Akers Avis Groruddalen: Building Loyalty through Personal Communication

With Infosoft and Make, subscribers get an informed, warm, and predictable start.

The Need for a Better Start

When Akers Avis Groruddalen looked at how new subscribers were greeted, they felt something was missing in the first interaction. The order was registered, but there was no personal welcome from the newspaper.

• We wanted people to receive a personalized message from us upon ordering a subscription. A friendly welcome, a way to start the dialogue, says Managing Director Øystein Kielland.

From Idea to Integration 

Øystein met Thomas Isegg, CCO at Infosoft, at an event in March, where he explained what they wanted to achieve.

Since Akers Avis Groruddalen already used Make for newsletters, they agreed that it would be ideal if Make were integrated with Infosoft. That way, emails could be sent based on subscriber behavior. 

• We wanted a solution that would give subscribers a better experience, while at the same time making it easier for us to follow up, says Øystein Kielland.

Once contacted, Make immediately took on the project and ran it as a development initiative over the summer. By August, Øystein saw the first welcome messages being sent through the integration.

How the Solution Works

When a customer orders a subscription online, an automatic process in Infosoft is triggered, sending data to Make. Shortly after, the subscriber receives a welcome message that includes:

• •Confirmation of the purchase
• •What the subscription includes
• •Tips on how to read the news via the app, newsletter, or paper

• It’s a pleasant way to start the customer relationship. We establish contact quickly, and it provides added value for the customer, says Øystein.

Event-Based Communication

The welcome is only the beginning. The integration makes it possible to build an ongoing and targeted dialogue with subscribers:

• •Newsletters and information tailored to different segments
• •Reminders when promotional periods are about to end
• •Follow-ups that make the customer journey predictable

• Many sign up for an offer, and then the subscription automatically switches to a regular price. We believe it’s only fair to inform customers along the way, to avoid unpleasant surprises, says Øystein.

Multiple Communication Flows

Plans are also in place to set up dedicated communication flows for customers who change their subscription and for those who cancel.

The newspaper will create the templates in Make themselves and build rule sets for what should be sent in different situations. Frequency and content are adjusted along the way.

• It works, and it benefits both the newspaper and the customers, says Øystein.

Results and the Road Ahead

The first experiences show that the solution helps create a closer relationship with subscribers. Customers receive confirmations, guidance, and follow-ups, while the newspaper builds loyalty.

• Good service, transparancy, openness, and predictability. We believe that’s something subscribers value, says Øystein.

Akers Avis Groruddalen now plans to further develop its communication with more event-based flows and more segmented newsletters. The goal is clear: more satisfied subscribers and stronger ties to the newspaper.