Study: Most IT Customers Feel No Vendor Loyalty

Less than half of all IT customers are pleased enough with their vendors to remain loyal to them and 29% feel trapped in the relationship, according to a study released this week.

Vendor loyalty has taken a hit, according to the 2002 National Customer Benchmark Study conducted by Walker Information, Inc., a consumer survey company out of Indianapolis. The survey shows that only 47% of the 2,259 IT decision makers surveyed feel any loyalty to their vendors — wanting to or planning on continuing the relationship. And 21% are considered at high-risk of jumping ship, saying they’re unhappy with the relationship.

Another 29% are unhappy with their vendor but feel trapped into continuing the relationship.

It’s a matter of service — or better put, poor service, according to Marc Drizin, vice president and loyalty specialist at Walker Information.

“Despite the ongoing focus on product quality and innovation, as IT becomes more of a commodity-based industry, customer requirements will move from products to service,” Drizin says. “And, quite simply, service is a challenge for this sector.”

The survey also shows that: