HBO Now came out tops in SVOD customer satisfaction across 11 of 14 categories among subscription streaming VOD (SVOD) service providers covered in market research released by Strategy Analytics Jan. 19.
HBO Now earned the highest SVOD customer satisfaction scores in all but three of the key attributes Strategy Analytics measured: the number of and availability of TV shows and films; how easy it is to find them, and overall service value, according to a news release.
SVOD customers rated Netflix highest when it came to content recommendations and subscription cost. Hulu outscored competing SVOD service providers on availability of children’s programming, according to Strategy Analytics’ “SVOD Customer Satisfaction Study.” Also notable, Hulu bested Netflix in six of the 14 customer satisfaction categories. Amazon Prime ranked at the bottom in all 14.
SVOD Customer Satisfaction
Drilling down into HBO Now’s customer satisfaction rating, the content provider’s SVOD service rated especially high with respect to the availability of current and past season’s TV shows and the number of hit movies and original programs on offer.
“HBO Now has successfully positioned itself as a go-to-service for quality programs, especially movies,” commented Strategy Analytics’ Digital Media Strategies analyst Zhaowen Wu in a press release. “Though HBO Now has a much smaller library than other SVOD services, it has more blockbuster movies and hit series such as Game of Thrones and Westworld.”
All that said, Netflix came out on top when SVOD subscribers were asked to give SVOD services a single, overall satisfaction rating. Hulu followed in second, edging out HBO Now.
“When considering the bigger picture, Netflix clearly benefits from its brand ‘halo’ whilst HBO Now suffers from a negative association with cable’s legacy issues,” Digital Media Strategies Director Michael Goodman explained.
“[H]owever, once one gets into the weeds, the reality is that HBO subscribers are the most satisfied with nearly all elements that make up a strong SVOD service.”
