Many Webroot customers have been impacted by the recent macOS upgrade. The ‘lucky ones’ have had to wait to upgrade to Catalina, but kept their Webroot ‘protection’. In contrast, the ‘unlucky ones’ upgraded when Catalina was initially released, and consequently lost their Webroot protection. The customers in the latter group unknowingly upgraded to Catalina, because Webroot failed to warn them about their incompatibility issue in a timely manner. These customers have been without Webroot ‘protection’ for the last month, and counting.  

Let’s focus on the customers in the ‘unlucky/latter’ group.

It is a ‘given’ that Webroot should compensate these subscribers for ‘lost’ days. We should not, frankly, have to pay for days that we did not receive ‘protection’. Accordingly, customers that remain with Webroot should have these days credited to their accounts. Conversely, customers that decide to leave Webroot should have these days added to their refunds. 

Note – I know that Webroot normally has a 70-day refund policy. This, however, is CLEARLY not a normal situation. As such, allowances need to be made. Specifically, the refund guidelines need to be ‘loosened’ for impacted customers that want to discontinue their relationship with Webroot. It is, after all, not the customers fault that Webroot is unable to provide ‘protection’.  

Now to the brainstorming …

In addition to compensating customers for ‘lost’ days, Webroot should be seriously considering a program designed to rebuild some goodwill. Bluntly, this will be necessary to promote customer retention. To date, Webroot has made no announcement regarding any such programs. So, let’s assume that they are ‘working on it’. More proactively, let’s provide some ‘input/suggestions’ for their consideration.

Guideline #1 – Keep it ‘constructive/actionable’. Webroot cannot change what has already happened, but they can, and hopefully will, do something at service restoration. 

Guideline #2 – Keep it ‘feasible/reasonable’. Webroot cannot, for example, offer $1,000.00 checks.  

I will start. 

I propose that Webroot award customers that remain three extra subscription days for each ‘lost’ day. This means a total of four days for each ‘lost’ day (i.e., one as direct compensation for services not rendered, and three as a retention incentive).     

Let’s hear it. More importantly, let Webroot management hear it. What do YOU suggest?

 Note to Webroot Management – I sincerely hope that you are ‘working on’ a program similar to this ‘proposal/discussion’. Assuming that you are, it is rational to compile a list of impacted customers. This will enable you to quantify the cost of any prospective program. It will also allow you to effectively limit the program to ‘eligible/impacted’ subscribers.