As broadband deployment expands, more WiFi installations are being completed by subscribers. Self-installation offers a fast and convenient way for customers to get online, without a technician visit. For Service Providers, it is often more cost-effective than a truck roll.
However, getting the WiFi self-install journey right remains a challenge – CSAT scores are up to 5x lower than tech-led installs, leading to subscriber frustration, early churn and slowing Net Add growth.
Before trying to solve the problem, let’s first understand where the experience breaks down and where many self-install journeys fall short.
What we’re hearing from Service Providers
Every Service Provider has a unique network footprint, CPE mix, and deployment model. Yet, after supporting more than 100 providers over the past decade, we’ve observed some patterns.
Here's some of what we've heard regarding customers and self-installs:
“There are little things that sound super simple to us, like plugging in the coax cable to a coax outlet. But the customer’s like, ‘What’s a coax?’”
“We don’t have a tool that would let the subscriber figure out if they have WiFi coverage issues. It’s still a blind spot for us.”
“We need to guide customers through each step. What we’ve seen in the past is that sometimes they get too confident, skip steps, and end up calling support.”
These WiFi self-install challenges tend to fall into three areas:
- Limited technical understanding: Most subscribers aren’t WiFi experts. Without a clear understanding of terms like “SSID” or “gateway,” even basic setup can become difficult to navigate.
- Poor WiFi coverage: Dead spots often go undetected because traditional self-install processes focus solely on getting connected – not on network performance. As a result, whole-home coverage becomes an afterthought, negatively impacting Quality of Experience (QoE).
- One-size-fits-all guides: Generic instructions don’t account for how unique in-home WiFi networks can be or fail to provide support when subscribers encounter setup issues.
The “happy path” and why it often breaks
Most self-install workflows are based upon customers following the “happy path” – an ideal scenario where the instructions are followed precisely, the equipment functions as expected, and WiFi coverage is strong in every corner of the home.
In reality, even with the clearest instructions, a solid process and the latest equipment, you can’t expect customers to complete self-installs as successfully as your field teams. Subscribers may skip steps, plug equipment into the wrong ports or place the router in sub-optimal locations for whole-home coverage.
And if their WiFi setup journey doesn’t adapt, the install often fails.
Existing solutions and their limitations
Many Service Providers rely on a combination of documentation or apps to support self-installs. While these solutions offer some value, they often fail to address all the challenges above.
- Static documentation assumes the customer follows instructions perfectly, without any hiccups. These guides don’t adapt when something goes wrong, leaving subscribers without clear next steps.
- CPE-specific apps deliver inconsistent self-install experiences that vary by router manufacturer and model, adding complexity for both subscribers and support teams.
- Visual-only tools may help with cable and router setup but can’t detect issues such as channel congestion, router misplacement, or poor WiFi coverage. Without network data, these tools offer limited troubleshooting capabilities.
To close the CSAT gap between technician-led and self-installs, Service Providers need to delight subscribers with a smarter WiFi installation experience.
Introducing RouteThis Self-Install
RouteThis Self-Install empowers subscribers to successfully set up and optimize their WiFi coverage using intelligent workflows in real-time. By leveraging AI and a combination of WiFi diagnostics, voice and visual inputs, RouteThis delivers a personalized and intuitive installation experience.
The RouteThis platform works with all modem and router types. Collecting 200+ WiFi data points in seconds, Self-Install guides subscribers through optimized setup, diagnoses performance issues, and flags common problems, while continuously learning from every install and support interaction.
Subscribers benefit from features like smart CPE recognition, intuitive install instructions, WiFi network and coverage testing, and device connectivity analysis. Providers gain robust analytics and installation data to drive smarter operational decisions and more successful installs.
RouteThis Self-Install can be deployed as a white-labeled application or embedded via Software Development Kit (SDK) into a provider’s existing customer-facing app.
Learn More
Ready to boost customer satisfaction with smarter, more intuitive installs? Contact us today to book a demo or learn how RouteThis Self-Install works.