
4 Ways Hulu Makes Customer Focus the Heart of Their Business Strategy (and How You Can Do the Same)
Hulu is now one of the longest-standing TV and movie streaming services, rivaling only Netflix in tenure. In fact, it was the first streaming service to offer TV shows as opposed to just movies. As Netflix launched their movie streaming service in 2007, consumers stopped paying for cable television to live the on-demand life. But, people still missed network TV shows. So, Hulu stepped up to fill the gap. They created a streaming service where everyone could get their fill of The Simpsons even if they couldn’t catch it on Sunday night.
Since then, competition for streaming has been fierce, as business giants like Amazon and television networks like HBO and NBC have joined the ranks.
In a competitive landscape, retaining both customers and employees requires continuous evolution—whether it’s optimizing call center software to streamline interactions or adjusting policies based on customer needs. By taking a customer-first approach, call centers can follow Hulu’s formula: identify what their audience wants, make meaningful changes, and stay ahead of the competition.
Here are four ways Hulu puts customer focus at the heart of their strategy–plus a few tips on how you can adopt their strategies in your own contact center.
[Read Next] How to prepare your customer service for the next generation of consumers
1. They pay attention to customer feedback – and act on it
Hulu made big changes to their service options in 2017 when they launched Hulu + Live TV. The service is a simplified version of live cable television (still offering a whopping 65 channels), plus the entire Hulu streaming library of movies and shows. It’s a pretty good deal. And customers flocked to Live TV to watch sports without paying for cable.
However, the enormous streaming library and Live TV became too complicated for most users to navigate. Hulu could have ignored or dismissed these complaints, but they didn’t. Instead, Hulu addressed these issues head-on, admitting when they had problems.
“We’ve learned a ton over the last six months too, especially by listening very closely to our viewers and community on social, in forums and through the feedback you’ve given through our Viewer Experience Advocates. And we agree there are a number of enhancements that we can make to improve the viewing experience even more.”
Ben Smith, the Head of Experience at Hulu, in a 2017 blog post
“We’ve learned a ton over the last six months too, especially by listening very closely to our viewers and community on social, in forums and through the feedback you’ve given through our Viewer Experience Advocates. And we agree there are a number of enhancements that we can make to improve the viewing experience even more.”
Ben Smith, the Head of Experience at Hulu, in a 2017 blog post
In 2020, Hulu redesigned the platform to be more user-friendly and keep up with the streaming service trends. Hulu listened to customer feedback and upgraded its UX design to improve navigation and discovery.
How to use this method to focus on your customer experience:
Don’t brush off complaints assuming they’re unfounded or one-off situations. Pay attention to customers’ feedback–both positive and negative–and look for trends. If you spot a common theme running through customer comments, write it down and make real changes in your customer experience.
A strong call center retention strategy can help address recurring issues by training agents to actively listen, resolve concerns, and follow up with dissatisfied customers. Proactive issue resolution strengthens long-term loyalty, reducing churn and enhancing your brand’s reputation.
[Read Next] What is good customer service? How to exceed your customers’ expectations
2. They partner with other companies to offer better packages
Hulu has the biggest television catalog of any streaming service. But they also provide a ton of other entertainment categories so customers have a one-stop shop for quality content. They’ve built good relationships with large TV networks for quite some time, but lately, they branched out with other partnerships, including Disney+ and ESPN+.
These partnerships keep Hulu desirable because they appeal to a mass audience. Anyone and everyone can find something to watch. And that’s what gives Hulu a competitive edge. Some streaming services appeal mostly to children, others mostly to adults. But Hulu has found ways to appeal to a wide range of consumers without having to pour money into all their own content under the Hulu umbrella.
These strategic partnerships keep their in-house costs down and their customers happy.
How to use this method to focus on your customer experience:
Your company doesn’t have to appeal to everyone to work. In fact, it’s important to find your niche in your industry and stick to it. But once you know what that niche is, continue to seek out new ways to appeal to your customer base and make life easier for them. One of the best ways to do this is by forming strategic partnerships—whether with other businesses or through customer service software that acts as a reliable partner in managing interactions.
The right software can streamline communication, automate routine tasks, and provide valuable insights into customer preferences, allowing you to deliver exceptional service without overextending your resources. By leveraging technology as a strategic ally, you can strengthen customer loyalty and enhance overall satisfaction.
[Read Next] These stats prove why a good customer experience is the key to brand loyalty
3. They offer a fantastic help center for new and existing customers
To mitigate common customer questions, Hulu does everything they can to offer proactive service and answer questions before you need to reach out for help.
When you first land on Hulu’s Help Center, you see a pop-up window that offers help for common customer questions. They immediately service up help to questions for both prospective and existing customers. For prospective customers, Hulu gives an overview of “Top things to know” so you’re well-informed about how Hulu works and what to expect.

How to use this method to focus on your customer experience:
Pay attention to your customers’ most common questions and help them help themselves. Use your call center data to identify trends and repetitive customer questions, and then beat customers to the punch with prescriptive service. Answer common questions on your website or in your customer portal before your customers need to reach out for help. Customers appreciate when you’ve thought through their journey and proactively meet their needs. Offering answers to common questions in a self-service portal is a super simple way to do that.
[Read Next] A 5-step guide to building a fantastic customer service experience
4. They focus on the user – not just the buyer
Hulu is what Harvard Business Review calls a usage brand. Their focus is all about the customers using their product. While they want to persuade customers to purchase their product, they care more about encouraging their customers to use it. A lot of digital companies live in this “usage brand” category because the end goal is to help users, not just buyers. (Ahem, this is why we focus on the agent experience at Sharpen).
Hulu is one usage brand knocking it out of the park in UX (after a nudge from their customers and turning feedback into action). Their interface works on most devices and platforms. They know their customers use their service in many different ways, across dozens of devices.
For Hulu, brand experience is the goal. They want the user experience to feel easy and fun every step of the journey.

How to use this method to focus on your customer experience:
Pay attention to your customers’ habits and interests. In the call center, the deal is closed, so you’re serving customers past the purchase point. Now, it’s your job to maintain your customer focus and keep customers engaged with the products and services you offer. Do what you can to customize the user experience so customers feel unique and heard. Keep a pulse on your customer journey, how your customers interact with your brand after the sale, and what they want out of their overall experience. Then, work with your team and peer leaders to deliver on it.
Leverage Call Center Software to Improve Your Customer Focus
Prioritizing customer experience is the key to long-term success. By taking a page from Hulu’s playbook and leveraging the right call center software, you can build stronger customer relationships, improve retention, and stay ahead of the competition. Meet with Sharpen today to see how our solutions create a more customer-focused call center.