Fetch TV Strategies, Strategic Issues and Recommendations - Case Study Example

FETCH TV STRATEGIES, STRATEGIC ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by Student’s Name Code + Course Name Professor University City/State Date Fetch TV Strategies, strategic Issues and Recommendations The 21st century has brought a dawn to technological expertise and improvement of existing technology that has made life easier for some, as it has brought with it convenience in terms of entertainment and other daily needs. Fetch TV has not been left behind in the technological revolution since it has continued to broadcast its quality programs to clients and has been involved in strategies aimed at improving its service provision to the viewers. Fetch TV has adopted various sales strategies aimed at offering exceptional programs and increasing its viewership. First is by making the viewer choose any program they want, whenever they need to. Its user guide allows the users to do the installation on themselves without challenges. The systematic procedure is easy to use and has free to air channels provision. The free to air channels enable those without the ability of monthly subscription to enjoy its services at the comfort of their houses. The free to air channels ensures that the numbers of viewers is many and are fetched from all classes in the society. People living in apartments can access fetch TV since it does not use satellite dishes. Fetch TV is partnering with the world leading providers of media and entertainment services in order to reach a universal audience. Such collaborations will popularize the services of Fetch TV, which will lead to multiples in growth. From 2014 going forward, Fetch aims at increasing the number of channels and more ways of accessing their services and the capacity to buy trendy shows. To advance its’ growth and expansion in the current market, fetch Tv is collaborating with main Hollywood studios and local vendors. This collaboration will ensure that many new movies will be made locally and internationally available to fans, and increase movie rentals that mean expanded business for the TV channel. This partnership will make Fetch TV more prominent universally due to the provision of quality films. With the ability to choose a video from Fetch movie library, there will not be worries of late fees. Fetch movies offer customer friendly packages on a monthly rate and upon demand. Availability of Fetch TV in both Optus and iinet, which are Australia’s most renowned IPS s exposes it a very large audience, which means a larger viewership of its programs. Coordination with prominent movie studios like Disney and Sony has also increased customer’s interests in movies as Fetch always has the latest movies, meaning that customers do not need to look elsewhere for them since they are readily available at Fetch’s. Fetch TV is working on introducing a sky player service, which lead to an increased number of aired channels and an expanded library over a short period, and allowing for channeling of over-the top BBC programs. Although there have previously been fears that increase in online website contents will make people migrate to online videos instead of the ones they are used to in the normal TV schedules. Fetch TV selects the best programs in favor of the consumers to ensure that there is consistency and efficiency that meets customer demands. Efficiency also allows the customers to access programs from integrated from different sources united by fetch TV that means ease of access to customers. The wide variety in content gives clients value for their purchase as the programs offer maximum entertainment channels and quality of the programs (Pan 2010, p. 4). Fetch TV introduced an advanced Graphical user interface (GUI) which meant more channels and more movies. Fetch TV is streamlining live coverage that will pave a way for TV evolution. In sports where the biggest challenge is felt, fetch TV will be able to compete through live coverage through working on technological capacity. Under the current target market, Fetch TV has expanded its viewership by attracting different ethnic groups within Australia through provision of movies and films that are acted from different and diverse languages. Attracting different ethnic groups will capture a large number of viewership ranging from the old to young. To attain the target strategies of expanding their market, Fetch TV has made available Mandarin, Filipino, Korean, and Bollywood movies (Richards 2012). Fetch TV will not only be popular in Australia but to other countries that are fans of such movies. This agreement has provided more than 1000 movie titles for clients to lease. Fetch TV’s approach of multicultural programming is essential in reaching out and appealing to the different cultures found in Australia and all other places that can be accessed by Fetch TV. Multicultural programming will increase interactivity among the different cultures especially with airing of games and social media interactions. Fetch TV has continually expanded its locality through westnet, internodes among other media. The problem with the expanded locality is that their connection has been found to be weak with many clients complaining of fluctuations in connectivity. Fetch TV continues to meet major milestones as it continues to appeal for more customer numbers. As Skinner and Hattersley reported in an analysis (2011), the launching of Samsung and Panasonic applications by Fetch TV enabled users to access its contents directly, on their TVs that had internet connections. The launch increased the number of programs that customers could access. The firm is further expanding its contents to provide a variety from which its consumers can choose. For example, with the introduction of ovation and Sentanta sports, that provides a wide coverage of soccer activities and rugby events give the consumers varied options to make a choice from. On the current promotional strategies, Fetch TV is investing millions of dollars in creating awareness and increasing the level of membership for those who have subscribed to their services. These members will have access to digital recording machines that can help them get access to internet based television services that are usually viewed on prepaid terms (Davidson 2013­). The firm’s advancement is also based on a strategy comprising of combined attractive bundles from both their ISP partners. The bundles service has been coupled with a strong customer foundation that is built on the promotion that has been achieved by word of mouth. The introduction of pay-per-view movies by Fetch TV has enabled client to pay their charges later after they have used the services. The service brings with it convenience to the consumer whereby they do not have to worry of impromptu service cut-off due to non-payment. These tactics has led to substantial growth with the ISPs bundling the firm’s products and the management working on the marketing strategies. Fetch TV has invested lump sums in an effort to double subscription numbers that will act as a significant milestone in making it a sales and marketing firm by the end of 2014. The higher the level of advocacy and marketing done, the higher the amount of returns that will be accrued. Investing in emerging technology will offer a platform for a completely new customer experience that will persuade them that services offered by fetch TV are up to date with modern innovations. Another promotional activity by fetch TV to publicize its business is by the use of email campaigns. The emails are sent to clients to explain what new services are all about which captivates more of the viewers and at the same time introduces them to new services being offered. This creation of knowledge raises publicity that in turn increases the customer base (Davidson 2013­). Increasing customer base goes a long way in building confidence of its new associates. Fetch TV has engaged raising awareness through the word of mouth programs too that seeks to make clients aware of improvements on services offered and on the advantages of using fetch TV as a media of choice. As a promotional strategy, Fetch TV is working in partnership with Australia’s highly creative firm that introduced the ISPs (Fetch Press Releases n.d). The partnership has created a breed of products that the customers are enjoying. These services have been available without the customers incurring high expenses to access them. Coordination with prominent movie studios like Disney and Sony has also increased customer’s interests in movies as Fetch always has the latest movies, meaning that customers do not need to look elsewhere for them since they are readily available at Fetch’s. Fetch TV is working on increasing the variety of services to customers including games, TV channels, and diversifying each of the above to reach the highest number of subscribers. The expanded business will ensure that content owners also reach a larger market. Increased services without satisfying customers with the existing services raises the question of how competitive fetch TV will be in ensuring that all the services introduced will be accessible to the clients. To counter the stiff competition in the market, fetch TV has continued to increase the number of channels that can be accessed by subscribers so that they can choose from a variety of channels that which appeals to them. Additional programs have been put in place including children’s programs and music channels. The additional program will diversify and increase customer base. On the recent strategic changes made, Sinclair (2013) elaborates on the decision by Fetch TV of selling the pay-TV lite creation to retailers in the shortest time possible. The decision to sell its creation came after an improvement on its service meaning that more subscribers would have more faith on the product. This improvement would reduce reliance on partners alone in marketing their service and will help moderate the services cost on the consumers. Fetch TV has brought in a fresh set top box and the introduction of an advanced consumer interface, and also partnering with android gadgets to allow people to make movie purchases and also watch TV from their mobile phones. Mobile phone access will provide ease of accessibility in that the client can access news and movies anywhere as long as they have their gadgets with them. Portability is also reduced since mobile phones are more portable as compared to using computers or from a TV set. Since people have become too hooked into phones, fetch TV gains an extra public by bringing its services closer to people through access on mobile gadgets. The ability to moderately sensor the information aired on their channels has enabled Fetch TV to present progressive and improved shows that are user friendly continually. The ability to watch from mobile phones brings the benefit of watching channels from anywhere, and at the same time, varied gadgets are able to air different issues at a go. With the Fetch service, the client can browse through the channels and control recordings. It is easier to put up recordings and it becomes more convenient in using Wi-Fi while at home. Fetch TV also issues warnings on data usage, which helps monitor the amount of data in use (Tan 2013). Fetch TV aims at increasing efficiency in service delivery through the introduction of the improved user interface and through an incorporation of additional free to air channels. Additionally, focuses on increasing the number of movie rentals and new titles from the most prominent studios, which will captivate more clients. The ability of Fetch TV to do online news and service delivery has made it possible for clients’ timetables to be suited to what they need to watch or listen to as it becomes easier to reply the program that one may have missed out. This service delivery has made watching more convenient and users are able to access the services on their own conditions. Despite the ongoing sharing of customers in the market, fetch TV has done a lot in ensuring standardization of media streamlines through conducting of customer ratings to determine client preferences. These ratings have enabled Fetch TV to diversify their services to meet a diverse client base (Balnaves, O’regan & Goldsmith 2011, p.245). The rating will also enable Fetch TV to devise strategies for promoting their services. Challenges Fetch TV is facing Fetch TV gets much competition from rival IPTV competitors like Telstra that for a long time has monopolized the pay-lite customers with their product the T-box. Foxtel has made an entry into the IPTV industry thus raising the number of competitors. The firm is set to receive much completion from the Nine Entertainment Co, which will launch and major in video-on-demand services that the consumers will have to subscribe to (Davidson 2013­). The situation will even be worse as the Nine Entertainment Co plans to partner with other firms who have specialized on free to air services, a situation that may prove a competitive hurdle for Fetch TV. It has been pointed out that fetch TV lack quality live sport which becomes a challenge when persuading clients to buy their product. Customers expect a premium service for the package they are paying for. Failure to provide quality services all round including live coverage of sports from different areas as they happen will limit the number of subscribers. With the highest of maximizing its profits by winning a higher clientele, the station has to ensure that it beats the products and services offered by the station and acquire a competitive advantage over its rival. Its products and services have to be way above the other and maintained consumer-centered products and services. The situation in the market has led to the formation of a partnership with other firm to remain relevant and win a wide market share. Partnerships have proved to be very costly for the firm. In addition, so many costs have been incurred in doing researches at the time of forming the partnerships. This partnership may not only influence the operations of the firms but also interfere with the management models and the products the firm offers. For example, the researches that were carried prior to the software-based systems that were used to allow the firm to secure a wide spectrum of the TV subscribers involved many expenses on the part of the firm. Technological inventions and innovations are emerging each day. The firm incurs more expenses to updated their technology and the interconnect connections. There has been a growing rate of pirating in the TV shows. The pirating business has gone has far as forgery of the latest ads on movies and other online TV products. Piracy is posing a long-term threat for the affected firms.   According to Groves (2014), the main challenge that Fetch TV is facing is that of creating an increased awareness in the market as well as understanding what their customer interests are. Having the product is not enough. The firm has to move to the growing market, win, and establish a strong customer base. In addition, the process of seeking as many subscriptions as there can be has made fetch compromise its customer services and handling of connection instability issues has not been satisfactory. Their network stability standard still wants (Gerrand 2011, p. 542). There is a need to involve consumers in decision-making directly and closely, and one way of doing this is by quick response to customer complaints. Recommendations for Fetch TV The Fetch TV firm can remain relevant, fight for its share of the market by acquiring other novice stations, and ensure that the views do not incur expenses on subscriptions. These channels can specialize in unoccupied market segments like dances. For example, the management can focus on suiting the music MTV channel dance. Devise means to ensure prompt response to consumer complaints. Further, clear and consistent pricing of services to retain more consumers with an eye on keen monitoring of consumer satisfaction level and needs through conducting surveys in medium durations to enhance effectiveness need to be prioritized. Fetch TV should aim at partnering with the world leading providers of media and entertainment services in order to reach a universal audience. Such collaborations will popularize the services of Fetch TV which will lead to multiples in growth. Fetch’s aim should be increasing the number of channels and more ways of accessing their services and also capability to buy trendy shows. This will go a long way in winning and retaining potency in clientele in the ever growing competitive business world. Collaborations are crucial in subduing a wide market share. Fetch TV should increase efficiency in service delivery through the introduction of an improved user interface and through incorporation of additional free to air channels. Fetch should also focus on increasing the number of movie rentals and new titles from the most prominent studios, which will captivate more clients. A great deal of clientele and especially the young spend most of their time watching movies. Putting a lot of emphasis on movies distribution will capture many customers. Fetch TV should also focus on increasing the number of channels and more ways of accessing their services so that clients are able to buy trendy products. They should also aim at international audience coverage not just local and regional clients. Reference List Balnaves, M., O'Regan, T & Goldsmith, B 2011, Rating the audience: The business of media, Bloomsbury Academic, London Davidson, D 2013, ‘Fetch muscles up before a Foxtel grab’, The Australian Media, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/fetch-muscles-up-before-a-foxtel-grab/story-e6frg996-1226783596644 Fetch TV gears for growth n.d, Fetch TV Press Releases, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://www.fetchtv.com.au/press-release/fetchtv-gears-for-growth Gerrand, P 2011, Unacceptable Network Quality of Service: Why Industry Self Regulation Is Not Working, Telecommunications Journal of Australia, vol. 61, pp. 4 Groves, D 2014, Fetch TV makes “pay lite” in Australia, Screen Print, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://screen-print.net.au/features.php?feat_id=59 Pan, H 2010, ‘IPTV Monthly Newsletter’, Internet Protocol Television, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=kdJgGiEIYrYC&pg=PA4&dq=fetch+tv&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1XOEU4SGEvT34QSEjYCoCg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=fetch%20tv&f=fals Richards, D 2012, Fetch TV Challenges The Telstra Foxtel Content. Channel News, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://www.channelnews.com.au/content_and_management/iptv/R7V9J5G6.asp8 Sinclair, L 2013, ‘Fetch TV goes over-the-top and in stores’, The Australian Media, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/fetch-tv-goes-over-the-top-and-in-stores/story-e6frg996-1226712158499# Skinner, C & Hattersley, R 2011, ‘FetchTV launches app for Panasonic and Samsung net-connected TVs’, Tech Advisor, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/digital-home/3322543/fetchtv-launches-app-for-panasonic-samsung-net-connected-tvs/ Tan, J 2013, ‘The Power is in your hands: iinet TV Goes Mobile’, iinet, Viewed 27 May 2014 http://blog.iinet.net.au/power-hands-iinet-tv-mobile/ Read More