CASE STUDY
Switched on: Winning and keeping broadband customers on the move
How a broadband provider turned home mover data into a retention and acquisition strategy.
The client
A leading UK broadband provider with over 1.5 million residential customers was facing increasing competition from challenger brands and full-fibre providers entering key regional markets.
While the client had strong brand awareness and a competitive product portfolio, customer churn remained a challenge, particularly when customers moved home. Internal analysis showed that many customers failed to notify the provider of their move and often switched to a competitor during the relocation process.
At the same time, the business was looking for more targeted ways to acquire high-value households without increasing spend on mass-market acquisition channels.
What they wanted to achieve
The client had three key objectives:
1. Retain existing customers during a home move
Moving home is a major trigger for switching broadband providers. The client wanted to identify existing customers who were planning to move and engage them before competitors could win their business.
2. Acquire new customers in eligible properties
The business wanted to reach households that were moving into areas where its broadband and fibre services were available, introducing the brand at a time when consumers were actively making utility and connectivity decisions.
3. Deliver a measurable return on marketing investment
With pressure on acquisition costs, the client needed a highly targeted campaign that would generate clear, attributable results and outperform traditional digital prospecting channels.
Our approach
We developed a data-driven direct mail programme powered by verified home mover intelligence.
Identifying home movers
Using regularly refreshed home mover data, we identified households that had either recently moved or were due to move within the next 15 days.
The audience was segmented into two key groups:
- Existing customers approaching a move date
- Prospective customers moving into broadband-enabled locations
Retention strategy
For existing customers, personalised direct mail packs were delivered before the moving date. Messaging focused on:
- Taking broadband with them to their new home
- Fast and hassle-free transfer of services
- Avoiding installation delays
- Exclusive loyalty offers and upgrades
This enabled the client to engage customers before they began comparing alternative providers.
Acquisition strategy
For prospects, targeted direct mail introduced the broadband provider as a trusted connectivity partner for their new home.
The creative highlighted:
- Fibre availability at the new property
- Competitive introductory pricing
- Simple switching processes
- New customer incentives
Each communication included personalised URLs, QR codes and promotional codes to enable accurate campaign tracking.
Testing and optimisation
The campaign was continuously optimised through:
- Offer testing
- Creative testing
- Geographic segmentation
This allowed the client to maximise response rates and improve return on investment throughout the campaign.
The outcome
Over a two-month campaign period, the programme delivered strong results across both retention and acquisition objectives.
Retention results
- 30,000 existing customer home movers identified
- 15.8% response rate from retention mailings
- 4,800 customers successfully retained during their move
- 31% reduction in move-related customer churn
- Estimated retained annual revenue of £1.7 million
Acquisition results
- 95,000 prospective home mover households targeted
- 6.4% response rate
- 3,850 new broadband customers acquired
- Cost per acquisition 24% lower than paid digital channels
- New customer revenue valued at £1.3 million over the first contract term
Overall campaign impact
- Over 8,600 customer conversions generated
- Combined revenue impact of £3 million
- Return on marketing investment of 11:1
- Direct mail became a core component of the client’s home mover marketing strategy
Testimonial
From the client’s mouth
By leveraging home mover data, we were able to engage customers at exactly the right moment in their decision-making journey. The campaign not only reduced churn among existing customers but also delivered a highly efficient source of new customer acquisition. The results exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the value of targeted direct mail in a competitive broadband market.
Own the move. Own the customer.
The home mover moment is predictable, measurable and profitable. If you’re ready to turn home mover insight into growth, book a demo or speak to our team to see how Data Heads can help you acquire, retain and protect more customers.