Source: Bigstock Photo
In this week’s Five on Friday, we’ve got tips for successful SaaS onboarding from Forbes, an update from Engadget on Volvo’s mobile bet to push its car subscription service, insight from Marketing Week on how Dollar Shave Club is adjusting its business model due to slowing growth of subscriptions, Sony-owned Funimation’s separation from Crunchyroll and VRV, and everyone’s favorite feature – top subscription jobs from LinkedIn.
Stellar SaaS Onboarding and Implementation Are Key to Customer Retention
Source: Bigstock Photo
We all know that it costs more to acquire a new customer than to keep one, so customer retention is critical to the success of any SaaS company. One way to improve your retention rate is through stellar onboarding and implementation. In Forbe’s “How to Win Your Customers Over with Impeccable SaaS Implementation,” Ryan van Biljon, vice president of sales and services at Samanage, recommends that those who help customers implement SaaS identify customized strategies that will be most helpful, based on a business’s needs.
van Biljon offers the following recommendation:
“When working closely with prospects to help drive additional business, we have experienced a lot of success when we offer upgrades to implementations for either low or now cost. We also make use of other modern SaaS applications to communicate with customers in real time throughout the implementation process,” writes van Biljon.
One example that works for his team is engaging customers directly on projects and timelines using Trello, a flexible collaboration app and productivity platform. He also suggests identifying whether your new client prefers end-to-end implementation or to handle it in-house, using you as more of a resource. Either approach can work, but you need to know your customers’ needs to identify the best option for your client. Read more of van Biljon’s advice on Forbes.
Volvo Is Seeing Success with Its Car Subscription Service Because of Mobile Push
When Volvo announced its new Care by Volvo car subscription service in September 2017, it promised the service would make “having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a phone.” Subscribers would order their cars online, pay a flat monthly subscription fee and drive away with a new XC40 model. It is essentially one-stop, hassle-free shopping for a car.
According to Engadget, it is making good on that promise. According to an October 19 article, half of Care by Volvo customers are acquiring their XC40s using their mobile phones! As a result, Volvo is opening up the car subscription service to its S60 sports sedan, and Mobile Syrup said Volvo will offer other models and options, including the V60 luxury estate wagon. The vehicles will include in-car satellite navigation, CarPlay, Android Auto, in-care LTE with WiFi hotspot and more.
Source: Volvo
Anders Gustafsson, CEO and president of Volvo Cars USA, told Engadget that customers appreciate the simplicity of the program. In particular, customers like being able to order a luxury car using their phone. Interestingly, Engadget says that 95 percent of Care by Volvo customers are new Volvo customers.
“We are going to invest heavily into mobile,” said Gustafsson. “I’m quite convinced it’s because it’s very easy to calculate the monthly cost and you can relax.”
Mobile Syrup reports that after 12 months, customers can upgrade to a new vehicle. Of course, there are limitations (you can’t cancel the subscription after 12 months; you’re hooked for 24 months). The program doesn’t include car insurance, but it does include a 24/7 virtual concierge service that subscribers can access via phone, text or email. Vehicles will be available in January 2019, but Volvo is accepting pre-orders now. Are you ready to order yours?
Dollar Shave Club Shakes Things Up with a New Marketing and a New Business Model
Founded in 2011 as a bootstrapped operation, Dollar Shave Club has grown to nearly 3.9 million subscribers, reports Marketing Week, and it continues to grow at a pace of 10 percent a year. But the company is no longer the only game in town. The company now has competitors like Harry’s, Gillette Shave Club and Birchbox Man to contend with.
How is a company like Dollar Shave Club, now owned by Unilever, going to continue to grow at a sustainable, financially viable pace? By changing things up a bit, including rethinking its business model and its marketing. This isn’t your grandfather’s razor. Check out this YouTube video published in July.