Offering TV programming at your business can be a valuable perk to your customers. And, depending on what type of business you have, it can greatly impact your customer experience—from giving them something engaging to watch while they wait to showing the exact TV show they’re eager to watch (think World Series).

 

But once you have the right business TV package, the next question is, how do you determine the right TV programming at the right time?

 

Here are three tips:

 

  1. Know your audience.

 

What your customers prefer to watch on TV will largely depend on what they’re there to do. If you have a sports bar—or are trying to attract a sports-watching crowd—you’ll obviously want to play major sporting events and news. Some bars and restaurants aim to become the “home base” for fans of a particular sport or team. So, if your restaurant is trying to attract, say, Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fans, you’ll want to make sure to play all of those teams’ games 

 

On the other hand, if you have a hair salon or auto body shop with a less-focused audience, finding the right programming can be trickier because customers are watching TV simply to bide their time. You could do a quick customer survey (either online or offline) to find out what kind of programming your customers would appreciate most.

 

Some businesses may want to show TV tied to what they do or the ambiance they’re trying to create. For example, a veterinarian clinic might choose to keep their TVs on a channel like Animal Planet or Pets.tv, while a golf course might choose the Golf Channel. If parents often bring their kids and need to entertain them, the Disney Channel or another kids-focused channel may be the right fit.

 

  1. Consider the time of day.

 

The time of day can affect what kind of TV programming customers will want to watch. Morning hours, for example, can be the prime time to show news or weather—as customers want to know what’s in store for the day ahead. The afternoon hours may be better suited for more casual lifestyle content, while evening may be a better fit for sports or national news shows.

 

You can create a daily TV programming schedule for your business, changing the channel throughout the day.

 

  1. Be flexible.

 

Consider that your customers and other guests wil have their own preferences when it comes to TV viewing. Some will prefer a particular cable news station, and others will prefer another. And while you can’t always make everyone happy, flexibility can help.

 

Spectrum Business TV lets businesses customize TV packages based on their customer preferences—such as by offering regional sports coverage—but also provides packages with a variety of channels so that businesses can offer a wide range of programming for their customers. Spectrum Business TV streaming packages also allow customers to use the Spectrum Business app to view whatever channel they prefer on their personal devices.

 

Kam Talebi, co-founder and CEO of a Minnesota-based restaurant chain, including The Butcher’s Tale in downtown Minneapolis, says the TVs in his bar areas generally show sports programming, but the staff also let customers request TV programming. 

 

“We keep our bar televisions on ESPN and change them to live games as necessary,” Talebi says. “Other than that, we accommodate customer requests as they come in. Business travelers have different tastes in what they like to watch, and we are happy to help them.”  

Spectrum Business offers a wide range of business TV packages so you can customize a channel lineup for your needs. This fall, bars and restaurants can access our special NFL Thursday Night Football promotion. Want to learn more? Contact us at 855-299-9353.

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