In a recent UpCity survey of over 1,000 businesses seeking services, more than 50% of businesses cited either average star rating of reviews or number of reviews as most important when evaluating a service provider to partner with. Additionally, when asked about the most challenging part of shopping for a service provider, finding a partner respondents could trust or finding one that has the right skills were more challenging than finding a provider within budget.

UpCity surveyed business leaders about shopping for a provider partner over the course of 2021. You can read the full results and analysis on UpCity.com. Trust and skills are top of mind for businesses seeking services:

The most challenging part of shopping for a service provider is finding one…

• I can trust. 26.6%

• with the skills I need for my project. 24.9%

• in my budget. 23.7%

• with experience in my industry. 20.9%

• with the bandwidth for my project. 3.8%

While cost plays a role in a world where businesses are always looking for ways to do more with less, trust and capability still carry more weight. And, as seen in the next group of responses, that trust and sense of capability is driven by review ratings and the overall quantity of reviews.

When choosing a service provider, what information is most important to you?

• Star rating of reviews 33.2%

• Number of reviews 18.4%

• Awards & certifications 16.8%

• Portfolio images & videos 16.1%

• Company size 15.4%

"Virtual word-of-mouth has become table stakes in B2B partner selection. Businesses have limited budgets and when choosing an extension of their team to grow, trust and credibility are paramount," said UpCity SVP of Product & Marketing Heidi Sullivan. "That makes it more important than ever for B2B service providers to build their reputation online."