What’s the news: NOW broadband has won New Zealand’s ‘Best Customer Support’ for the second year running in Broadband Compare | TUANZ 2019 Awards.
Why it matters: In an industry dominated by large market players, NOW broadband is achieving industry-leading growth by targeting its competitors where they’re not looking – service and support. They’re set on bringing kiwi homes and businesses the support they need to make the most of an internet-enabled home and office.
Who it’s for: Homes and businesses right across New Zealand, looking for a fresh new approach to broadband and communications.
An ambition that started out 7 years ago, to offer Hawke’s Bay homes a better alternative than what they were faced with, has quickly turned into an industry-leading telco bringing a new level of support and service for kiwi homes and businesses. NOW Broadband, for the second year in a row, picked up the award for New Zealand’s Best Customer Support last Thursday in Auckland at the annual Broadband Compare & TUANZ Awards.
Fresh off the back of winning the award, NOW CEO, Hamish White, reflected on what this means for what they set out to achieve back in 2012, “At the time, we looked at the broadband market and saw one big issue almost every kiwi was facing, being able to get hold of and help from their provider. Spending an hour on the phone to answer a simple query was the norm, which for me wasn’t good enough for a busy-family paying $80 a month for their services. So, we made a promise to ourselves and our customers – to push the boundaries of what they’d come to expect, because every customer deserves more.”
The challenger brand that has built a reputation on superior customer support and service looks to be cementing its position in the market, with accelerating growth in it’s residential market and recent wins in the business market with key clients such as Resene Paints joining the NOW movement.
In a market growing at circa 2% p/year, NOWs service-led approach is enabling the company to grow at ten times this rate and it seems set to continue. White states “Poor service is the outcome from our competitors focusing on offering the cheapest deal possible while trying to remove cost from their business to remain profitable. Unfortunately for kiwi’s, the service centres of telco’s are often the first place they look to remove cost with down-sizing, off-shoring and processing customers as quickly as possible”
A proud product of Hawke’s Bay, NOW points to its regional roots for why the brand strikes a chord with everyday kiwi’s “We’re a little bit unique in our industry, being based in Hawke’s Bay, and we think this gives us an edge. It enables us to get closer to our customers and connect more in the community, who have been our best source of ideas as well as being our most loyal customers.” The other benefit White points out is it makes it easier to attract and retain great employees “With a 15-minute commute to work, a few short steps away from the nearest beach and endless hours of sunshine, Hawke’s Bay makes for an easy sell when it comes to getting top talent to move here”
NOW has ambitious expansion plans in the coming two years in both it’s residential and business markets. “One thing that isn’t up for grabs, is the quality of service we deliver. It’s what’s made us and will remain our single greatest point of difference in the years to come.”
About NOW NZ
NOW is an award-winning, full-service telecommunication and digital service provider headquartered in Napier, New Zealand. NOW offers broadband, smart-home service and support, and next-generation business broadband and communication products across the country. Read more about NOW NZ on our website.
