ADT Drives Customer Response with CSG Direct-Mail Campaign
Customer Overview
ADT is the most trusted brand in smart home and small business security. As the company’s security products and services have evolved since their beginnings in 1874, they have maintained a focus on superior customer service. ADT has partnered with CSG for customer engagement, including print-and-mail solutions, since 2002.
The Challenge
The average American sees thousands of ads and marketing messages every day. In this busy environment, companies seek to get customers to respond to marketing promotions or critical messages.
ADT wanted to make sure its customers had the latest equipment, so their homes were secure and service wasn’t interrupted. To do so, ADT needed to contact customers about scheduling time for technicians to visit and make the upgrades.
ADT emailed customers alerting them about the change, but some customers hadn’t entered valid emails or didn’t respond. The company also sent texts, which generated a good response rate with quick callbacks, but ADT wanted to make sure all customer communication channels were covered.
To make sure every customer received the information they needed, ADT turned to longtime print-and-mail partner CSG for help.
The Unexpected Solution
ADT and CSG began discussing plans for a directmail postcard campaign that would reinforce its messaging on other channels. Companies don’t typically rely on direct mail for service-critical calls to action, but ADT realized the potential in engaging customers through direct mail.
Given the scale and urgency of the campaign, ADT needed to ensure they sent the most effective postcard out to customers. CSG suggested running an A/B test with each version of the postcard using a different color template and size. While each version carried the same message (“Service Appointment Required”), one was a full-color 5.5 x 8.5” card, and the other was 4.25 x 6” in a red-and-black template. For the test, ADT mailed 50,000 pieces of each version to customers in the same region.
When one version of the postcard generated a 50-percent higher response rate, ADT knew that was the version to use for the rest of their campaign.
The Results
The postcards outperformed ADT’s expectations, allowing them to contact the greatest number of customers to upgrade equipment. With high call volumes in response to the direct mail campaign, ADT knew they were much closer to their goal of upgrading every customer.
The company tracked the mailings in cohorts of 50,000 to 75,000 customers, with those cohorts calling back at a rate as high as 22 percent within 10 days. ADT even found that the postcards drew double-digit response rates in cohorts of customers who received multiple emails but had never opened them or responded.
Following up on the postcards, ADT and CSG collaborated on the next steps in the campaign: die-cut doorhanger notices and appointment cards for technicians to leave behind for customers.
ADT discovered while digital communication is necessary to draw immediate responses from customers, print communication also proved effective in delivering their call to action. By trying an alternative communication method and optimizing it through testing, ADT executed a direct-mail campaign that helped ensure every customer was more secure.
About CSG
CSG empowers companies to build unforgettable experiences, making it easier for people and businesses to connect with, use and pay for the services they value most. Our customer experience, billing and payments solutions help companies of any size make money and make a difference. With our SaaS solutions, company leaders can take control of their future, and tap into guidance along the way from our more than 5k-strong experienced global team. Want to learn more about how to be a change maker and industry shaper like our 1,000plus clients? Visit csgi.com to learn more.