bell and Rogers in terms of investment, and ultimately results, there could also be a question of CX strategy alignment to brand promise. With a greater focus on being the premium brand attracting higher spending customers, the greater focus on CX investment and outcomes is easily understood. For companies focused on entry level and customers with shorter tenure, the intensity of focus could reasonably be less. The focus on creating meaningful CX differentiation may not be dominant in any of the carriers and this may be an appropriate strategy based on the degree of saturation in the market and the limited opportunities for material differentiation. There is acceptance that both the companies and the market are on journeys relating to customer experience. As the technical and regulatory frameworks evolve, the companies are evolving accordingly. The likely outcome is already outlined incremental improvement in customer satisfaction, reaction and solutions to the areas of greatest customer discomfort, steady but balanced investment in material differentiation. The ratings could also be translated to meaning that customers accept the rate of evolution once other fundamentals e.g. infrastructure upgrades, lower prices and cutting edge technology availability are satisfied. 5. The CX ratings for stand-alone companies will normalize The CX ratings for all stand-alone telecommunications providers started at, or maintained rates, higher than the average for full-service providers. It could reflect an immediate acceptance by the market of the difference these providers brought to the market. Interestingly, two of these stand- Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 7 of 9

8 alone providers are brands of Big 3 companies which customer may not be readily aware of and therefore they are rated accordingly. Additionally, with all entrants in the Canadian market provide services built on the technology footprint created by the Big 3 companies. With time therefore, the perception of better experience is likely to filter towards fewer material points of differentiation. The fact that stand-alone companies are all focused on capturing market share in the wireless sector will increasingly reduce the current distinctions as saturation increases. It is reasonable to conclude that the novelty factor and the perception of challenge to the Big 3 would have contributed positively to the ratings of stand-alone companies. Additionally, the fact that these companies would have been challenged to build new relationships with customers who may have had sub-par experiences with other providers, likely the Big 3, would have worked in their favor. With time, those impacts are diluted if not eliminated in the minds of the customers. The relatively better scores and improvements by the stand alone carriers could also be a function of the limited differentiation in the sector based on network, hardware and pricing. To that extent, their provision of simple self-serve options that correspond to lower expectations based on the lower price points could lead to a higher overall experience for their customers. With time however, as listed in #1 above, the Big 3 are likely to emulate customer experience items that are considered part of the minimum suite of offerings, hence creating a framework that limits differentiation. Summary The Canadian telecommunications sector continues to improve in its focus on customer experience and the benefits continue to show. The major telecom companies in Canada are in good health as reflected by their financial performance as well as the confidence of the stock markets. This health has allowed them to steadily welcome new customers at the retail (consumer) and business levels, as well as broaden their scope into complementary sectors such as health care, business process optimization, entertainment, media and sports. The Canadian consumer can continue to look forward to incremental improvements in product offerings and services as the Big 3 challenge each other as they attempt to deliver acceptable results to their shareholders. The Big 3 (TELUS, Rogers and Bell) continue to maintain the market dominance but do not dominate on customer experience ratings. Small regional players and stand-alone providers are able to consistently outperform the larger organizations on customer experience. There is acknowledgement within the Big 3 companies that there are benefits to be gained from increased focus on customer experience. All companies have declared and implemented initiatives geared at eliminating sources of customer concern and frustration. These include new practices on handset acquisition, pricing, customer service and online support. Changes in many cases are responses to market dynamics and competitive pressure. It is very heartening however to observe the declaration of all the major telecoms to improving their customer experience. This acknowledgement is likely to go further especially as penetration rates continue to skyrocket towards saturation. The focus on Clear and Simple 5 or Freedom Advantage 6 are expressions of strategy that focus on future-proofing customers in a subliminal manner since the regulatory framework is pushing for less 5 This is the customer experience program introduced by TELUS focused on a systematic investment in customer-facing systems and processes to improve all elements of their business relationships to reduce customer irritation. 6 This is the customer experience program offered by Rogers. Their goal is to eliminate the myriad of restrictions previously applied to handset acquisition, pricing plans and account management. Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 8 of 9

9 legal shackles, increased competitive offerings and more customer options related to available mobile technologies. With those forces at work, the companies are challenged to find ways to preserve the confidence of their shareholders and customers. By promoting the value of outstanding customer experiences, implementing processes that reduce customer frustration and introducing products/pricing that offer greater value, these companies are creating valuable relationships which will continue far into the future. About Strategic Acceleration Services Strategic Acceleration Services is a Canadian training and consulting practice focused on Customer Experience. The company assists companies in assessing the state of their customer experience and implementing solutions to achieve desired results from investment in customer experience initiatives. The principals utilize over 25 years of experience in customer facing management roles complemented by strong academic qualifications to deliver programs, ideas and solutions that help teams and companies achieve, and exceed, desired results. Check our site for more information Strategic Acceleration Services 2013 Page 9 of 9