We overlap with Rise. They do free install + first month free. When I fire a customer for egregious nonpayment problems, I often see a Rise dish appear on their house. And then disappear a few months later.
One former customer is on their 5th WISP dish on their house. Rise has installed and de-installed twice. If your area is very upscale, maybe what Mark says isn’t true. I am not so lucky, and my experience is similar to Mark’s. We will break the install fee into 2 payments if the customer makes a credible case they can’t pay it all at once, like retirees on fixed income. From: Mark Radabaugh Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 11:28 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AFMUG] reasonable request We have tried both free install, $25 install and $75 install. There is a significant correlation between the number of short term (<90 day) non-pay disconnects and the free or $25 install. Keeping the install high enough that the customer has at least some skin in the game makes a measurable difference. Mark On Oct 6, 2015, at 12:20 PM, Ty Featherling <[email protected]> wrote: I wasn't speaking globally. In our area the only company that is offering free installs is the one that can't seem to keep customers. -Ty On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 11:11 AM, Brett A Mansfield <[email protected]> wrote: Companies that are hurting for customers are not the only ones that do free installation. I am not hurting for customers at all (I'd actually like to offload a few) and I do free installation. Anyone that has a quality product at the right price for customer and the ISP can afford to do a free installation because that customer will be very loyal and stay with you for a long time. Thank you, Brett A Mansfield On Oct 6, 2015, at 9:47 AM, Ty Featherling <[email protected]> wrote: I basically told him just that. I told him the only providers giving away installations are those that are hurting for customers. I gave him all to positives about our company and service and told him I hope he finds what he is looking for from another provider. -Ty On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 9:26 AM, Ken Hohhof <[email protected]> wrote: You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes you just might find You get what you need. I would take the position that your service is the best available in your area, and it costs what it costs, no promos or freebies. If it’s the best, people pay your price on your terms to get it. You know all those 50 year old guys you see driving new Corvettes? Most of them have wanted one since they were 20 and kept asking the dealer when they were having a sale. So they drove Malibus for 30 years, until they paid the asking price for the Corvette. Do these guys walk up to supermodels and say “Hey, babe, if you’re ever giving it away, call me”? Does that ever work? And if it did work, would that change the desirability factor? I’ve had people like this ask once a year if we were having a promo or free installs yet and finally after 2-3 years order service. The fact that you don’t give it away enhances your brand image as the best. Or they just continue on their quest for fast, good and cheap with a guarantee but no strings and no upfront cost. And a pony. From: Ty Featherling Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 8:43 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [AFMUG] reasonable request Check this out, via our website contact us form: "Message: I would like to use your service but I'm tired of endless promises from vendors regarding reliability and available. Up to xmps is a hollow promise. I would like to use your service but I'm not willing to pay an installation charge or sign a "contract", and want 24x7 availability and reliability. What can you "garrantee" that will satisfy my requirements? Thanks" I replied with my best explanation of how internet service works in the real world. I let him know we could possible get him a dedicated connection and included an estimated cost so that he could see the difference. His reponse was to ask what our plans are to support UHD (Ultra-High-Definition) streaming video. He thinks it is ridiculous that he can only get HD streams to work. I think I got through to him but damn, what the hell makes a person think they can demand more while saying they shouldn't have to pay installation or have a contract. He finally left me with "let me know if you ever have a promotion for free install and no contract."
