Filling the GAP in HR services: Audible Subscription
I love listening to podcasts.
I’ve got my favourites – “No Such Thing As A Fish” and “The Infinite Monkey Cage” have been the pick of the bunch over the last year or so.
But when we went into lockdown, I rapidly “used up” all my podcasts, thanks a long daily dog walk and “quiet time” away from the other inhabitants of my house.
So I needed something new to listen to. I’d heard good things about Audible, so I thought I’d give it a go.
As an Amazon Prime member, I was given a very generous offer of £3.99 for the first three months, before defaulting to the normal £7.99 monthly subscription.
And over the past 10 weeks, it’s been really valuable.
But now – as we exit lockdown – I’m finding less and less time to listen to the books.
So I figured that I’d cancel my subscription and head back to my podcasts.
Easier said than done, and I mean that in an admiring way.
Finding the button to cancel was surprisingly easy – they don’t hide it away like many other subscription services.
When I clicked it the genius began.
I was directed to a page asking me whether I was sure I wanted to cancel, informing me that I’d lose any credits and member benefits.
It also let me know that if there were any books I hadn’t enjoyed, I could exchange them for free.
Or, if I really wanted to, I could still cancel, by clicking a button. So I did.
Job done? Nope.
The next page wanted to know, understandably, why I was leaving.
I hadn’t been using it enough to justify the expense, which was one of the options, so that was an easy click.
I did genuinely think that that would be that, which was rather naïve.
Another polite and friendly page popped up offering me three options:
- Keep listening for half price for the next 3 months, with everything else staying the same
- Stay on the normal subscription and get an additional free credit
I wasn’t unhappy with the service, I just couldn’t justify it to myself at the standard price. But offered half price for another 3 months, that I could justify.
I appreciate that these are somewhat unique times at the moment, but if a client wants to cancel, do you just let them, or do you keep offering them a deal to keep them on the books until their circumstances improve?
Obviously we all have some clients who we would not be unhappy to see the back of, but for the rest? How sticky are you making your clients?
In case you’re wondering, I never clicked cancel.
I am still “stuck” to Audible, and have just downloaded the Michelle Obama autobiography to listen to on my dog walks. Who knows what they will offer me if I go to cancel in another 3 months?
