How to prevent customer cancellations

I've added pausing to my app Zlappo, and most cancellations have been outright cancellations anyway, very few pauses.

I've had quite a number of cancellations that came back and become customers again -- so this isn't a myth at all.

I think what's important is to ensure the customer feels in control of billing and not feel helpless/powerless when they try to cancel, due to a whole string of dark patterns:

Having to write in to cancel (this is the worst)
Being bombarded with surveys and offers when trying to cancel
Hiding the cancellation button deep into upwards 5 breadcrumbs
Scaring customers when they're trying to cancel ("YOU'LL LOSE ALL YOUR DATA IMMEDIATELY."), etc.

This is the type of stuff that guarantees the customer will never return, because they left on a really bad note.

I'm not saying making cancellation easy will ensure they return, but it does maximizes the chances of them returning, should they feel the need for your product again.

Regarding pauses:

I've yet to figure out what to do with my paused customers yet (they're quite an anomaly for now), but it seems it isn't a popular thing to do: https://www.indiehackers.com/post/what-do-you-do-with-paused-subscribers-04a5733382

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I've added pausing to my app Zlappo, and most cancellations have been outright cancellations anyway, very few pauses.

I've had quite a number of cancellations that came back and become customers again -- so this isn't a myth at all.

I think what's important is to ensure the customer feels in control of billing and not feel helpless/powerless when they try to cancel, due to a whole string of dark patterns:
- Having to write in to cancel (this is the worst)
- Being bombarded with surveys and offers when trying to cancel
- Hiding the cancellation button deep into upwards 5 breadcrumbs
- Scaring customers when they're trying to cancel ("YOU'LL LOSE ALL YOUR DATA IMMEDIATELY."), etc.
This is the type of stuff that guarantees the customer will never return, because they left on a really bad note.

I'm not saying making cancellation easy will ensure they return, but it does maximizes the chances of them returning, should they feel the need for your product again.

Regarding pauses:

I've yet to figure out what to do with my paused customers yet (they're quite an anomaly for now), but it seems it isn't a popular thing to do: https://www.indiehackers.com/post/what-do-you-do-with-paused-subscribers-04a5733382
simplisticallysimple

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6 years ago
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