Who’s complaining?

Reading the news this week that Sprint had discontinued service to customers who frequently called customer service, I couldn’t help but wonder what this augurs for the future.

First, it should be mentioned, Sprint says that each of the roughly 1000 disconnected customers were calling 40 or 50 times a month. That’s a lot. I don’t talk to my wife as much as these people were talking to their wireless carrier. But what if Sprint, or another carrier, insists on “raising the bar,” as they say in the wireless space? What if, instead of 40 or 50 calls per month, the limit becomes 20 or 10? Will it produce a chilling effect among subscribers, who will pause before calling customer service, wondering if they’re exceeding their limit?

Furthermore, is the drive for average revenue per user a slippery slope in telecom? Will service providers one day be tempted to shave off their least valuable customers based on their behavior? “Sorry, you haven’t purchased an on-demand movie in over a year. Get your numbers up, or we’re going to have to let you go.” That sounds far-fetched, I know, but a friend of mine recently threatened to part ways with his credit card company over an annual fee and was told by an account manager, in so many words, “Go ahead and go. You pay your balance every month. You’re not making us any money.”

Broadband providers have already stirred controversy by allegedly ignoring geographic areas whose residents don’t comport with their profit goals. And IP services will give carriers increasingly detailed and dynamic information about customer behavior and profitability. Will consumers one day have to earn their right to be triple-play subscribers by consuming more and complaining less? What do you think?

E-mail me at ed.gubbins@penton.com.