What Makes SMB Customers Consider Leaving

August 28, 2026

What Makes SMB Customers Consider Leaving

New Bredin research with 500 U.S. SMB principals finds that 63% of SMBs say poor customer service or slow issue resolution would make them consider switching from a vendor. Price increases and products or services that don’t meet expectations can also put retention at risk.

The factors that put retention at risk vary considerably by company size.

‍What Puts SMB Customer Retention at Risk

Bar chart of what would make SMBs consider switching vendors, by company size. Poor customer service is cited by 64% of very small, 45% of small and 33% of midsize businesses. Price increases without added value is 58%, 45% and 35%, and unmet expectations 51%, 33% and 37%. — % who would consider switching vendors for each reason. Source: Bredin SMB MarketPulse, July 2026, n=500 U.S. SMB decision-makers. Letters show statistically significant differences between company sizes at the 95% confidence level.

What puts SMB customer retention at risk

58% of very small businesses would consider leaving over price increases without added value, compared with 45% of small and 35% of midsize businesses.
51% of very small businesses would consider switching when a product or service doesn’t meet expectations, compared with 33% of small and 37% of midsize businesses.
Small businesses are significantly more likely than midsize businesses to consider leaving over poor service.
For midsize businesses, the three triggers are closely matched, at 33% to 37%.

These findings are from Bredin’s SMB MarketPulse, our subscription research service.

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What Makes SMB Customers Consider Leaving