How they make it hard

Why this works is that these companies know we’re likely to check something out if it is easy and likely to avoid doing it if it is hard. So they throw obstacles in the way.

Some require you to call a call center to cancel, where staff then try to upsell you (looking at you, most cable companies). Some won’t even answer the phone and have their staff call you at weird unscheduled times (my experience trying to cancel a Microsoft Azure subscription someone else had opened for me). Some don’t even provide a phone number! And of course there is the transferring you from one person to another to accomplish something you would think should be easy.

Rita McGrath