BendBroadband has entered into a partnership with SubscriberWise, a provider of analytics-driven subscriber risk management, to provide powerful rules and decision analytics. This partnership comes at a time when the Oregon-based operator is heading towards all-digital television by the end of December 2008.

 

In May, SubscriberWise announced it had been selected by GLDS to fully integrate decision analytics within the company's WinCable subscriber management and billing software. Now, the company is welcoming BendBroadband to the growing list of operators across the nation, looking for the state-of-the-art solutions through an objective and customizable approach and against a background of tough economic times. As SubscriberWise was looking to provide the best risk management solutions for operators, the company the company could evolve SubscriberWise through a partnership with Massillon Cable TV over a period of many years. The evolution now continues with BendBroadband.

 

While pursuing aggressive marketing tactics in an increasingly competitive market, SubscriberWise has given Massillon Cable TV an opportunity to confidently implement a system of identity verification and appropriate security deposits. As SubscriberWise provides instant decisions, every prospective customer gets a fair and equal chance. The company’s investment in expensive equipment is protected by deposits when appropriate. The company relies on accurate customer information for its collection and recovery efforts to be successful. Also, the marketing efforts by the company are improved by instantly recognizing the very best prospects.

 

“Times have changed dramatically for the cable industry,” explained John Farwell, vice president of operations, BendBroadband. “We’ve gone from a single service to the triple play and from little to no equipment to putting several hundred dollars to a thousand dollars of equipment in customer’s homes with DVR and HD set tops and MTAs. With our move to all digital we are facing a dramatic increase in risk of bad debt and unreturned equipment losses.

 

“The alternatives are to accept this as an added cost of business, or to take proactive steps to prevent the loss via qualifying subscribers and requiring deposits where it makes sense. We’re delighted to partner with SubscriberWise and implement a tool that we believe will be both efficient and cost effective at minimizing bad debt,” explained Farwell.