Dear Netflix, I want to let you know that I support the fact that you recently announced that you need to increase your rates, you have every right to do so. However, due to your serious lack of content on Instant play, you're forcing a digital-forward guy like myself to go back in time and use discs again. I don't get it. Would it not make more sense to give folks who want to be fully streaming a way to supplement your extreme lack of streaming content via discs without having to have two full, separate and equally-expensive plans?
The choice to separate these plans is a clear step backwards in the way I live my digital life style. In the past, I've converted many friends to your service, mainly due to how progressive you've been. I can no longer claim that, I will no longer refer you and it honestly saddens me. In fact, this act has forced me (one of your past tried and true brand evangelists) to sincerely apologize to multiple recent referrals who made large scale hardware investments and content service changes (at my behest) based on your previous set up. It really put me in quite an embarrassing position.
In September, we will only be accessing the disc delivery portion of your services because we love exceptional content. We've very much enjoyed many of the docs, foreign films and TV programming you have on Instant, however we like great, mainstream flicks as well. So you have relegated us to discs yet again. Please figure out a way for a digital-forward customer like me (who has an iPhone and an iPad and also loves exceptional quality content with access to anything and everything) to use all of your services without enrolling in separately managed programs that do not currently equal one another in quality of selection.
Just let me be clear. I (and probably everyone else out there) get that your rates will inevitably go up over time. I do not have issue with that. But again, due to your overwhelming lack of quality content on Instant play, you are currently not in a position to separate your plans (as though they are equal to one another) and attempt to position it as a benefit to me. It's actually a massive inconvenience.
Here's a quick take-it-or-leave-it suggestion: if you have to separate the two plans for structural reasons or whatever, fine. But for those of us who want and use both services in order to supplement each other, give us a slight discount for using both. It would seriously help soften the blow of a price increase in these bleak economic times.
One final thought. Just be awesome. If you strive to look at your customer and PR choices through the lens of 'awesomeness' you won't run into this type of bizzaro snafu again. Cuz let's be brutally honest here, this recent announcement is not awesome.
Sincerely,
Kyality
