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Netflix Doesn't Care About Customers…Do They?

Netflix announced that on September 1, they will change their subscription service by separating the cost of instant downloads from the cost of mailed DVD’s.  For my family, that change will result in a 33% increase in our cost.  I can’t understand why they would stick it to their customers like this.  Don’t they realize that they have a good thing going and if they treated their customers like, well, customers, they could continue to build their empire?  Their approach doesn’t fit the “Do it Well” philosophy.

Here is my email to Netflix which, by the way, bounced because they don’t have a way to email them about the price increase email they sent me.  Ugh.  I’m curious about your take on this.

Netflix,

This change in pricing structure is unacceptable and displays very bad customer service.

How do you justify charging 33% more for your loyal customers when we were the ones that helped you enjoy the success you currently have?  It’s a classic example of building corporate revenues on the shoulders of the valued customer.  A much more logical approach would be to gradually increase current customer fees while increasing the fees of new customers more significantly.

I am also appalled that your spokesperson, Steve Swasey, was quoted in USA Today in response to complaints as saying, “Remember, Netflix has close to 24 million members, and you’re only hearing from a few thousand.”

In other words, a few thousand customers don’t matter?  I suggest you consider that each of those people represent many more who have not spoken up.  Primarily, because they will just silently drop their subscriptions and go back to watching the Food Network on cable.

We will seriously consider canceling our Netflix subscription before September 1.  With all of the other online options through Hulu, Apple, the major television networks, and movies through our cable system plus the ease and low cost of RedBox, I think we can find a much more reasonable alternative and perhaps be treated better by the companies we support.

Ron  Culberson

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