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On Tuesday, I wrote about “opt-out” or “negative option” practices –okay, scams– wherein customers unwittingly agree to subscription services which they are charged for in deliberately obfuscated ways. To get out of the arrangement, the customer has to explicitly state they do not want to be charged (this is easier said than done); hence, the opt-out moniker.

As white-hat designers, what can we learn from this unethical behavior?

Last time, we identified the common elements of an opt-out scam. Let’s see if doing the opposite can’t turn this around—and then some.

Stuff on the Table

The problem starts when the customer is unaware they opted-in. Pages are designed to disguise the terms of sale. In fact, the customer often thinks they are receiving something for free, when, in fact, they have signed up for a service.

Instead of this, we say: show the customer what they’re getting with a subscription.

Fair enough, right? Now, go one better and put it out there. Visually. Give them an idea of the value in the various subscription tiers by piling stuff on the table, Billy Mays style. Create some expectation. It’s the polar opposite of hiding the deal. Make the deal tangible. More is more.

“As Seen on TV” infomercials use this tactic all the time to get people excited.
Now you can use these powers for good.

Face Time

The next stage in opt-out is to obscure the charges, burying them in one’s credit card bill in the hopes that they won’t be discovered.

We respond with: Send regular statements to customers for their subscriptions.

Do this for the sake of transparency, but also because it’s an opportunity to have a conversation with the customer. I’m not talking about stuffing the statement with marketing fliers. That’s not a conversation; that’s only the company talking.

A bill isn’t just a means of collecting money—it’s face time. Remind the customer you’re there and how to contact you if they need something. While you’re at it, make the bill interesting; make it funny; make it worth something. Transparency can be an opportunity.

If the customer takes the time to read the bill, maybe it’s possible to make it worth their while? Give them a coupon code or a free service for a month. Customers can catch errors that save companies money and quickly find problems before they escalate into lost sales. Their watchfulness should make the company better, and the money they help save should more than make up for the cost of incentives.

Make It Right

Lastly, opt-out subscriptions are often frustratingly difficult to cancel.

We reply: Make cancellations as painless as possible.

We understand breaking up is hard to do, but when companies hold on too tight, the high-pressure tactics only make an uncomfortable situation worse. Retention squads give customers the runaround and make them feel trapped. When this happens, like a cornered animal, a customer that just wanted to walk away feels like she has to fight to get out. That’s not good for anybody involved.

If people want to cancel, something is wrong with the service for them. When something is wrong, there is probably an opportunity to make things right. Help that person; be a friend. That’s how you keep a customer.

Sometimes, things just can’t be fixed. If this is the case, then part amicably. A customer that leaves on good terms might come back again someday; a scorned customer likely won’t. Worse, they will probably blog about the experience and cost you even more.

Summary

Opt-out schemes work through obfuscation and decreasing interaction whenever possible. These companies want to avoid notice at all costs. To turn this around, we suggest doing the opposite: increase transparency and encourage conversations. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s also what is best for business.