A survey of UK broadband
customers has revealed a significant gap between the highest and lowest-rated broadband
providers in terms of customer satisfaction.
The survey took into
account satisfaction levels, based on five criteria: ‘sense, feel, think, do
and connect’, with the result being a score connected to brand loyalty levels, measured by likely future purchasing decisions and likelihood of
recommending the brand to others.
It revealed the
highest-ranked of the major broadband providers was Sky with a score of 84 (out
of a possible total score of 140) followed by Virgin Media with a score of 80 (out
of 140)
By contrast, the lowest-ranked
major suppliers had less than two-thirds satisfaction rates. TalkTalk scored
just 67, and BT scored 68. Even worse were EE and Vodafone (who both scored 71).
Meanwhile O2 scored only 76, and Three scored just 77.
But the most interesting
finding from the research is that two much smaller broadband providers had the
best scores of all: Lyca were top with a score of 94, and Giffgaff were second
with a score of 90.
The poll of 2,108 adults
was designed to ensure that all the people taking part had at least six months experience
using at least one of these broadband and telecoms providers.
The survey results could
have a major impact on how each brand shapes its future strategy. If a provider
with a low rating seeks to grow mainly through customer acquisition, then it
may be stymied by a lack of recommendation, not least because negative feedback
from unhappy customers will back up the findings of any surveys.
Moreover, as more people
get broadband services, the market for new customers will shrink, making
expansion more dependent on a combination of acquisition and retention. That
makes it more likely that providers who have good retention rates to start with
will have a natural advantage when it comes to customer acquisition.
Research conducted by the
Rufus Leonard Agency (www.rufusleonard.com).