Brazil Internet Access Survey Reveals Customer Frustration with Service and Support

São Paulo, Brazil, Jan. 20, 2003 -

Use of broadband is continuing to gain ground on dial-up in Brazil households, but customer service and support for both Internet access methods are well below average. According to a Research International survey released today, only 10% of dial-up customers and 17% of broadband Brazilian subscribers were fully satisfied with the ordering, initial set-up, ongoing use, and customer support for their service.

The survey, sponsored by Motive Communications,* also revealed that a third of dial-up customers and almost half of broadband customers who requested service did not get their problems solved in a timely manner. Given that fact, it’s not surprising that close to 30% of the Brazilian Internet access subscribers surveyed indicated they were not satisfied with the service and support they receive from their service provider.

Another finding that should concern Brazilian service providers is that 73% of broadband subscribers had a technician come to their house to install the service. Unless costly technician activation visits are reduced, providers are going to continue their struggle to squeeze slim profit margins out of each broadband customer. And it seems that increasing the monthly fee for broadband to enhance profits is not the answer. Cost was by far the top reason cited for dial-up customers’ reluctance to upgrade to broadband, with around half of these survey respondents saying high-speed access service is too expensive.

“This survey emphasizes the current reality that Brazilian Internet service providers must improve their customer service processes to be successful,” said Denise Damiani, partner of Accenture’s Communications & High Tech operating group in Brazil. “These companies need to implement back office procedures and technologies that will streamline and automate their call center operations. This will help them better support their Internet subscribers, and ultimately differentiate them in a fiercely competitive Brazilian Internet access market.”

“For Brazilian service providers to succeed in the Internet access market, they must convince customers to upgrade from dial-up to higher-revenue broadband service, while keeping costs under control,” said Kenny Van Zant, executive vice president of Motive's Communications business unit. “Automating set-up, installation, and service processes is a cost effective way for providers to improve customer satisfaction and gain the trust necessary to convince subscribers to upgrade.”