Retention on Call: How Picking Up the Phone Can Save Your Subscribers

Subscription Box Answers

In this episode of Subscription Box Answers, we dive deep into one of the most impactful strategies for improving retention rates in your subscription box business: picking up the phone and talking directly to your customers. As we move into 2025, keeping customers happy and subscribed for longer is more critical than ever, especially after the holiday season when many new customers come on board. Reducing churn and increasing retention can significantly boost profitability, reduce customer acquisition costs, and create a more sustainable business.

I share a proven strategy we implemented at BusterBox mid-2024, where my business partners and I personally called customers who were set to cancel. This approach helped us gather valuable feedback, address individual concerns, and ultimately save hundreds of customers who would have otherwise left. We tailored solutions to common cancellation reasons—offering heavy chewer plans, bi-monthly subscriptions, or temporary skips—to meet their needs and keep them subscribed. Over six weeks, we saved more than 400 customers, translating to a significant boost in revenue and retention.

We also discuss how to scale this process, including creating scripts, identifying winning offers, and eventually delegating the task to employees. Beyond saving cancellations, we’ve also seen success with reactivating former customers and upselling premium products by phone. While this approach requires effort and resources, the results are undeniable—calling your customers can improve retention, provide critical insights, and even uncover new opportunities to grow your business.

Whether you’re just starting out or managing a larger subscription box company, this episode will give you actionable tips on how and when to use phone calls effectively. If you’ve ever been hesitant to reach out to your customers directly, I’ll walk you through why it’s worth the effort and how to get started.
If you have a question you want answered on the show head over to www.SubscriptionBoxResources.com. Join the FREE Facebook group and post your question there.

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1. Retention on Call: How Picking Up the Phone Can Save Your Subscribers (00:00:00)

2. Improving Subscription Box Retention Rates (00:00:01)

3. Continuing Growth and Audience Engagement (00:11:49)