When you think of companies that put customers first with innovative solutions and personalized service, the wireless industry probably isn’t your first thought.
But Mint Mobile is on a mission to change the traditional model and buck industry trends in the name of better service and innovation.
Mint Mobile’s core mission is to provide affordable wireless service to customers. And one of the main ways it does that is with a unique direct-to-consumer model. While most other carriers have thousands of retail locations, Mint doesn’t have a single store. Aron North, Mint Mobile’s Chief Marketing Officer, says the company is always looking for the most efficient way to bring the product to customers and create an enhanced experience in a digital ecosystem.
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Mint’s unique strategy is evident in everything it does, starting with its products. Instead of SIM cards and products that require customers to come into a store, Mint created e-SIM cards that are embedded into the phone and can change without ever being removed. Embracing the digital side of business leads to efficiency that resonates with customers and removes numerous pain points.
But perhaps more than the products, Mint bucks industry trends by moving quickly and staying close to customers. North says the company’s marketing campaigns and overall strategy start by considering what’s happening with customers. In contrast, most other wireless companies focus on what’s happening with their product and service. When other carriers were raising prices due to inflation, Mint rolled out a “deflation” marketing campaign and went from idea to creation within days. Instead of getting caught up in red tape, the idea is to experiment and grow with customers.
North says Mint Mobile has many things that are inherently backward in a good way for customers. Most wireless companies push unlimited data, but North says customers don’t need it. Instead of moving customers toward a higher-priced service, Mint emails each customer 90 days after they set up service with details of how many minutes and data they used, along with a recommendation to increase or decrease their service tier. The company has customers’ best interests at heart, even if that means customers pay them less.
Mint Mobile also goes against industry trends by moving quickly and not getting caught up in superfluous details. The customer-centric culture encourages employees to experiment and try new things that could resonate with customers and set the brand apart. As North says, if the brand loses, it learns. And if it wins, it scales.
Mint Mobile shows that companies don’t have to do things the way they’ve always been done. Innovating and finding new ways to put customers first can lead to major disruption and success.
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Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist and the bestselling author of The Customer of the Future. For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.