[3GScottishUser]

From The Scotsman (30/12/2005):

Eight million mobile phone users not happy with their service

THE future is black for Orange and Vodafone, after a new report revealed the two mobile phone networks have the poorest customer service staff.

Staff at both companies failed to answer correctly a series of basic questions about tariffs.

The survey, conducted by OneCompare.com, an independent online comparison service, also revealed that eight million out of Britain's 35 million mobile phone users were unhappy with the level of customer service they were receiving.

During the survey the four basic questions were: When are your peak hours? When are your off-peak hours? What are peak call costs? What are off-peak call costs?

More than 27 per cent of staff at a variety of networks were unable to answer all four questions correctly and the poorest were to be found at Orange and Vodafone.

Meanwhile, a survey of customer opinion of the different customer service departments found that Virgin had the happiest customers, with 39 per cent totally satisfied, while T-Mobile had only 13 per cent totally satisfied and 3 had just 9 per cent.

Anthony Ball, director at OneCompare.com says: "Customer acquisition continues to take priority, but mobile companies, even the ones that have come out top in our report, have neglected the basics and dismissed the importance of good customer services."

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2474832005

[Ben]

Just thought I'd drop the URL in :p http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=2474832005

Sounds like Virgin are still very much on fire. Good good.

[Hands0n]

Yea, but what about South of the border? :p

I am staggered at Vodafone getting such a low score, also Orange who [at least anecdotally] appear to give very satisfactory Customer Service.

I've long maintained that Customer Service is paramount for Customer retention - who after all, stays if they are not satisfied with the support they need. I believe that much churn is caused by the [poor] CS experience and not much to do with much else! When all is working well the Customer experience can only be satisfactory. The hard work, for the mobile operators, starts when things go wrong. It is how they put things right that, I belive, drives retention.

For example only, Hutchinson 3 have demonstrated that ever so well with churn rates reported in 2005 of 60%. 3 are legend on the forums for their manifest failings in the CS area. However, when 3 works well - and it works extremely well for me - it is very good indeed. But when things go wrong their CS effectiveness often leaves much to be desired, resulting in unhappy Customers who walk away when the opportunity arises.

As the article quoted closes [mobile operators] "have neglected the basics and dismissed the importance of good customer services". Until all the mobile operators learn from their own and other's history they are doomed to having to handle Customer churn and dissatisfaction.

[3GScottishUser]

I suspect the CS staff providing inaccurate tariff information is a great deal less serious than the proportion of customers who are 'entirely satisfied' with the overall CS experience. With such a bewildering range of pre/post pay prices its not surprising that CS staff made errors when quoting call costs.... time all the networks did something to make the whole charging issue a lot more transparent..

[solo12002]

its not surprising that CS staff made errors when quoting call costs!

Im shocked I would expect CS to know the basics, If they are that dam silly maybe they should of went to. www. vodafone.co.uk for information on their own price plans!