Savvy British consumers are switching broadband providers in droves, with just over 10 million subscribers changing their supplier over the past two years.
Poor customer service is cited as the main reason 10.1 million customers have changed broadband provider, research by B2B lifestyle management firm White Concierge shows. The number means 1.41 million users, or a staggering 32 per minute, have switched broadband provider in the past two years.
Jonathan Breeze, CEO of White Concierge, says the findings show that price is still broadband providers main weapon in acquiring new customers, and retaining their current users, but that the current economic climate means firms are less able to compete on price alone.
“Issues surrounding customer service experiences are also key, and can be addressed more readily,” Breeze says.
Of the 10.1 million subscribers who switched, some 40-60% are reckoned to be good customers that any service provider should want to retain.
Lead researcher Professor Merlin Stone says it’s becoming harder for service providers to persuade consumers to stick with them. “Consumers have become increasingly demanding and discerning, and with the rise of price comparison websites, for example, it is now much easier to compare and switch products.”