More than three-quarters of UK small and medium-sized
enterprises are putting service levels before price when they
choose telecommunications providers, new research
shows.
A survey of 175 SMEs, carried out by analyst firm the Yankee
Group, found that 76% said service was more important than price in
selecting new telecoms suppliers.
But looking for a cheaper service or product is still the main
driver behind moves to switch suppliers, with more than seven out
of 10 reporting this as their reason, the research commissioned by
telecoms provider Telstra Europe found.
Poor technical service would lead 62% of those surveyed to
switch suppliers, while more than a third (38%) would abandon their
supplier if they experienced poor customer service.
Yankee Group EMEA director of broadband and media, Anette
Schaefer, said, “Pricing is important but these companies are
looking for market expertise to help them understand the technology
and the tangible business benefits.
“Technical support and strong service level agreements will also
be key in inspiring customer confidence and increasingly their
understanding of the new technology.”
The research also found that more than a third of SMEs were
planning to upgrade their telecoms services this year, driven by
increasing take up of voice over IP.
The survey found that 40% of respondents were already using
converged voice and data services, with a third expecting to adopt
VoIP this year.