New research has revealed a fragile relationship between communications service providers (CSPs) and teenagers, with only 12% of teenagers believing service providers understand their lifestyle and offer services to match it.
The global study – commissioned by Amdocs and conducted by Vanson Bourne – examined the digital DNA, behaviour and expectations of today’s teenagers (aged 15-18 years old). According to the study, 30% of teenagers reported experiencing bad customer service from their CSP over the past year, and 46% say they will not use that CSP again. A third of respondents then shared this information with families and friends.
Chris Williams, head of global marketing, Amdocs, said: “It’s striking that half of teens today already have a firm opinion as to which service provider they will not use once they have to start paying their own bills. But we cannot disregard the immediate teen impact on a service provider’s business and brand perception given their influence on paying parents and wide reaching audiences through their prolific use of social media. With digital so integral to teen life the need to transition to a digital service provider is immediate.
“Service providers must act now to establish and build teen affinity, adopting a multi-channel engagement strategy and exploring new monetisation models to address the demand for free content,” added Williams. “Whether or not service providers will succeed in this will determine their ability to remain central and relevant in future societies and economies.”
Additional key findings uncovered teens’ unique digital DNA and what services they want. 43% believe their smartphone makes them smarter and cooler; 52% check their social media accounts first thing in the morning; more than 30% say they would probably not meet someone again if they lacked a Facebook or WhatsApp account.
In addition, free content streaming is a way of life for teens. A majority stream movies (53% streaming; 17% downloading), TV (51% versus 11%) and music (47% versus 29%); and they are typically doing so for free with less than a third saying they ever pay for any content.
“It’s fascinating how digital is defining how teens are viewing both themselves and others, how they express themselves, how they learn,” said Dr. Paul Redmond, a generational expert and sociologist who advised on the research. “They require constant access and connectivity, and consume content differently than older generations. This is a free content generation who love streaming and have no need for ownership, calling upon service providers to look into new business models that can improve teen affinity to their brands.”
The study surveyed 4,250 respondents aged 15-18 from the UK, USA, Canada, Brazil, India, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Philippines, and Singapore.
