Mark Bailey, Managing Director, EBM Managed Services argues that the big question the industry should be asking is why IT service companies are winning market share
“Before we can cover digitisation strategies and how we ensure our customers are covered, I think we should be asking why IT service companies are winning market share. I’d argue that the wider more shocking statistic of Quocirca’s report is more worrying for the industry.
“How can an industry have one in four of its customers wanting to change supplier? That’s surely the more pressing concern. Before this industry has had
its breakfast in the morning potentially you have lost nearly 25 per cent of
your customers.
“The full report is more damming. Showing that at the end of the contract 36 per cent of respondents say they might change, with only 28 per cent saying they envision remaining with the incumbent.
“Years ago, EBM moved into the IT services sector, so this report isn’t all bad news for us as a business. Our core fundamentals have always been to provide our customers with clear upfront terms of business with no hidden costs. Followed by second-to-none aftercare. Just some quick reasons I would contribute to EBM having an outstanding retention rate.
“From the outside looking into our industry. Is it not clear that the rogue name and bad selling practice that the industry suffers from now needs to be stamped out? When 28 per cent of the report’s participants say they envisage remaining staying with their incumbent supplier. Is this now the pressing need to change our whole industry approach and name over digitalisation. For if digitalisation does not catch the MPS industry out then the mis-selling practices will.
“Unfortunately, I fear that the widespread of bad practices and poor aftercare of not only a few individuals, but larger corporates driven by MBOs, will not see this practice change much to the detriment of the rest of us. So I’d ask the MPS industry: is it not time to look in the mirror and make a change for the better? www.ebmltd.co.uk
