Hawke's Bay-owned broadband company NOW wins NZ's favourite provider

NOW CEO Hamish White believes being based out of Hawke's Bay gives the broadband company an edge. Photo / Supplied

Hawke's Bay-owned broadband company NOW has pipped Skinny broadband to the post and won the Canstar Blue award for New Zealand's most satisfied customers.

Canstar Blue is a customer satisfaction research and ratings business whose core purpose is to help consumers make better purchasing decisions.

Based on independent research conducted by Colmar Brunton Australia and I-view (owned by Ipsos) it aims to act as the real voice of the consumer.

Canstar Blue after conducting its annual research on NZ's broadband market (with 3762 responses from Kiwis), awarded NOW Broadband as the nation's favourite broadband provider (Canstar Most Satisfied Customers 2020 – Broadband).

NOW Broadband founder and CEO Hamish White said the award was quite significant.

"To be awarded by the ultimate judge, our customers, is an incredibly humbling experience.

"My belief was, and always will be, that every New Zealander deserves more from our industry.

"NOW was built to simply raise the bar of what service meant and to give all Kiwis a better deal for the $85 (give or take) they pay their provider each month."

White said the company being based outside of Auckland made it unique.

"We're the only top tier telco based outside of Auckland - 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."

White also pointed out the fact that being in Hawke's Bay made it easier to attract and retain staff.

"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 next two years in both its 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," he said.

"We're in service, so it's an organisational-wide commitment to doing what you say you're going to do, being accessible and being responsive. It's that simple – hardly rocket science, but is something that we've built a business on."

He said NOW's service-led brand had never been more relevant.

"NOW's customer fanatical nature has been even more welcomed during Covid-19 lockdown, as Kiwi homes and businesses came to realise the critical nature broadband plays in day to day life, with many experiencing the highs and lows of getting timely, helpful and local service and support to keep connected, entertained, learning and working online."