J.D. Power: Cox, Cablevision, Verizon Tops with Biz Subs

According to the J.D. Power and Associates report "2011 U.S. Major Provider Business Telecommunications Study - Data Services," Cox, Cablevision's Optimum Business and Verizon ranked the highest in customer satisfaction among business customers.The report also indicated that performance-related issues are not among the top reasons customers would consider switching providers in 2011. The greatest differences in satisfaction between customers who intend to switch and those who intend to stay with their current provider revolve around the empathy and responsiveness of account executives and customer service representatives.Providers were ranked in three segments: home-based businesses, small/midsize businesses and large enterprise businesses. Five factors were used to measure satisfaction across all three segments: performance and reliability; billing; cost of service; offerings and promotions; and customer service. A sixth factor, sales representatives/account executives, was included for SMBs and large enterprises.Cox Communications ranked highest in the home-based business segment, performing particularly well in the cost of service and performance and reliability. Optimum Business and Verizon followed in the segment rankings.Optimum Business by Cablevision ranked highest in the SMB segment, performing particularly well in sales representatives/account executives; cost of service; performance and reliability; offerings and promotions; and customer service. Cox followed Optimum Business in the segment rankings, and Comcast ranked third.In the large enterprise business segment, Verizon ranked highest in customer satisfaction, and performed well in all six factors. AT&T followed Verizon in the segment rankings.