Half of tech buyers rank trust above cost when choosing vendors, EC-PR research reveals

Discovery stage identified as critical trust barrier before sales engagement begins.

EC-PR’s report clearly signposts the specific actions tech vendors can take to secure the Trust Advantage – from how they communicate pricing to how they demonstrate expertise during the discovery phase. The Trust Advantage reports on a survey of 200 senior technology buyers from mid-sized companies across five sectors: Defence, IT & Tech, Manufacturing and Science & Engineering, revealing that 50% prioritise trust above all other considerations when selecting vendors.

The research highlights a fundamental shift in procurement priorities, particularly as economic pressures mount. Nearly half (49%) of buyers report that trust becomes “much more important” during economic downturns, directly influencing decisions worth millions of pounds.

The discovery gap
A critical finding reveals that 28% of buyers struggle most to trust vendors during the research and discovery stage – before any sales engagement takes place. This period, when potential clients evaluate websites, content and credentials independently, represents the biggest trust hurdle in the buying journey.

The findings suggest that PR, thought leadership and brand visibility are no longer optional marketing activities, but essential trust-building mechanisms that influence procurement outcomes.

Lorraine Emmett, Managing Director at EC-PR, said: “These results demonstrate that trust isn’t a soft metric – it’s a hard commercial reality affecting business deals of all sizes. When we talk about trust in our report, we mean the belief that a company will consistently deliver on its promises, act with integrity and prioritise the interests of its customers. The most significant challenge is that buyers are making trust judgments before they ever speak to your sales team. Half of senior tech buyers now rank trust above cost, innovation and delivery speed combined – factors that have traditionally dominated purchasing decisions.”

What builds trust?
The research identified specific trust signals that shape buyer choices. Transparent pricing, open communication channels and clear compliance and security credentials emerged as strong influencers in vendor selection. The study also found that the use of AI can either enhance or damage trust, depending on how authentically it’s deployed.

With 28% of buyers identifying the discovery stage as their biggest trust challenge, companies face a critical window where credibility must be established through digital presence, thought leadership content and brand reputation before any human interaction occurs.

Lorraine Emmett added: “The convergence of these findings is striking. Companies that fail to build trust at the discovery stage are losing deals before they even know prospects exist. Trust is now the ultimate differentiator, and it must be earned early in the buyer journey.”

You can view The Trust Advantage in full here.