SME owners say that higher standards of customer service from suppliers will help their businesses  overcome financial challenges in the current climate, with eight in 10 experiencing a ‘cost-of-working crisis’, according to new research from TalkTalk Business.

The research also reveals that the average small business spends 16 hours on phone calls to customer service teams every month, with nearly two thirds (62%) saying this takes them away from core business priorities.

The most common complaints are being put on hold (55%), being passed from one customer service agent to another (48%), and not getting matters resolved over a single call (44%).

And despite more than six months passing since the last Covid-19 restrictions, the research from TalkTalk Business indicates that two thirds (67%) of SMEs work with a supplier that has attributed poor customer service to the pandemic.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, only four in 10 (40%) independent enterprises say that levels of customer service have improved, while 64% say that inadequate customer service from their suppliers affects their bottom line.

But SMEs have identified specific improvements that customer services could make to help them get to grips with the cost of working crisis:

• 59% say having issues dealt with efficiently would be beneficial

• 54% report speaking to a human customer service representative rather than an automated system would be more effective

• 41% say speaking to the same agent throughout would be advantageous

• 37% cite receiving a friendly service

• 36% say speaking to an agent who understands their business would be useful

Yifat Castle, owner of artisan gelato and sorbet company, Mooka in East Hampshire, said the cost-of-working crisis is causing uncertainty: “As a business that sells a luxury product, we’re apprehensive of what’s to come in the next few months. Our factory is energy intensive, so we know that unfortunately we’re going to be paying higher bills.

“On the whole, the customer service we receive has become far worse since the pandemic, particularly with larger suppliers who think they have us over the barrel. Not being able to speak to anyone on the phone, or being on hold for up to 90 mins, slows down our production and therefore profits. Good customer service from my suppliers is imperative, as it allows me to focus on the things that matter for my customers.”

Research reflects that energy, telecoms and water are the three areas in which companies are regularly failing their small business customers.

Richard Jeffery, National Director of The Growth Company, said: “In these challenging times, it is critical business leaders are able to devote their full time and attention to the core issues surrounding their organisation. This report shows the impact of poor customer service, and the amount of time SMEs spend dealing with it, time which would be better spent focused on their business.”

The Growth Company, an award-winning social enterprise that facilitates expansion in the small business sector, has partnered with TalkTalk Business to advise small businesses on how they can secure better customer service from their supplier.

Jonathan Kini, Managing Director of TalkTalk Direct Consumer and B2B, said: “The past two years have been incredibly challenging for small businesses, who are the beating heart of our economy. We’re proud to partner with The Growth Company to provide advice to small businesses on how they can secure the best customer support to enable them to focus on the issues that matter.

“TalkTalk Business strives to offer its small business customers the best value packages on the market, combining fast, reliable connectivity with industry-leading customer service.”

TalkTalk Business is proud to be the top rated major* business broadband provider on Trustpilot, with an ‘Excellent’ rating based on more than 8,000 customer reviews. Our UK-based customer service team provides support 365 days a year, and resolves 90% of calls in a single conversation.

We really care about keeping you connected, and to do that, we know that providing all our customers with an exceptional service is pivotal.

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* TalkTalk Business’s service is rated higher on Trustpilot than other major providers including BT Business, Virgin Media Business, Plusnet Business and Vodafone. Rating taken on 30 September 2022. More information on can be found at uk.trustpilot.com/review/talktalkbusiness.co.uk