Which companies have the best customer service? Survey shows top 10… but most firms are below par

The level of customer service at the nation’s largest companies has deteriorated, according to the report.

The Institute of Customer Service’s latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index found satisfaction levels to be the lowest since 2010.

The survey asked 60,000 people what they thought of customer service at 275 large companies.

The latest report puts the level of customer service at 75.8 out of 100, down 0.8 points from a year ago and 2.6 points below the peak of 78.4 in July 2022.

Meanwhile, people’s satisfaction with companies’ handling of complaints fell by 8.1 points to 58.3 in July 2022.

Utilities 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.

Customer satisfaction with energy companies is higher than a year ago, with a decrease in the number of customers experiencing problems.

However, satisfaction with water companies fell to 69.5 points, almost six points below the UK average.

Water companies have been plagued by sewage leaks as well as mounting debt that has contributed to higher bills.

Public utilities, both local and national, are also among the worst in terms of customer service, with scores of 70.3 and 73.3, respectively, according to the report.

HMRC’s long waiting times have come under particular scrutiny in the past year.

Which companies have the best customer service?

Retailers top the customer satisfaction rankings with seven of the top 10 organizations in the sector.

Key cutting company Timpson saw its score improve from 83.6 in July 2023 to 86 in July 2024 and now offers the best customer service in the country, according to the report.

Close behind is John Lewis, with Waitrose, M&S and Greggs all also in the top 10 with scores in the mid-80s.

A handful of banks and building societies also featured, with Nationwide taking second place and Starling, Monzo and Yorkshire Building Society also scoring highly for customer service.

The report found that 9 of the top 40 organizations came from the banking sector, up from six a year earlier.

Crucially, the report found that banks and grocers with higher satisfaction experience better financial results.

Jo Causon, chief executive of the Institute of Customer Service, said: “Unfortunately, the current outlook is not what we need, despite our research showing that higher levels of customer satisfaction correlate with financial stability and growth.

“Leading companies need to understand the evolving needs and expectations of their customers and evolve their organizations’ approach accordingly to enable the sustainable growth the economy needs.

‘ [new] The Government’s post-election business policy agenda should encourage all organizations to understand and serve customers better if we are to get our economy back on track.’