Why do people switch providers anyway?
People and companies switch providers for any number of reasons, but common causes of switching, even with switching barriers, include:
Inadequate customer support
Customers will often change suppliers when they experience problems with customer service. This might be caused by customer service that was once great but now consists of an endless phone tree of numbered choices or increased automation for issues that are difficult for a customer to navigate. It might simply be caused by customer support being outsourced to another company or overseas, leading to serious quality issues.
Product pricing
No matter how good a product or service is, price can get in the way of a customer's happiness. If they perceive a product to be similar to another, they're always going to choose the one that's less expensive. Why wouldn't they? Sometimes, though, even introductory rates are enough to motivate customers to switch providers, which can make it tricky to compete.
Consistent delivery issues
No matter how great your product and customer experience are, if what you're selling doesn't show up on time or is a huge hassle to have delivered, customers may switch providers. Sometimes, it's genuinely not even the manufacturer's fault but the fault of a third-party delivery company. In this case, the manufacturer needs to take note of the issues and find a different delivery company to cover specific areas or offer delivery options.