AOL also plans an infomercial and a syndicated cable-TV show. Company execs are devising ways to walk recruits through their first AOL session. AOL has also started giving customer-service agents a bonus for each customer they talk out of canceling. Before, when a subscriber canceled, no questions were asked. AOL hopes such hand-holding will help prevent new users from giving up in frustration and make AOL more attractive than the chaotic Internet.
Case says such efforts are already paying off.
But it will hardly eliminate the threat from the Net. Cutthroat price competition will only intensify. And the Net is becoming a much friendlier place. Companies such as Time Warner Inc. and Individual Inc. are offering personalized views of their content on the Net, based on a Web surfer's interests. Startups such as Pointcast are even sending custom content directly to subscribers' PCs.