Wholesale customer survey 2009
Our biennial survey of wholesale customers shows that while their suppliers have again improved their performance significantly, they still have a lot of work to do. This year’s survey also highlights the differing priorities of wholesale customers, and the need for wholesalers to understand and respond to each customer’s particular requirements.
Executive summary
In a nutshell
Key messages
Wholesale services are critical to today's telecoms industry, and are likely to increase in importance
Wholesalers continue to improve, but they still fall short of customer requirements
Price and quality continue to be the most important selection criteria
Service packaging continues to increase in importance
More purchasing decisions are being based on past experience and market reputation
Wholesale customers want best-of-breed services, but from fewer suppliers
Recommendations for wholesale suppliers
Show your commitment to the wholesale market
A broad portfolio of services is not sufficient for many customers
Listen to your wholesale customers and respond to their priorities
Work to improve your flexibility and responsiveness
Only make promises that you can (and will) keep
Survey methodology
Format of the wholesale customer survey
Wholesale customer segmentation
Selection and performance criteria
Criteria
The survey sample
Interviewee distribution by customer type
Geographies addressed by interviewees
Wholesale services used
Dependence on wholesale
Demand: customer selection criteria
Overall importance of selection criteria
Price remains the most important selection criterion, followed by service levels
Long-term relationships and repair times follow closely in importance
Criteria of medium importance
Brand is no longer the least important criterion
Other selection criteria
Trends in selection criteria
Customer views of what has changed
Selection criteria by customer type
Supply: performance is improving, but there’s still more to do
The wholesale customers’ experience
Suppliers’ commitment to long-term relationships were most highly rated
Relatively high levels of confidence in wholesalers’ financial stability
Wholesalers also rated highly against price and service level factors
Criteria with adequate performance
Criteria with disappointing performance from wholesalers
Continuing improvement in wholesalers’ performance
Customers have a mixed picture when asked about change
Performance by customer segment
Geographical differences
Making the grade: comparing requirements with performance
Overall verdict: improved performance, but still falling short
Examining performance where it matters
Priorities for action by wholesale customer type
Mobile providers: wholesalers are falling short of requirements
xSPs: wholesalers may approach customer demands
Infrastructure-based carriers: wholesalers fall short of customer requirements
Non-telco intermediaries
In a nutshell
Key messages
Wholesale services are critical to today's telecoms industry, and are likely to increase in importance
Wholesalers continue to improve, but they still fall short of customer requirements
Price and quality continue to be the most important selection criteria
Service packaging continues to increase in importance
More purchasing decisions are being based on past experience and market reputation
Wholesale customers want best-of-breed services, but from fewer suppliers
Recommendations for wholesale suppliers
Show your commitment to the wholesale market
A broad portfolio of services is not sufficient for many customers
Listen to your wholesale customers and respond to their priorities
Work to improve your flexibility and responsiveness
Only make promises that you can (and will) keep
Survey methodology
Format of the wholesale customer survey
Wholesale customer segmentation
Selection and performance criteria
Criteria
The survey sample
Interviewee distribution by customer type
Geographies addressed by interviewees
Wholesale services used
Dependence on wholesale
Demand: customer selection criteria
Overall importance of selection criteria
Price remains the most important selection criterion, followed by service levels
Long-term relationships and repair times follow closely in importance
Criteria of medium importance
Brand is no longer the least important criterion
Other selection criteria
Trends in selection criteria
Customer views of what has changed
Selection criteria by customer type
Supply: performance is improving, but there’s still more to do
The wholesale customers’ experience
Suppliers’ commitment to long-term relationships were most highly rated
Relatively high levels of confidence in wholesalers’ financial stability
Wholesalers also rated highly against price and service level factors
Criteria with adequate performance
Criteria with disappointing performance from wholesalers
Continuing improvement in wholesalers’ performance
Customers have a mixed picture when asked about change
Performance by customer segment
Geographical differences
Making the grade: comparing requirements with performance
Overall verdict: improved performance, but still falling short
Examining performance where it matters
Priorities for action by wholesale customer type
Mobile providers: wholesalers are falling short of requirements
xSPs: wholesalers may approach customer demands
Infrastructure-based carriers: wholesalers fall short of customer requirements
Non-telco intermediaries
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Importance of criteria in selecting wholesale suppliers
Table 2: Performance of wholesale suppliers rated by their customers
Table 1: Importance of criteria in selecting wholesale suppliers
Table 2: Performance of wholesale suppliers rated by their customers
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Wholesale customer categorisation
Figure 2: Wholesale customers by segment
Figure 3: Wholesale services used by interviewees
Figure 4: Importance of selection criteria across all customer groups
Figure 5: Importance of selection criteria by wholesale customer type
Figure 6: Overall performance rating across all customer groups
Figure 7: Supplier performance rating by wholesale customer type
Figure 8: Importance of selection criteria versus supplier performance
Figure 9: Targeting mobile providers’ priorities
Figure 10: Targeting xSPs’ priorities
Figure 11: Targeting infrastructure-based carriers’ priorities
Figure 12: Targeting non-telco intermediaries’ priorities
Figure 1: Wholesale customer categorisation
Figure 2: Wholesale customers by segment
Figure 3: Wholesale services used by interviewees
Figure 4: Importance of selection criteria across all customer groups
Figure 5: Importance of selection criteria by wholesale customer type
Figure 6: Overall performance rating across all customer groups
Figure 7: Supplier performance rating by wholesale customer type
Figure 8: Importance of selection criteria versus supplier performance
Figure 9: Targeting mobile providers’ priorities
Figure 10: Targeting xSPs’ priorities
Figure 11: Targeting infrastructure-based carriers’ priorities
Figure 12: Targeting non-telco intermediaries’ priorities
