Which companies have the best customer service? Survey shows top 10... but most firms are below par
- UK Customer Satisfaction Index tracks service levels at 275 firms
- The average customer satisfaction level is at its lowest point since 2010
- Retailers and banks top the list for customer satisfaction
Customer service levels at the country's biggest companies have deteriorated, according to a report.
The latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index by the Institute of Customer Service found that satisfaction levels are at their lowest level since 2010.
The survey asked 60,000 people what they thought of the customer service at 275 major firms.
Can't get no satisfaction: Customer service levels have reached their lowest point in 14 years
The latest report puts customer service levels at 75.8 points out of 100, down 0.8 points from a year ago, and 2.6 points below the high point of 78.4 in July 2022.
Meanwhile, peoples' satisfaction with firms' complaint handling was down 8.1 points on July 2022 at 58.3.
Utilities companies continue to be among the worst offenders, with a score of 69.8 out of 100, although they have improved by 0.3 points since July 2023.
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Customer satisfaction with energy companies is higher than a year ago, with a reduction in the number of customers experiencing issues.
However, satisfaction with water companies has declined to 69.5 points, nearly six points below the UK average.
Water companies have been plagued by sewage spills as well as rising debt which has contributed to higher bills.
Public services, both local and national, are also among the worst for customer service, at 70.3 and 73.3 points respectively, according to the report.
HMRC's long waiting times have come under particular scrutiny over the past year.
Which companies have the best customer service?
Retailers top the customer satisfaction list, with seven of the top 10 organisations in that sector.
Key-cutting company Timpson saw its score improve from 83.6 in July 2023 to 86 points in July 2024, now offering the best customer service in the country according to the report.
John Lewis follows closely behind, with Waitrose, M&S and Greggs also all featuring in the top 10 with scores in the mid-80s.
Banks and retailers feature in the top 10 companies with the highest customer satisfaction
A handful of banks and building societies also feature, with Nationwide taking the second spot and Starling, Monzo and Yorkshire Building Society also scoring highly for their customer service.
The report found that 9 of the top 40 organisations are from the banking sector, up from six a year earlier.
Crucially, the report found that banks and food retailers with higher satisfaction are recording better financial performance.
Jo Causon, CEO of the Institute of Customer Service said: 'Unfortunately, the current outlook isn't where we need it to be, despite our research showing that higher levelsof customer satisfaction correlate with financial stability and growth.
'Business leaders need to understand the evolving needs and expectations of their customers, developing their organisations' approach accordingly to unlock the sustainable growth the economy needs.
'The Government's post-election business policy agenda should encourage all organisations to understand and serve customers better if we are to put our economy back on track.'
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