Ofcom: Customers switching ISPs due to poor communication
October 31, 2019
An Ofcom report monitoring UK consumer supplier switching in the communications market reveals that in the last 12 months:
- 12 per cent have switched broadband provider
- 12 per cent have switched mobile phone provider
- 11 per cent have switched landline provider
The figures also show a possible reason behind this activity, as providers are failing to keep customers up to date about the status of their contract – suggesting people won’t be aware their deal is coming to an end:
- 71 per cent have not heard from their broadband provider about the status of their contract
- 70 per cent have not heard from their mobile phone provider about the status of their contract
- 74 per cent have not heard from their landline provider about the status of their contract
Responding to the research, John Hoggard, Principal, Utilities & Telecom at customer communication expert at Quadient, said providers can use customer experience to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market:
“Communications providers are increasingly being scrutinised for their customer experience. In line, regulators are now making it easier for people to drop a provider that isn’t meeting their expectations – Ofcom’s roll-out of ‘text-to-switch’ in June, making it simpler to switch mobile network, is just one example of this wider trend,” Hoggard said.
“The biggest area of customer experience communications providers must focus on is proactivity. Simply put, people now expect service providers to really know them, and contact them with the right information, in the right way, at the right time. Though broadband, phone and pay-TV firms are now bound by Ofcom to inform customers when their deal is coming to an end, there is a real opportunity to improve customer communication throughout the duration of a contract and encourage them to remain loyal. For instance, providing long-term customers with services such as free use of streaming platforms, or offering bigger data bundles for a set timeframe. Providing this kind of service provides real value to customers, which can prove particularly crucial in a market where there is so much competition. Ultimately, customer loyalty will make the difference between success and failure for many providers,” he added