The dreaded terms of service update produces trepidation and anxiety in the variety of departments within an Internet Service Provider that are responsible for coordinating such announcements. Yet, terms of service updates are vital to the health of the organization particularly when considering the unnecessary risk and exposure associated with legal compliance issues. When circumstances change – and it’s just a matter of time until they do – communicating with your subscribers and gaining their acceptance to the revised terms becomes a gating factor to the growth of your business.
Although terms of service announcements are a necessary part of business, creating and publishing effective notification and compliance campaigns is daunting. As your services change, new policies are implemented or new business opportunities arise, terms of service notifications are integral to ensuring your customers are aware of the changes and offered the opportunity to opt-in to new programs. In addition, acceptance of revised terms of service is vital to both the success of an ISP’s legal and product teams and – ultimately – the continued growth of your business.
The limitations of traditional communications channels – such as direct mail, SMS or email – have been well- documented and are understood to result in low impression and conversion rates. In these circumstances, there are a number of factors to consider when pursuing higher impression and conversion rates in a more cost-effective and efficient manner.
The Message and the Messenger
In many situations, the rather invasive, inauthentic means of messaging – rather than the message itself – is the element of terms of service announcements that offends subscribers. For example, the use of SMS messages may be effective but many subscribers state that this encroachment on the “personal” environment of the mobile phone is intrusive. Email messages may be less invasive but many service providers utilize their subscriber’s provider-assigned email address rather than the primary address utilised by their subscribers on a daily basis. When service providers don’t utilise the most relevant email address, the low impression and conversion rates of email campaigns shouldn’t be a surprise. Many service providers continue to use direct mail, but the irrelevancy of this antiquated communications channel becomes clear when you consider the cost and inability to engage the subscribers in a two-way conversation.
Exploring a blended approach and adopting innovative communication channels – such as in-browser messaging – can produce better results in a shorter period of time. With in-browser messaging, the service provider can leverage the power of your existing network infrastructure to augment traditional outreach channels to improve subscriber engagement and deliver higher impression and response rates.
The Costs & Time Considerations of Terms of Service Announcements
Similar to any subscriber communications campaign, the cost associated with the announcement needs to be considered when service providers evaluate the ideal mixture of communications methods utilized to announce changes to your customers. Yet, the time-to-market considerations associated with terms of service notices – particularly related to regulatory changes or legal considerations – increases the importance of these messages, at times, at the expense of the cost considerations. When you consider the millions of customers served by even moderately sized service providers, the financial impact of time-sensitive terms of service announcements becomes self-evident.
Traditional channels – such as email, SMS and direct mail – each have their own unique advantages and challenges. When evaluating messaging technologies and campaign management tools, a service provider should consider advanced browser-based messaging options – particularly for urgent terms of service notifications. By leveraging your existing network, service providers can quickly publish programmatic terms of service campaigns in a matter of minutes, reach over 90% of your audience within the first 48 hours and assist the legal and product teams in contributing to the growth and stability of the business.
By Mike Tuttle, Senior Product Manager at Nominum
