The cargo agency, Fifty-four percent of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are considering switching their internet and phone providers as they struggle to overcome the lingering effects of COVID-19 on their businesses. According to the latest “Heads Up” study from Cargo and Phase 5, as SMBs increasingly shift to a remote workforce, online shopping, and a global reach, their dependence on Internet and phone service providers has been become more important than ever. Consequently, SMBs are willing to switch providers if they don’t feel they are getting the solutions they need.
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The survey of 1,227 SMBs across North America also revealed:
- 76% get their internet and phone service from the same vendor, and 90% prefer it that way.
- 65% want to bundle more services including internet, mobile, security, and unified communications.
- 22% expect to spend more on internet and phone services over the next 12 months.
- -10 Net Promotor Score (NPS) for telecom providers according to SMBs.
- Brand trustworthiness and cost were tied as the top influences when choosing a telecom provider.
- 22% feel telecom providers are offering solutions that meet their needs. 37% say “not so much.”
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“To succeed and grow in these uncertain times, small businesses are increasingly relying on their telecom providers to help them with ‘disruption-proof’ solutions such as equipping their employees with work-from-anywhere capabilities, taking their offerings online for the first time, and expanding their service area to a broader — or even global — audience,” says Toby Stansell, CEO of Cargo.
Mr. Stansell adds, “The perception that SMBs buy the cheapest internet and phone products is inaccurate. They buy the best they can afford and solutions that offer the best value. This study’s stats and its observations offer a direct view into how SMBs make decisions when it comes to choosing their providers.”