As I prepare my talk for the Evolving Business Models and IPTV for ITEXPO East 2009 on February 2 in Miami Beach, I’m thinking that  the crux of my message is the importance of customer service and offering a more than satisfactory customer experience. At the same time, the provider must leverage its core strengths while moving into contiguous areas and properly market these services.

IPTV enables service providers to transition from traditional landline offerings to becoming entertainment providers with product bundles that meet customers’ needs and allow customizable selections. These operators are moving beyond “you can have any color car you want as long as it’s black,” to serving the iPod generation of customers who want to be their own programmers. To succeed, providers must have service tiers that are attractive to a range of subscribers from the more technically advanced to the least sophisticated users. Customers care about services and elements such as convenience, choice and control—not technology—and providers need to focus attention on the former items.

In order to retain customers, communication is key. While customers may leave due to price and product quality, the number-one reason why customers desert their providers is due to dissatisfaction with customer service. Telcos are becoming more creative with customer service and are turning to social media sites for assistance. Though none has gone as far as Comcast, which has a customer service representative regularly monitoring Twitter.

I hope you’ll join me at the show and at the panel on Monday at 3:00 p.m. Scott Heinlein of Juniper Networks will also be there discussing how service providers’ current business models need to change. As a past attendee and speaker, I know that the show brings a good crowd of interested, educated providers and vendors and great conversations and discussions. It will be interesting to hear what people are thinking in these “interesting times.” I’ll let you know when I return.

Written by Lynda Starr

Last 3 posts by lstarr

• Broadband: The New, New Frontier? - September 9th, 2009
• We're all in the Communications Business - February 13th, 2009
• Clarity is Key - November 11th, 2008

Tags: IPTV, ITEXPO, speaking engagements, trade show pr, Trade shows, tradeshow pr, Twitter

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 15th, 2009 at 11:10 am and is filed under IPTV, Technology, Trade shows, Twitter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.