The Spectator magazine
Subscriber retention & branding campaign concept
Capabilities:
Consumer insight
Creative
What we did
A new tactical approach to subscriber retention and a strategic brand building concept for a national print ad campaign.
Currency Online Group
User journey & app
Capabilities:
Product Management
UI / UX
What we did:
Enhancing user retention, trust and communication.
The Overlooked Opportunity in Customer Departure
In our work with The Spectator, we uncovered a critical insight that has broad implications for subscription-based businesses: While companies invest heavily in acquiring new subscribers, they often neglect the equally important process of managing departures. This oversight represents a significant missed opportunity for retention and brand perception.Our client, a leading digital and physical magazine subscription, faced a significant challenge in retaining customers who chose to unsubscribe. The primary goal was to reduce churn rates and encourage re-subscriptions through a strategic approach that reassured customers and leveraged psychological principles.
Objectives
- Reassure Customers: Ensure that customers who chose to unsubscribe felt confident that their request was honored without any ambiguity.
- Encourage Re-subscriptions: Utilize a strategic offer to tap into the customers’ reciprocity bias, increasing the likelihood of them returning to the service.
- Gather Feedback: Collect valuable insights from customers about their reasons for unsubscribing to improve future retention strategies.
Strategy and Implementation
1. Clear Unsubscription Confirmation
Action: We designed an unsubscription confirmation email that clearly reassured the customer that their request to unsubscribe had been successfully processed. This step was crucial to eliminate any frustration or uncertainty that could deter future re-subscriptions.
Rationale: By providing immediate and clear confirmation, we addressed a common pain point for users, thereby maintaining a positive relationship even as they exited the service.
2. Offering a Free Month of Digital Access
Action: Alongside the unsubscription confirmation, we offered a complimentary month of digital access. This offer was strategically positioned to appeal to customers who may have unsubscribed impulsively.
Rationale: Leveraging the principle of reciprocity, this gesture aimed to make customers feel valued and more likely to return the favor by re-subscribing in the future. The cost of offering an additional month was minimal compared to the potential long-term benefits of retaining a customer.
3. Follow-Up Feedback Request
Action: Shortly after the initial unsubscription confirmation and free month offer, we sent a follow-up email requesting feedback on why the customer chose to unsubscribe.
Rationale: This follow-up served dual purposes. First, it demonstrated that the company valued the customer’s opinion, further enhancing the relationship. Second, it provided critical data to understand the reasons behind unsubscriptions, allowing for targeted improvements in the service.
Results
- Increased Re-subscription Rates: The strategic offer of a free month of digital access led to a noticeable increase in re-subscription rates.
- Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Clear communication and the value-added offer significantly improved customer satisfaction, even among those who ultimately chose not to re-subscribe.
- Valuable Insights: The feedback collected from the follow-up emails provided actionable insights that informed future retention strategies, helping to address common issues that led to unsubscriptions.
Conclusion
This case study highlights the effectiveness of a well-rounded strategy that combines clear communication, psychological incentives, and feedback collection to enhance customer retention. By addressing the key pain points and leveraging behavioral insights, we successfully reduced churn rates and fostered a more loyal customer base.
Key insights:
The Paramount Importance of Continuous Reassurance
In our work with Currency Online Group, we uncovered a critical insight that has broad implications for online financial services:
When dealing with high-value online transactions, particularly in currency exchange, users require constant reassurance and transparency throughout the entire process. The level of anxiety and need for clarity is significantly higher compared to typical e-commerce transactions.
Objectives
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Increase user retention during the order placement process
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Enhance customer confidence and trust
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Streamline the ordering experience
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Improve post-purchase communication
Strategy and Implementation
1. In-depth User Research
We conducted extensive research to understand customer pain points:
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Analyzed existing user flow
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Listened to customer service calls
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Identified key areas of customer apprehension
Key Finding: Customers required constant reassurance and clarity, especially given the high-value nature of transactions.
2. Redesigned User Journey
We implemented several features to enhance user experience:-
Progress Bar: Visually represented the customer’s position in the ordering process
- Order Summary: Continuously displayed throughout the process
- Upfront Information: Clearly communicated delivery methods and timelines
- Simplified Stages: Truncated the order process to reduce cognitive load
- Back Button: Allowed easy navigation and review of previous steps
3. Enhanced Order Confirmation
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Designed a clear, well-presented summary page with key information
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Utilized ample white space and neutral tones to create a calm, reassuring interface
4. Improved Email Communication Strategy
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Immediate order confirmation emails with comprehensive details
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Follow-up emails for order dispatch and delivery updates
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Post-delivery follow-ups for customer satisfaction and reviews
Results
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Reduced Order Abandonment: The streamlined process led to a significant decrease in incomplete orders
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Increased Customer Confidence: Clear communication and constant updates improved trust in the service
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Higher Customer Satisfaction: Post-purchase surveys indicated improved overall experience
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Increased Review Rate: The simplified review process resulted in more customer feedback
Conclusion
By focusing on user needs, particularly the desire for reassurance and clarity in high-value transactions, we successfully transformed Currency Online Group’s ordering process. The redesigned user journey, coupled with strategic communication, not only reduced order abandonment but also significantly enhanced customer trust and satisfaction.
This case study demonstrates the power of user-centric design in addressing specific challenges in financial services, particularly when dealing with sensitive, high-value transactions.
Branding campaign concept
Key insights:
In times of great divide and siloed media, people want a place where they can hear both sides of the story in an interesting, smart & irreverent way.
The work & why
These executions use distinctive, relevant and provocative imagery to illustrate topics where lots of opinion rages on both sides. Everything is now more divided than ever and the Spectator should lean into it.
The strategic thinking places emphasis on the heritage of the magazine and the unique style it employs among the modern media landscape. It is THE place for ‘thoughtful independent opinion since 1828.’
The Spectator logo and tag line drives home the message: If you just want brilliant writing on the topics, arts and culture of the day then the Spectator is the only place for you.
There are very few publications or outlets that offer a well rounded mix of reading each week to its readers. The Spectator is the oldest weekly magazine in the world with superb brand heritage.
The masthead is iconic and should be deployed as the key asset in your strategic brand work. Further tactical campaigns would aim to drive direct subscriber activations that worked alongside the overall long term strategic brand effort.
