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Which? customer service poll reveals 2017 best and worst brands

960 640 Stuart O'Brien

Consumer watchdog Which? has revealed its best and worst brands for customer service, with First Direct, Lakeland and Lush all topping the polls for 2017.

The survey, carried out with more than 3,000 Which? customers, found that First Direct ticked all the right boxes when it came to customer service, finishing ahead of cosmetics retailer Lush, with kitchenware store Lakeland in third position.

The poll asked members of public to rate up to three brands on their customer service experience.

First Direct took the top position after 63% of those polled said that the customer service staff’s attitude was “excellent”.

Retailers, including Debenhams, HMV, Ikea and Mothercare, were also among those polled, with an average customer service score of 77%. Lush and Lakeland were the highest scoring retailers, with Sports Direct the lowest-scoring, with those polled citing poor staff attitudes at the sports retailer.

Telecoms firms didn’t fare well, with most of the big brands finishing in the lower section of the table. Virgin Media, TalkTalk and energy firm Npower shared 94th position, although Vodafone finished in 9th place. BT missed the poll this year due to a discrepancy in the data collected.

The best brands stood out due to having friendly, helpful staff, with 53% of those polled saying it was one of the things valued most during the customer service experience.

The full list can be viewed here

‘Your call is valued’ most annoying queue time feature, Which? reveals…

800 450 Jack Wynn

A new study of 2,260 Which? members found that being told ‘your call is valued’ was the most annoying feature when waiting in a queue for an operator to answer (47 per cent); followed by being directed to the company’s website (28 per cent) and apologies for all operators being busy (11 per cent).

Regarding sounds played over the phone whilst waiting, an engaged tone (29 per cent) topped the list; closely followed by rock music (22 per cent) and background music with no specific tune (21 per cent). Almost half (48 per cent) branded classical music as the most ‘soothing’. 

When members were asked about the most useful features to hear, 33 per cent cited being told how long you have to wait; 32 per cent said where you are in the queue; and 30 per cent stated the offer of being called back if you leave your number.

Richard Headland of Which? commented: “Waiting on hold is a waste of time, but some organisations make the experience needlessly annoying through objectionable messages and music. If these drive you round the bend, vote with your feet and take your custom elsewhere. The best companies know the value of answering your call quickly.”

The study did acknowledge companies that are ‘leading the way’ in improving customer experience, with members claiming that Aviva allows you to choose your hold music, Screwfix tells you your place in the queue and Amazon calls you for free after placing a request via their website.

In contrast, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) were singled out for criticism by some Which? members for not giving information on your place in the queue and being encouraged to visit their website.