Trust a key factor in customer buying decisions

A trusted brand and channel relationship continues to matter to customers as they look for reassurance that the products they choose to invest in will provide the experiences they are looking for.

To establish how important the name on the box is to users, Brother UK decided to ask users about brand reputation and trust, discovering that almost a quarter were prepared to pay a premium to choose brands they have conviction in.

Brother UK’s Tech trust survey set out to pinpoint what elements went into buying decisions, looking into what customers looked for and avoided with tech investments. Users indicated they were prepared to pay more for a vendor they trusted, with many indicating that choosing technology from a trusted source was more important now than it had been five years ago.

When the specifications were closely matched, it was trust that would often tip the balance of the buying decision, with Brother finding that most resellers (88%) viewed it as the deciding factor in those situations. The survey also underlined the importance of trust between customers and channel partners, with the partner seen as a valued adviser that can steer user brand choices.

Phil Jones, managing director at Brother UK, said it was clear that brand mattered to customers, with the quality of products providing reassurance to users.

“IT leads put their neck on the line every time they introduce new technology into their business. They need to know it will perform and add commercial benefit – whether that’s laptops, AV, software systems or printers – without creating disruption or support downtime,” he said.

“As our research shows, they’re willing to pay on average 24% more for a brand they trust. That’s a premium they’ll pay for peace of mind. And brands are earning that trust through the everyday moments – when products do what they’re supposed to do, support shows up without excuses and the relationship is easy,” he added.

Greig Millar, chief revenue officer at Brother UK, said that trust was a value that went beyond the technology and influenced the partner community: “Trust drives how technology is sold, not just bought, so the channel is key. Resellers help customers to judge which vendors deserve investment. When a partner trusts us with their customer, it carries real weight in decisions."

Although resellers quizzed by Brother indicated trust was a critical component in the buying process, they warned that with customers cautious about making commitments, it had become harder to seal deals.

Rising competition and the resulting confusion about which brand to opt for was another factor that the channel found was affecting spending. However, when users are ready to pull the trigger, brand is a significant consideration, and trust can sway user choice.

“We see it every time we present our options,” said Dean Birks, MPS and digital transformation specialist at OfficeXpress. “The trusted brand nearly always gets the nod, even when it costs more. Customers see it as buying confidence. They want to know that if something does go wrong, the vendor will stand behind them. That peace of mind has a price, and most are willing to pay it.”