When subscribers experience slow WiFi, they immediately think that their service provider is at fault – and the first thing most people do is call their ISPs to voice their frustration and request support. But in the majority of cases, the problem isn’t with the ISP, but with the configuration of the WiFi network.
A recent global RouteThis study revealed that as much as 50% of overall support engagements can be traced back to problems with the home WiFi setup.
The reality is that most home WiFi networks are set up by residents themselves rather than by IT teams. This isn’t inherently a bad thing because most equipment can be easily installed, configured, and managed without outside support. But there are a number of tips and tricks that professionals use to optimize networks (and the devices connected to them) that the average person doesn’t know, and this lack of knowledge is often the root cause for WiFi issues and service calls to ISPs.
Despite the fact that so many of these service calls are due to subscribers’ own actions, it doesn’t stop them from getting frustrated with their Internet providers and even causing them to switch ISPs.
Empower subscribers and reduce churn, save time and money
As an ISP, you can take steps to reduce subscriber churn by empowering them to learn how their WiFi networks function so that they can understand, identify, and fix problems themselves.
For subscribers, the benefits are reduced friction and a greater understanding of how their own actions and environment affect the quality of their WiFi connectivity. And for ISPs, it can eliminate the time and costs associated with rolling support trucks to homes to identify and fix problems.
4 ways ISPs can educate subscribers about WiFi connectivity
There are a few things you should consider as you build out your education resources:
- Identify the most common problems. By tracking the most commonly reported WiFi-related issues, you can then create specific materials to educate subscribers on those issues.
In general, service calls follow the “80/20 rule,” in which 80% of the calls are related to 20% of problems. By creating a top five list of situations that arise, you can zero in on those areas. - Create resources for different learning styles. Once the topics are identified, it’s important to create a variety of materials to address each situation and the different ways people prefer to learn. Just having an FAQ on your web site isn’t enough: there should be videos, easy-to-digest manuals, and a specific “Troubleshooting” web page.
- Keep in regular contact with subscribers. People are less likely to leave an ISP if they believe that the company is looking out for their best interests. Let subscribers know about potential problems and keep them apprised of new developments. This is where a monthly or quarterly newsletter can make a major difference not only in reducing the potential for connectivity issues, but also for building a strong bond with subscribers. Use this channel to provide tips and tricks or reminders on how they can ensure optimal WiFi connectivity.
- Educate early in the relationship. This means building troubleshooting education into the initial subscriber packages so the new subscribers have the information they need to solve issues from day one. And the key message of this material should be that how they set up their WiFi networks can affect device connectivity.
There is no magic button that will automatically fix all connectivity issues. Subscribers will always have problems that arise from time to time, and they will require support to fix them. But by taking a proactive stance in providing educational materials that address common problems and empower subscribers to identify and fix them, ISPs can build trust that will keep subscribers using their networks for years to come.