Foxtel First launch to reward loyal customers

Foxtel is rolling out a tenure-based customer loyalty program as part of wider efforts to strengthen its offering.

Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany is preparing for the launch of Foxtel First, a loyalty program for Foxtel customers. Picture: Britta Campion

Foxtel is rolling out a tenure-based customer loyalty program as part of wider efforts to strengthen the pay-television group’s offering, amid rising competition.

The loyalty program, called Foxtel First, will be based on four levels of continuous customer tenure, with each level automatically unlocking exclusive offers to sporting events, cinema and Foxtel’s extensive entertainment ­offering.

The launch comes three months after Foxtel overhauled its operations as a one-stop premium television and streaming hub by upgrading its platform and adding Netflix and SBS content. It has also supercharged its entertainment and sporting line-up, including matches in 4K, and rolled out its new-look platform via their iQ set-top boxes.

US heavyweights Apple and Disney are set to enter the crowded Australian streaming market, which includes Nine Entertainment’s Stan and Foxtel’s Foxtel Now and Kayo, with their own propositions. Apple TV+ is set to launch on Friday, while Disney+ will debut on November 19.

Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany said Foxtel First was part of extensive work done by his team over the past 18 months to make the platform “stronger and a better consumer proposition”.

“We’re known for our sport. We strengthened sport last year with cricket and with 4K for the first time in this country,” Mr Delany told The Australian.

“We’ve been buying up more and more quality drama, and getting all of the video-on-demand so you see four seasons in stacks; we’re good in lifestyle and many other genres. We launched our iQ4, which is important, because that brings it all together, and more recently, we did the new Foxtel experience, which is the interface.”

About a year ago, Foxtel started proactively using its data to reach customers, ensuring they were on the right package and happy with the service, Mr Delany said.

“This program is to reward customers,” he said. “From the moment you join you get a reward, but if you have been with us for more than 15 years, you get bigger rewards. So whenever we have new hardware, you will get automatically upgraded … we have a whole litany of things and they range from exclusive concepts and tickets to new remote controls, new set-tops, gifting of content.”

Foxtel First will be free and available to residential customers with a Foxtel set-top box on Wednesday. Once Foxtel customers sign up, they will receive a free movie as a welcome gift.

Foxtel is majority-owned by News Corp Australia, publisher of The Australian.