TORONTO – You plan and you plan for a big TV change – one of the biggest, really – how your network will appear on screen. You decide on a hot new look, launch it with much pride and WHAM! Your e-mail box floods with how much your loyal viewers hate the new look.
So what do you do? Do you insist you’re right and figure people will learn to love it? Or do you get creative?
For the folks running Movieola, who just went through this, they used this recent bit of self-inflicted turmoil to instead build viewer loyalty.
Being a short film channel, Movieola has long struggled to fit into the electronic program guides offered by cable and satellite companies. Simply, their programming doesn’t slide into the hour and half hour blocks of the typical EPG so it’s been difficult to provide programming information for, say, a seven minute short, and to properly tell surfers and viewers what’s coming up next – and when.
So, says Channel Zero’s Cal Millar, the company came up with a multi-faceted screen of its own that took care of those issues without needing special help from the EPG. The actual video was shrunk and wrapped with additional content pumping the movie currently playing, what’s coming next and doing some brand promotion.
And the day of the new look, February 1st, was also the day the “hate mail” began, said Millar. “Oh, the vitriol,” he said. Viewers didn’t like the fact the video was smaller, nor did they appreciate the new info and many complained about the color, too, he said.
The immediate upside of the hundreds of e-mails was that it confirmed what Channel Zero’s executive already knew – their loyal viewers really dig the channel.
This was a serious problem for the company because as a niche service, they know their audience isn’t as big as the TSNs or Showcases of the world, but they certainly know their audience are rabid short film fans – as loyal as they come because there are precious few other places on the dial to see such unique programming, 24/7.
“So, we did what any good business would do,” explained Millar, “we listened really well.”
And within the space of about two weeks, out went the new look and in came a newer look, where the video was almost as large as before with the additional programming information far less intrusive than it had been (see below).
And in the meantime, Channel Zero’s president and CEO Romen Podzyhun crafted an e-mail which was sent to each viewer who took the time to express their opinion, explaining the company’s decision to alter its look and how it was responding to their complaint.
“The changes represent a year of assessment of our viewer feedback,” wrote Podzyhun. “As you may or may not be aware, not all carriers of Movieola – The Short Film Channel provide adequate programming information through their Interactive Programming Guide system, which has been an ongoing issue we’ve strived to address. Many of our viewers were looking for a more prominent way to access information about our short films than their conventional television ‘guide’ system could provide, and we felt that this new look addressed that need given the technology available to us.
“Based on the feedback received, I want to assure you we will be making adjustments shortly which will address our issues and the issues you have pointed out. Again, I highly appreciate your feedback as it will assist us in becoming better at what we do and increase your enjoyment of Movieola – The Short Film Channel. As with any business, the greatest advertising we can have is word of mouth from a satisfied customer. It’s my goal to retain you as a satisfied customer and hope to provide you with hours of enjoyment again in the future.
“You can contact me directly on our viewer relations line (1-888-994-7233 x222). Simply leave your telephone number and I will return your call as I will be listening to all phone messages.
“Your response to our new look is not an isolated one and I am anxious to address this challenge.”
Then, he tried to turn a cranky viewer into an involved one, and sent along some corporate swag, too.
“Let me know by email or phone if you would be willing to have our independent marketing research firm contact you. Would you like to receive the Movieola Revue: our programmer’s top picks? It’s sent directly to your email box once every two weeks. Movieola will never disclose your email address to anyone else,” Podzyhun wrote.
To thank you for your comments, we would like to send you a small token of our appreciation for the time and trouble you’ve taken to email us. Contact us to let me know where to send it. I sincerely hope you will continue your passionate support of Movieola—The Short Film Channel.”
And since the new switch? Happy viewers. “We’ve gotten a lot of e-mails since saying ‘well that’s better,’” says Millar who, added, after going through this: “We have a lot more viewers than Nielsen gives us credit for… I’m excited now.”
– Greg O’Brien
