通過心理學看爲什麼消費者肯原諒Netflix娛樂公司

Online video streaming service Netflix recently reported that profits more than doubled during the last quarter. This not only says a lot about how the company managed to turn itself around, it also reveals a profound truth about the overall tech industry: When a company builds and dominates a big new market, customers want it to succeed and will rally behind it even when it screws up.

在線視頻流媒體服務商Netflix 最近報告稱，上個季度公司利潤增加了一倍多。這不僅證實這家公司已經一舉扭轉頹勢，而且也爲整個高科技產業揭示了一個深刻的道理：當一家公司建立並主導一個巨大的新市場時，消費者希望它成功，願意團結在它周圍，即使這家公司有搞砸的時候。

Just three years ago, Netflix monumentally muffed up when it tried to split off DVD rentals from streaming and raise prices. But by then, Netflix had created a strong new market category and ecosystem around streaming movies – a new form of entertainment delivery that had never existed before.

就在三年前，Netflix犯了一個值得銘記的錯：該公司試圖從流媒體中剝離DVD出租業務，並開始漲價。但到那時爲止，Netflix已經圍繞流媒體電影構建了一個強大的全新市場類別和生態系統——一種前所未有的娛樂產品分發形式。

What happened next is a story of forgiveness and redemption; a love story between the customers of a whole new service that Netflix dominated.

接下來發生的是一個寬恕和救贖的故事；或者說是一個愛情故事，主角就是那些享受由Netflix主宰的全新服務的消費者們。

In the late ‘90s, the company did what legendary tech startups do. It stormed incumbent kingdoms with compelling new technology and a new business model. It used the Web versus physical stores as its channel to customers and transformed video rentals into a monthly service. With no late fees. As a result, Netflix changed the way customers perceived value with a different approach to media consumption. This original strategy created a new market for DVD subscriptions. This simple and powerful idea crushed Blockbuster Video.

在上世紀90年代末，Netflix剛創立時一如所有傳奇科技創業公司那樣，它攜引人注目的新技術和全新商業模式橫空出世，在市場上引起了一輪風暴。它使用網絡使用網絡作爲連接客戶的渠道，挑戰實體店，把視頻租賃轉化爲一種按月繳費的服務。無需滯納金。結果，Netflix以一種不同的媒體消費方式改變了顧客感知價值的方式。這種新穎的戰略開創了DVD訂閱新市場。而以這個簡單而強大的創意，Netflix擊潰了DVD租賃市場霸主百視達公司(Blockbuster Video)。

This is a stark contrast from only a few years ago. In 2011, customers revolted as the company raised prices and announced plans to spin off the DVD-by-mail business. Netflix stock tanked as 800,000 subscribers fled.

僅僅幾年後，情況就發生了鮮明的逆轉。2011年，Netflix提高服務價格，並宣佈將取消DVD郵寄業務，此舉引發消費者強烈反彈，多達80萬用戶相繼逃離，Netflix的股價應聲暴跌。

Then something legendary happened. Hastings said publicly “I messed up” and “In hindsight, I slid into arrogance based upon past success.” This is a stunning admission. Especially when you consider how easily CEOs can slip into becoming the “Chief Ego Officer.” Hastings didn’t. He listened. He took swift action. Netflix fixed its pricing policy.

隨後發生了一件頗具傳奇色彩的事情。CEO黑斯廷斯公開表示，“這事我搞砸了，”還說，“事後看來，過去的成功滋長了我的傲慢自大。”如此坦白的認錯確實令人震驚。尤其是當你考慮到首席執行官們很容易墮落爲“首席自負官(Chief Ego Officer) ”。黑斯廷斯沒有自我膨脹。他悉心聆聽，並迅速採取行動。Netflix修正了它的定價策略。

When Netflix stumbled, it was savvy of them to ask for the market’s forgiveness. Consumers wanted Netflix to bounce back. The market had come to depend on Netflix.

跌倒時，Netflix非常精明地請求市場寬恕。消費者也希望它能重整旗鼓。這個市場早已對Netflix產生了依賴心理。

Better yet, once forgiven, Netflix rewarded its customers – by innovating and making its services even better.

更妙的是，一旦獲得原諒，Netflix立即獎勵消費者——通過創新，以及進一步改善服務。

Netflix used the big data they have on what, when, where and how their customers watch video to start creating its own content. It made a big and bold bet that proprietary entertainment – purpose built for Internet streaming – would drive revenue and expand their market ever further. Man, did it work. As a result Netflix caught their digital competitors Apple and Amazon

憑藉自身掌握的客戶觀看視頻內容、時間、地點和方式的大數據，Netflix開始製作自己的內容。它下了一個非常大膽的賭注：專爲互聯網流媒體打造的專有娛樂內容將進一步提升公司收入，擴大市場份額。這一招果然奏效！就這樣，Netflix趁着數字競爭對手蘋果公司(Apple)和亞馬遜(Amazon)打盹的工夫，一舉粉碎了舊的內容商業範式。至少目前是這樣。

napping and smashed the legacy content business paradigm. At least for now.

所有這一切都出自另一個簡單而強大的想法——讓人們能夠在任何時間、任何設備上，以他們期許的方式消費精彩好看的娛樂內容。奧斯卡獎得主，劇集《紙牌屋》(House of Cards)聯合出品人凱文o史派西去年就這一話題發表了一場震動媒體世界的演講。

All with another simple, powerful idea – give people great entertainment, the way they want to consume it, at anytime, on any device. Academy award winner and House of Cards co-creator Kevin Spacey gave a seminal speech on this topic that rocked the media world last year.

2013年，Netflix公司憑藉劇集《紙牌屋》，成爲首家贏得艾美獎(Emmy)的非電視網絡機構。本季度的業績在某種程度上受益於《女子監獄》(Orange is the New Black)和《紙牌屋》第二季的成功熱播。這兩部備受期待，廣受好評的劇集共獲得31項艾美獎提名。

In 2013, Netflix became the first non-TV network to win an Emmy for the series House of Cards. This quarter’s results were in part driven by the second season success of Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. Both were eagerly awaited, critically acclaimed and combined have 31 Emmy nominations.

現在，Netflix正處在一個臨界點上，往前一步就能成就偉大。當這家公司正在跟來自好萊塢、亞馬遜的威脅針鋒相對，努力解決互聯網分銷問題的時候，一個疑問是，它能否成爲一家起決定性作用的數字媒體公司？

Now Netflix stands on the precipice of greatness. As it stares down threats from Hollywood, , and grapples with Internet distribution problems, the question is can they be the defining digital media company or not?

Netflix公司正在籌謀主宰未來的媒體格局。現在，他們將不得不拿出更多的勇氣，採用能夠讓消費者滿意，讓競爭對手知難而退的方式來創造、分發內容並實現貨幣化，同時還要採取強硬手段保住目前領先的網絡分銷渠道地位。所有這一切需同時進行，這是一個艱鉅的任務。這家公司與亞馬遜的戰爭很可能會不斷升級。來自蘋果和其他對手的壓力也將日益加大。現在的問題是，Netflix是繼續創新，還是再次滋生傲慢情緒，枕着那些艾美獎盃睡大覺？時間會告訴我們答案，但我們不會賭Netflix將輸掉這場戰爭。