By Guest Contributor: Tony Ort, Senior Sales Executive at TCN
February 24th, 2025
Every successful newspaper and digital media organization goes beyond simply listening to its consumers; it actively seeks to understand their unmet needs. TCN’s Annual Consumer Survey reveals fascinating insights into how people interact with digital publishing businesses and what they want from them. These findings underscore how publishers can navigate the delicate balance between proactive communication, personalized engagement and the ever-present need for seamless, efficient service to provide the best possible consumer experience.
Proactive engagement: a double-edged sword
According to TCN’s survey, 77% of Americans value proactive communication from businesses. They crave timely updates, whether breaking news, subscription renewals or content recommendations. This highlights a crucial shift: readers expect us to anticipate their needs rather than simply reacting when they reach out. News organizations, in particular, must move beyond a reactive stance and embrace proactive engagement to maintain and increase subscriptions.
But here’s the balancing act: proactive doesn’t mean pushy. The line between helpful updates and overwhelming notifications is thin. Audience fatigue is a genuine concern. So, how do we balance the need for proactive engagement with the risk of turning readers off? Segmented messaging. By analyzing reader behavior/preferences and utilizing automated communication channels, you can deliver targeted updates that are genuinely relevant.
For example, a subscriber interested in financial news should receive different alerts than someone following local politics. Avoid generic blanket notifications that are quickly ignored and can even lead to unsubscribes. The key is personalization and relevance. Limiting the total number of notifications a user receives within a given timeframe is another strategy to negate audience fatigue and should be easy to implement with the right software.
The human touch in a digital world
While digital adoption is undeniably on the rise, human interaction remains enduringly important. A surprising 50% of respondents still prefer speaking to a live agent for customer service, reinforcing the need for human interaction, particularly when dealing with complex issues. However, the preference for email and text-based communication (72%) for general inquiries underscores the need for streamlined digital channels.
This presents a real challenge: how do digital media businesses decide when to automate engagement and when to prioritize human interaction? Often, a hybrid approach works best. Simple tasks like password resets or basic account management can be easily handled through automated systems like AI chatbots, IVRs or automated emails. However, a human agent is essential when a subscriber faces a unique problem or requires personalized assistance. For subscriber support, retention and customized outreach, nothing replaces a live representative’s empathy and problem-solving skills. Plus, tools such as Workforce Management can optimize agent time and utilize assets to their fullest potential.
The price of patience
Overall, people have very little patience for delays and frustration. A staggering 67% of Americans won’t wait more than 10 minutes on hold, and 38% cite waiting on hold as their biggest frustration. This has significant implications for subscriber retention. Users who encounter delays in account management or accessing digital content will likely abandon their subscriptions.
Service delays are a major pain point in subscriber retention, so we recommend a few simple fixes that can boost customer satisfaction quickly. First, improve self-service resources, including detailed FAQs, video tutorials and a more intuitive subscriber portal. You can also prioritize minimizing wait times for phone support by carefully managing call volumes and staffing.
Positive engagement: the key to loyalty
Positive experiences are potent drivers of loyalty. In fact, 70% of respondents are likely to recommend a brand after an excellent customer service experience. This underscores the importance of avoiding churn and actively cultivating positive touchpoints with your audience.
Some strategies digital media businesses can use to reinforce customer loyalty include offering exclusive content, early access to articles, personalized newsletters or subscriber perks programs. However, whatever you do, ensure you are sincere and avoid generic, impersonal “thank you” messages that lack any authenticity and fail to make a lasting impression. The key is to offer genuinely valuable perks that resonate with your audience.
Self-service: a balancing act
Self-service options are essential for efficiency, but they must be effective. While 56% of Americans are satisfied with self-service tools, frustration mounts exponentially when these systems fail. Being transferred between multiple representatives is a significant source of irritation. Digital media businesses must strive to balance self-service efficiency with the need for human problem-solving by investing in robust and user-friendly self-service resources and ensuring they are regularly updated and easy to navigate.
On the back end, carefully monitor user feedback to identify areas where self-service falls short. Additionally, when a user exhausts self-service options, make it easy for them to connect with a live agent who can provide personalized assistance.
The value of service: what people will pay for
TCN’s survey found that 61% of consumers are willing to pay more for superior customer service. While this number has slightly declined from previous years, it still represents a significant opportunity for publishers.
This underscores the connection between subscription pricing and customer experience. People are willing to pay more if they perceive value, and a seamless, personalized experience is a key component of that value.
Navigating the modern media landscape requires a delicate balancing act. Publishers must embrace proactive engagement while avoiding audience fatigue. They must leverage technology to streamline service while preserving the essential human touch. By prioritizing seamless access, personalized experiences and efficient problem-solving, digital media businesses can build lasting relationships with their audience and cultivate true subscriber loyalty.
To learn more about consumer preferences and tools to give your consumers what they deserve, visit www.tcn.com.
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