IT buyers tend to research products/services across a wide range of online channels, prefer to be contacted by vendors via email, and favor firms with excellent customer support, according to recent research from Spiceworks.

The report was based on data from a survey conducted in November 2017 among 535 IT professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom who influence the technology-purchase decisions at their organizations.

Some 97% of respondents say they research IT products/services on online forums/communities, 79% go to technology news sites, and 77% turn to Google to find information.

Most IT buyers (57%) say they prefer to be contacted by vendor sales reps/marketers via email.

Some 36% of buyers say they do not like to be contacted at all but rather prefer to seek out information themselves when needed.

The top factors that drive whether IT buyers will respond to a new sales/marketing outreach effort are the relevance of the product/service and the inclusion of detailed pricing information in the message.

IT buyers say the top factors that drive their brand loyalty to vendors are great customer support, consistently fair pricing, and a history of reliable products/services.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in November 2017 among 535 IT professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom who influence the technology purchase decisions at their organizations.