What a Real Wireless Loyalty Program Might Look Like

Over the past year, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have each launched rewards programs. The most recent entry is T-Mobile Tuesdays, an app where T-Mobile customers are given freebies every week, such as a Domino’s Pizza or a Wendy’s Frosty (John, how about some lower-cal options?) and customers can enter to win more substantial prizes. Verizon offers Smart Rewards — customers earn points that can be redeemed for savings on merchandise. AT&T joined an existing rewards program called Plenti, where customers can accumulate points for savings at Plenti partners such as Exxon, Macy’s and Rite Aid. AT&T also introduced AT&T Thanks last week (curious timing), which offers discounts on movie tickets, Live Nation Priority Pre-sale seats, and some unique content for DirecTV customers.

The wireless industry has never had a successful loyalty program. I would argue the current offerings are largely rewards programs and giveaways, not loyalty programs. Smart Rewards and Plenti are basically discount programs where customers have to buy something in order to save, say, 10% on a gift card or a gallon of gas. Of course, this is what T-Mobile CEO John Legere poked at when he introduced T-Mobile Tuesdays, which is more of a giveaway program than a rewards program. In typical ‘Uncarrier’ fashion, TMO Tuesdays is more innovative, edgy, and fun (and a tad gimmicky) than the Verizon and AT&T programs.

Let’s be honest: how many of you Verizon and AT&T customers really use Plenti or Smart Rewards, much less know about them? And do these programs make you loyal in any way to your carrier? T-Mobile’s program might have a bit of an edge in that customers might enjoy entering the weekly sweepstakes for what look like some really fun prizes and trips. I see this as more part of a package of items that make T-Mobile distinct, such as free international roaming and BingeOn, than a loyalty program in and of itself.

It is interesting to me that wireless carriers have never had a true loyalty program, in the vein of airlines, hotels, and some retailers. The average wireless customer spends some $600-800 annually on wireless services and a household can easily spend $2,000 per year. This is a competitive industry, where the name of the game is taking customers from another operator. Reducing churn (or, keeping customers) is a huge priority for the operators. Lowering churn by 10 or 20 basis points has billions of dollars in impact to a large operator. Isn’t it curious operators rarely proactively reward customers for their loyalty or tenure — “thank you for being a customer for five years – we’d like to offer you some free data or a discount on your next device purchase”?

In order to attract or keep customers in this highly competitive industry, I think the operators should consider offering a real loyalty program. What might this look like? It would be more focused on incentives to stay and expand a relationship with a service provider. Points could be accumulated for any of the following:

• Tenure (years of service) with the carrier
• Spend
• Number of devices attached to plan – good incentives to add a tablet, car, etc.
• Adding a family member to a group plan
• Referring a friend

Points, or rewards, could be used for things such as:

• free data
• a discount off a monthly plan
• dollars toward a new device or accessory purchase
• free apps and content

Importantly, this would be a reward for loyalty and spending. For example, how about one GB per month added to your plan for every year of service? The other aspect of this is the program creates positive additional touch points with the customer, whether in the store, online, or through an app. This type of plan is much closer to what airlines, hotels, credit cards, and some retailers offer: “You’re going to fly or stay in a hotel and we would like you to do it with us”.

This could also be an opportunity to offer something differentiated in the small business segment. None of the operators has really nailed an effective small business program. This would be a nice incentive for a business of, say, 5-20 lines to incentivize its employees to select a particular service provider.

I think an effective loyalty program could make a difference in customer retention. It would be interesting to see one of the carriers try it.

Published by

Mark Lowenstein

Mark Lowenstein is Managing Director of Mobile Ecosystem, an advisory services firm focused on mobile and digital media. He founded and led the Yankee Group's global wireless practices and was also VP, Market Strategy at Verizon Wireless. You can follow him on Twitter at @marklowenstein and sign up for his free Lens on Wireless newsletter here.

1,305 thoughts on “What a Real Wireless Loyalty Program Might Look Like”

  1. “It would be interesting to see one of the carriers try it.”

    Don’t hold your breath. Rewarding customer loyalty is closely akin to increasing customer satisfaction. And having customer satisfaction be anything other than zero is so completely antithetical to the fundamental nature, the cultural DNA of the carriers, that they will never be able to bring themselves to do it. You might as well ask them to treat their customers as anything other than an inconvenient form of packaging material around monthly installments of money. Not gonna happen.

    Reply

    1. I hate to be a cynic, but you are right. When companies build in penalties for loyal disloyal customers in the forms of overage and early termination fees, this shows a culture of “blame the customer first”. Why incentivize when it is easier to penalize? Carriers have never been known for customer service. So a true loyalty program would be against their nature.

      Joe

      Reply

  2. The issue is that on the contrary it’s easier inflate prices for your existing customers, especially because so many don’t compare prices.
    In France, we’re seeing “first year at half price” promos left and right, even though contracts have no minimum duration when you bring your own phone and you keep your phone number when you switch providers. The carriers’ hope is that you sign in and stay with them once the discounted year is over; the game for the highly cost-conscious is to switch again before the discounted year is over.
    No action whatsoever on the “fidelity plan” side.

    Reply

  3. Everytime I look at what I can buy with my Verizon points, it’s typically a small discount on inflated prices of merchandise, making the points worthless. It’s more of an insult to our intelligence than a loyalty program.

    Reply

  4. This subject is not so complicated. Loyalty is most obviously expressed by signing a long-term contract for ongoing service.

    Mobile phone companies have typically rewarded that by providing ‘free’ financing (interest) on a new cell phone. That is not a huge reward, but it is something. However, at the end of the contract period, loyal customers who don’t order new phones are treated like strangers: they are changed the same monthly fees as customers who do receive new smartphones. Then execs at the carriers have a party and rejoice that they’ve fleeced their most loyal customers.

    If the carriers wanted to reward loyalty, customers who have paid off their phones would automatically receive discounts in their monthly fees. It is both obvious and easy to implement. Carriers aren’t interested in rewarding loyalty — that’s why there are no good royalty programs.

    This makes it easy for T-Mobile and others to raid custoners from established carriers.

    Reply

  6. I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve putin writing this blog. I really hope to check out thesame high-grade content by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my very own blog now

    Reply

  16. Howdy! This post couldn’t be written any better! Looking at this post remindsme of my previous roommate! He constantlykept talking about this. I’ll send this information to him.Pretty sure he will have a very good read. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  27. WarungCash189 merupakan situs Agen Bola SBOBET resmi di Indonesia.Kami juga menyediakan daftar SBOBET via online agar bosku dapat bermain judibola SBOBET dengan nyaman.

    Reply

  33. Hey there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew whereI could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having troublefinding one? Thanks a lot!

    Reply

  34. Wow! This could be one particular of the most useful blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Wonderful. I’m also an expert in this topic therefore I can understand your effort.

    Reply

  35. Normally I don’t read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thank you, very great article.

    Reply

  44. Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

    Reply

  47. I just like the valuable info you provide in your articles.I’ll bookmark your blog and check again right here frequently.I’m rather sure I’ll learn plenty of new stuff right here!Best of luck for the next!

    Reply

  51. I am not positive where you’re getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or working out more. Thanks for fantastic info I was searching for this information for my mission.

    Reply

  52. Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it I will come back once again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.

    Reply

  61. Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently fast.

    Reply

  65. I do not even know how I stopped up here, but Iassumed this put up was great. I don’t recognize who you might be howevercertainly you’re going to a well-known blogger should you aren’t already.Cheers!Feel free to surf to my blog … weight loss tool

    Reply

  68. Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Very useful info specifically the last part I care for such info much. I was seeking this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.

    Reply

  109. Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after looking at many of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely pleased I found it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly.

    Reply

  142. An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you ought to publish more on this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people do not talk about such subjects. To the next! Many thanks.

    Reply

  174. The CBD SEO Power delivers top-notch services pro businesses in the thriving CBD industry. With a strategic come close to to Search Motor Optimization (SEO), they cannabis seo excel in enhancing online visibility and driving consistent traffic. Their mastery lies in tailoring SEO strategies specifically quest of CBD companies, navigating the together challenges of this nook market. Completely wide keyword investigating, essence optimization, and link-building tactics, they effectively upwards search rankings, ensuring clients experience out of pocket amidst competition. Their team’s hallowing to staying updated with exertion trends and search engine algorithms ensures a dynamic and operative approach. The CBD SEO Agency’s commitment to transparency and patient communication fosters safe keeping and reliability. All-embracing, their specialized services dance attendance on to the distinct needs of CBD businesses, making them a valuable fellow-dancer in navigating the digital scene within this competitive market.

    Reply

  190. Undeniably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed
    to be on the web the simplest factor to remember of. I say to
    you, I certainly get annoyed while other folks consider issues that they
    plainly don’t understand about. You managed to hit
    the nail upon the top and also outlined out the entire
    thing without having side effect , other folks could take a signal.

    Will likely be again to get more. Thanks

    Reply

  194. I gave organic full spectrum cbd oil a test quest of the in front time, and I’m amazed! They tasted major and provided a wisdom of calmness and relaxation. My stress melted away, and I slept control superiors too. These gummies are a game-changer representing me, and I extraordinarily propound them to anyone seeking health stress assuagement and better sleep.

    Reply

  195. Ein oft geäußerter Kritikpunkt an Bitcoins und Co. ist, dass diese aufgrund der Anonymität gerne für illegale Geschäfte verwendet werden. Dies lässt sich zwar wie bei Bargeld nie ganz vermeiden, inzwischen müssen sich Nutzer aber bei den meisten Plattformen identifizieren, bevor sie Kryptowährungen kaufen können. Kritisch gesehen wird auch der hohe Stromverbrauch: Die Universität Cambridge errechnete in einer Studie, dass die Erzeugung und Nutzung von Bitcoins weltweit einen höheren Stromverbrauch pro Jahr verursacht als die gesamten Niederlande. Inzwischen haben zahlreiche Kryptowährungen diesen Kritikpunkt aufgenommen und setzen schlankere Algorithmen ein, um den Stromverbrauch zu senken. Der Kauf von Bitcoins war lange Zeit kompliziert und zwielichtige Handelsplätze dominierten den Markt. Mit dem Hype und der steigenden Nachfrage erhielten klassische Kryptobörsen neue Konkurrenz in Form von ambitionierten Fintechs.
    http://suntent.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=free&wr_id=145547
    Bei dem diesjährigen Halving könnte auch erschwerend hinzukommen, dass der Schwierigkeitsgrad (die „Difficulty“) erst gestern, am 5. Mai, den zweithöchsten jemals erreichten Wert verzeichnet hat. Die Schwierigkeitsanpassung von Bitcoin wird alle 2016 Blöcke durchgeführt, um den Wettbewerb auszugleichen und sicherzustellen, dass nur etwa 144 Blöcke pro Tag abgebaut werden. Die letzte Anpassung vor dem Halving sorgte dafür das die Schwierigkeit mit 16,1048 T stieg. Der Block Reward erfüllt also zwei maßgebliche Funktionen: Belohnung der Schürfer und Erzeugung neuer Bitcoin. Dabei wird immer eine feste Menge an BTC geschaffen. Im Moment sind das noch 6,25 BTC. Satoshi Nakamoto hat die Blockchain so entworfen, dass nach einer gewissen Zeit diese feste Menge halbiert wird. Das ist das Halving: Die Halbierung der neu erzeugten Bitcoin.

    Reply

  224. I’m in dote on with the cbd products and natural body cream! The serum gave my shell a youthful rise, and the lip balm kept my lips hydrated all day. Knowing I’m using moral, bona fide products makes me desire great. These are now my must-haves on a saucy and nourished look!

    Reply

  228. Good day! I could have sworn Iíve been to this blog before but after looking at a few of the articles I realized itís new to me. Regardless, Iím definitely delighted I found it and Iíll be book-marking it and checking back often!

    Reply

  239. Hi there fantastic blog! Does running a blog such as this take a massive amount
    work? I’ve very little understanding of coding however
    I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyways, should you have any recommendations
    or tips for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off topic nevertheless I
    simply needed to ask. Kudos!

    Reply

  293. Hi I am so thrilled I found your site, I really found you
    by error, while I was searching on Digg for something
    else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say
    thanks a lot for a fantastic post and a all round interesting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to go through it
    all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more,
    Please do keep up the excellent work.

    Reply

  326. We would like to thank you yet again for the wonderful ideas you
    offered Jeremy when preparing her own post-graduate research and also, most importantly, with regard to providing
    every one of the ideas in a single blog post. If we had known of your website a year ago, we would have been saved the nonessential measures we were
    participating in. Thanks to you. adults toys

    Reply

  336. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this brilliant blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will talk about this site with my Facebook group. Talk soon!

    Reply

  392. If some one needs expert view on the topic of blogging and
    site-building then i propose him/her to pay a visit this webpage,
    Keep up the nice work.

    Reply

  483. Ultimately, Vave also offers generous incentives and you will offers as a way away from inviting the newest people as well as fulfilling established participants due to their loyalty. Cryptoloko ensures that all of the professionals discover fast advice about one issues otherwise issues. The brand new gambling enterprise is actually registered and regulated because of the Curacao Playing Commission making sure all of the functions are conducted based on community conditions. Deutsche Spieler können sich schnell und einfach Zugang zum Yaa Mobile Casino verschaffen. Weder Android- noch iOS-Nutzer können eine offizielle App erhalten. Daher ist ein Browser für die Spieler ein Muss. Im Yaa Casino können deutsche Spieler Spiele spielen, ein Konto eröffnen, eine Einzahlung vornehmen und sich auch unterwegs entspannen. 
    https://alpha-wiki.win/index.php?title=Online_roulette_gambling_real_money_88411
    A no verification casino and a no-account casino are two different online casinos you may encounter. Unfortunately, because they sound similar, people often need clarification. First, however, you need to know the difference: Most bonuses offered by online casinos – including those that do not require a real money deposit – come with certain rules that must be followed during bonus play, as well as limitations that apply to it. These are specified by the casino in the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) that apply to bonuses. Ignition Casino has the fastest withdrawals out of all the real money online casino sites we’ve tested. However, all the websites we mentioned here offer near instant payouts. That said, this online casino does accept Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Tether. If this sounds like a deal-breaker to you, remember that crypto transfers come with absolutely no withdrawal fees. By comparison, some online casinos charge as much as 8% for credit or debit card withdrawals.

    Reply

  526. Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I in finding It truly useful& it helped me out a lot. I am hoping to offer something again and aid others such as you helped me.

    Reply

  620. Awesome website you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics talked about here?
    I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get advice from other experienced people that share the same interest.

    If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Kudos!

    Reply

  685. This might help if the app is storing corrupted data.Ĥ. **Clear Cache:** If there’s an option within the app to clear cache or data, try using that feature. **Force Close and Reopen the App:** Close the app completely by double-clicking the Home button (or swiping up from the bottom of the screen on newer iPhone models) and swiping the app’s preview card away. Outdated software can sometimes cause compatibility issues.Ģ. **Check App Store Updates:** Make sure that both your iPhone’s operating system and the Slotomania VIP Inner Circle app are up to date. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the issue:ġ.   Its user-friendly interface elegantly displays numerous machines, including Chili Loco, American Glory, and Enchanted Oz, each providing a unique gaming experience. Slotomania™ Slots Casino Games transforms your device into a dynamic virtual casino with a vast variety of themed slot machines.
    http://www.hushcolor.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=free&wr_id=12521
    On the downside, Apollo Slots does not have a live casino section. So, if you are big on playing with live dealers, then you can give Apollo Slots casino a miss. At MrQ, we pride ourselves on being the fairest casino for our players and giving everyone the best chances to win. To showcase that, we ensure that every slot and casino game that makes its way on-site is the highest RTP value available on release. That means you can be ensured that, whenever your newest favourite title releases, you are given the best chance of having the most fun with it including the best chance to win and hit all of those awesome bonus features. There is no consensual answer to this question. Slot machine games are incredibly popular with casino players looking to win big, particularly due to the progressive jackpot factor. For those who love statistics and counting cards, black jack is the most popular and for those who want the chance of winning even when they have bad cards, poker is the game where you can bluff your way to the prize. Lastly, there is no casino without roulette, a game that everyone can easily master.  

    Reply

  703. Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency that no one was meant to take seriously, was up 43% in late morning trading Wednesday. What is going on? IMPORTANT:Our website is currently experiencing a disruption due to a cyber security incident. Our team is actively working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. We are committed to ensuring the security and integrity of our services and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Dogecoin surpassed a $1 billion market capitalization for the first time in the crypto bull run of 2017 to 2018. Credit Monitoring Dogecoin has been around for eight years, and for most of that time had a value of half a cent—tops: 10,000 new Dogecoins are programmed to be issued every minute for the rest of eternity, meaning the value will never hold. It’s a cryptocurrency that’s meant to always get cheaper. Even the creator of the coin is flummoxed by its recent rise.
    https://www.curioos.com/comosedeclaranl
    If, say, the costs for a business in any given quarter are 5BTC and its revenue 7BTC, that does not mean the company is profitable. If the costs were accrued at an average bitcoin price of $50,000 and the profits recorded at an average bitcoin price of $30,000, then the firm still lost $40,000. For the same reason, if costs were 8BTC and revenues 3BTC, this doesn’t mean the company operates at a lost, not if costs were at an average price of $10,000 BTC and revenues at an average $50,000 BTC. The point is, it’s dollar profits that determine the viability of a firm. Bitcoin prices are completely irrelevant to business calculation, and are therefore not money, but merely a way of moving money. “My plan would be to start very, very small, perhaps 1% of issued T-bills would be backed by hard currency, by gold, silver platinum or bitcoin,” Kennedy said, describing his vision for returning to a hard currency standard in the U.S.

    Reply

  725. I all the time used to read article in news papers but now as I am a user of internet so from now I am using
    net for articles or reviews, thanks to web.

    Reply

  872. This design is spectacular! You obviously know how to keep a reader entertained.
    Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved
    to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job.
    I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented
    it. Too cool!

    Reply

  879. Hey just wanted to give you a brief heads
    up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly.
    I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different browsers and both
    show the same results.

    Reply

  886. Can I just say what a relief to find somebody who truly knows what they’re discussing on the net.
    You certainly know how to bring a problem to light and make it important.
    A lot more people need to look at this and understand
    this side of the story. I was surprised you aren’t more popular given that you definitely possess the gift.

    Reply

  1070. Let the hottest girls fuck you uninhibitedly during phone sex. You can also watch them live on your screen while they talk to you at no extra cost. This is hot cam show entertainment at the highest level.

    Reply

  1244. PBN sites
    We’ll build a network of private blog network sites!

    Merits of our self-owned blog network:

    We carry out everything SO THAT GOOGLE doesn’t comprehend THAT THIS IS A private blog network!!!

    1- We acquire domain names from distinct registrars

    2- The primary site is hosted on a VPS server (Virtual Private Server is high-speed hosting)

    3- Additional sites are on separate hostings

    4- We assign a individual Google ID to each site with confirmation in Search Console.

    5- We design websites on WP, we don’t utilise plugins with assisted by which malware penetrate and through which pages on your websites are established.

    6- We refrain from repeat templates and utilise only unique text and pictures

    We do not work with website design; the client, if desired, can then edit the websites to suit his wishes

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *