Online Cancellations: Why Companies Should Make It Easy
Most companies let you manage your account online.
You can update your info, change your plan, and even sign up for new stuff with just a few clicks.
It's easy, user-friendly, and fits with how we live today.
However, there's one thing that is still tricky for many: canceling subscriptions.
Many companies still make you literally call and talk to someone to cancel your account or subscription.
This practice is not only annoying and wastes your time.
But also feels like a deliberate attempt to make cancellation as hard as possible, using shady tricks to discourage you from canceling.
Why Online Cancellations Make Sense
If a company trusts you enough to let you manage other parts of your account online, why should cancellation be different?
Making customers navigate phone menus, wait on hold, and potentially face pressure from retention agents is disrespectful and outdated.
It alienates customers.
Customers should have the right to cancel their subscriptions or accounts with the same ease and convenience as signing up or making changes.
It's about respecting their time, their choice, and the digital world we live in.
Cancellation should be just as straightforward as signing up, with clear options.
Read more on this in the customer success fundamentals and strategies I covered in a previous post.
Plus, offering online cancellation options can benefit companies.
It reduces the workload on customer service teams and eliminates the potential for negative interactions or confrontations during cancellation calls.
Time for a Change
Customer experience is fundamental.
Companies should make the cancellation process as smooth and respectful as possible.
If they trust customers to manage other parts of their accounts online, cancellations should be no exception.
It's time for companies to implement modern practices and give customers the option to cancel their subscriptions or accounts with a few simple clicks, just like they would for any other online transaction.
Anything less is a disservice to the very customers they claim to value and a shady trick designed to mislead them.
Provide them full control and total transparency during the cancellation process.
As I highlighted in this post on the secrets to wowing customers, it’s one of the most underestimated ways to build trust, do the right thing, and leave a positive final impression.
Moreover, it's the most ethical way to operate in our digital age.
For more on leveraging AI for better customer success, check out my guide on the best AI tools and how to use AI for customer success.
I hope that helps,
-Hakan.
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