DStv Offering ‘Secret Deals’ To Entice Customers Who Were Not Renewing Subscriptions

According to reports from Mybroadband, DStv is offering former subscribers sizeable discounts on the premium package in hopes that these customers can renew their subscriptions. The satellite broadcaster has actually been sending SMS’s and emails to user.

The email sent to a former subscriber reads:

Shhh! Don’t tell anyone – we have a special offer for you! DStv Premium for only R699* per month! Not only do you save big – we’ve also got the hottest line-up of local and international award winning series, and only the best sporting action. Not only do you save big – we’ve also got the hottest line-up of local and international award winning series, and only the best sporting action.

In SA, DStv package costs R809 per/month, so that’s a significant price cut to be offering. Considering that DStv lost 41 000 customers in 2018, it’s not surprising that they are trying to offer an incentive for customers to return to the service. Whether these offers will translate to actual subscriptions is only known by DStv as this seems to be something they are keen on keeping under wraps.

It’s unclear how existing customers who are paying a premium will take that kind of news, as they may feel that they are the ones who deserve a discount from time to time for their loyalty. DStv, however, is thinking in business terms and wouldn’t want to mess with their ‘guaranteed’ revenue and thus offers this deal only to subscribers who are not consistent or have discontinued paying for a long time.

This is nothing new

Maybe this is new in South Africa but here in Zimbabwe these offers have been made and some have even been sweeter. I know someone who got an offer to pay for one month and get one month free. That’s a much better deal than a price cut but that deal got even sweeter when they ended up getting 2 months for free because of an error on DStv’s part.

Long term plan?

These discounts are a cool way of bringing people back in the door but with services such as Netflix or Kwese’s iflix looking to shift the way people consume entertainment, one would hope that DStv is hedging their long-term bets on something other than emails saying ‘shhh.’ Going forward, DStv are banking on Showmax –their streaming service- to compete with stalwarts such as Netflix.

What do you think about these secret offers? Should they be given to loyal customers who are consistent or is it ok that DStv continues to use these offers as a way to lure customers who are losing interest in the service?