by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice will soon launch a new star-based DStv Rewards loyalty programme in South Africa that will essentially reward loyal DStv subscribers for watching more TV and giving them more rewards the longer they stay stationary on the couch before their TV sets.
MultiChoice made the announcement that it's launching DStv Rewards in South Africa as its new loyalty scheme on Wednesday afternoon during its 2020 DStv Showcase media presentation, saying that a loyalty rewards programme is the one thing that DStv subscribers have been badgering the pay-TV operator over for the longest time.
MultiChoice didn't give an exact launch date for when DStv Rewards would start but said it would be "very, very soon" and that subscribers will be able to opt in sometime during September 2020.
MultiChoice Africa launched DStv Thanks as a loyalty programme at the start of 2017 in the rest of Africa, excluding South Africa, for subscribers who remained connected for at least 3 months.
While MultiChoice has not yet revealed the levels, structure or programme gaming participation dynamics for its DStv Rewards loyalty programme in South Africa, the level that a subscriber is pegged at and the type of rewards that they will qualify for will be determined by the DStv package a subscriber is on, for how long the person has been a subscriber (tenure), as well as product usage.
DStv Rewards will allocate "stars" to each DStv subscriber based on the DStv bouquet they're on, the number of years they've been with DStv, and the usage of products.
Use of additional products and services, upgrades in DStv package, and even changes to payment method will earn DStv subscribers more of these "stars" that will push up their reward level and the available rewards.
The Randburg-based pay-TV operator is introducing DStv Rewards as a customer retension programme trying to combat churn and DStv bouquet downgrades.
DStv Premium subscribers - MultiChoice's top-tiered and most valuable subscribers - as a percentage of the overall DStv subscriber base continues to decline since subscribers don't feel that the expensive price provides enough value and value-added content and offerings.
MultiChoice wants to change this or at least stem the rate of DStv Premium erosion. On the other hand MultiChoice also wants to incentivise lower-tiered DStv subscribers to consider "levelling up" to more expensive packages in order to accumulate DStv Rewards and bigger rewards even faster.
DStv subscribers will earn rewards through its loyalty programme but it's not clear yet whether it will work on a points accumulation level-up scale, tokens or digital vouchers although it will very likely be an approach that is a combination of all of these. DStv subscribers will also get entry into virtual competitions.
'The only cardio involved happens on your TV'
DStv Rewards will have no additional membership fee but DStv subscribers will have to opt in to become a member.
MultiChoice calls DStv Rewards "the most entertainming rewards programme in South Africa" and plans to offer special DStv subscribers upgrades, DStv subscription fee discounts, "free" DStv BoxOffice movie digital tokens, Uber Eats digital discount vouchers, birthday rewards, service vouchers, Showmax discounts and additional DStv channel access.
Also planned are "money-can't-buy" exclusive experiences like access to TV star meet-and-greets, live events like a seat at award shows, sporting events and other events usually reserved for VIPs and media.
MultiChoice will also offer what is calls "personalised challenges" that will have its own set of "amazing rewards".
MultiChoice says that at launch DStv Rewards will be "offering qualifying customers access to more of their favourite content with BoxOffice credits, complimentary package upgrades on their DStv Anniversaries and customer birthdays".
DStv Rewards membership is free for every DStv subscriber on every DStv package and will work through the DStv app and the DStv website. In a jab to gym, health and other active sports loyalty programmes MultiChoice says "the only cardio involved happens on your TV".
MultiChoice says that DStv subscribers will be able to opt in to DStv Rewards once it launches through the DStv app or the DStv website.
DStv subscribers will be able to see their DStv Rewards on the DStv app and MultiChoice will also communicate with subscribers through email, SMS and in-app notifications.
Once a DStv subscriber pause or cancels their DStv subscription DStv Rewards and access to new ones will also be paused until the customer resumes their subscription. MultiChoice says that some rewards may be lost and that a subscriber's reward level may also be impacted.
"We value our customers and our goal is to make DStv as accessible to as many customers as possible at great value – but more than that, we want to be in-tune with what really resonates in South Africa, togetherness (Ubuntu) and enjoying all the best action on DStv together, from sports to reality shows," says Mark Rayner, MultiChoice South Africa CEO, in a statement.
"DStv Rewards really allow us to tap into the true nature of our customers, and we just couldn’t wait to bring it to them."
