2degrees has won Canstar's Most Satisfied Customers - Small Business Telecommunications award, its fifth win in the category in six years.
The award covers New Zealand businesses with up to 200 full-time employees, broadening the scope from previous years.
Canstar's research assessed telecommunications providers on value for money, customer service, network performance, billing and overall satisfaction. In the latest results, 2degrees recorded the highest scores for billing, contract and plan flexibility, and sign-up and activation.
Customer feedback in the study also highlighted pricing, customer support and digital tools as factors in the result. The findings put 2degrees ahead in a segment that now includes small businesses with a wider range of operational needs.
Broader scope
Expanding the category to businesses with up to 200 employees marks a shift in the award's scope. The research now reflects feedback from a larger, more varied group of companies, including firms with more complex communications requirements as well as smaller operators.
Customer satisfaction rankings in the small business telecommunications market are closely watched because they measure service delivery beyond headline pricing. Billing clarity, contract terms, support responsiveness and onboarding can all affect retention in a sector where businesses rely on mobile and broadband services for day-to-day operations.
2degrees provides mobile, broadband, connectivity and digital services to business customers across New Zealand. It also sells consumer broadband, mobile and electricity services.
Andrew Fairgray, Chief Business Officer at 2degrees, said the result reflected customer feedback.
"We're incredibly proud to be recognised by Canstar again, particularly given this award is based on the experiences and feedback of our customers. To be recognised five times in six years is a strong endorsement of our commitment to helping businesses stay connected with great value, responsive support and solutions that are easy to use. Businesses rely on their connectivity every day to keep their people productive and serve their customers, so our job is to make that experience as straightforward and reliable as possible," Fairgray said.
Business market
The latest recognition extends a run of repeat wins for 2degrees in the small business telecommunications segment. That matters in a competitive market where providers seek to distinguish themselves on customer experience as much as network reach and pricing.
Small businesses often assess telecommunications suppliers on practical issues such as ease of setup, transparent billing and access to support when services fail or need changing. The Canstar criteria reflect those priorities, combining direct service measures with an overall satisfaction score.
The inclusion of contract and plan flexibility among the areas where 2degrees scored highest is notable in a market where businesses may need to adjust services as staffing levels or operating patterns change. Sign-up and activation scores also point to the importance of onboarding, particularly for smaller firms that may lack in-house telecommunications staff.
Billing performance is another significant area in customer research because errors or complexity can create administrative costs for businesses. A high score in that category suggests customers value accuracy and simplicity in account management.
Network performance remained one of the criteria measured by Canstar, alongside customer service and value for money. Those factors continue to be central for business customers that rely on telecommunications services to support staff communications, customer contact and online transactions.
Feedback cited by 2degrees also referred to digital tools and platforms, indicating that self-service functions remain an important part of customer experience in the business market. For providers, these tools can affect how easily customers manage plans, resolve issues and track usage.
The award was based on customer experiences and feedback, with 2degrees recording the top result across billing, flexibility, sign-up and activation.