Customer satisfaction for Canadian wireless carriers is on the rise, according to a recent report from J.D. Power. Across all carriers, the average score was 746 points (on a scale of 1,000), up from 738 in 2016 for assistance received on the phone, in-store, or online. On top of that list was Virgin Mobile who scored an impressive 801, earning an “Among the Best” rating from J.D. Power. Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless earned the worst marks out of all carriers, scoring 723 and 713, respectively.
High customer service ratings equate to high brand loyalty and brand advocacy, the study finds. Two-fifths of the 5,500 respondents said “good customer service” was their primary metric in selecting a carrier, and nearly half of all “delighted” respondents (900-1000 scores) said they will “definitely not” switch carriers in the next 12 months. Only 43 percent of “pleased” customers (750-899) said they would recommend their current carrier, while 70 percent of “delighted” customers said they would do the same.
What makes customers give higher marks than others? This may be shocking, but J.D. Power’s report found that customers who gave marks in the 900 range valued quicker resolutions for problems, knowledgeable and personable staff, and fewer transfers between customer service representatives. Timeliness had the greatest impact on scores; average satisfaction was 837 when customers had their issues resolved within 5 minutes and that number dropped to 693 when customers waited 10 minutes or more for solutions. Additionally, respondents who said their agents were courteous and knowledgeable gave consistently higher marks. Knowledgeable service representatives transfer fewer calls, another important factor for customers; only 19 percent of “delighted” customers were transferred at some point in the call, compared to 31 percent of “pleased” customers.
With wireless costs on the rise in Canada, customers will be looking for carriers that value every dollar of their service. The top-ranking carriers for customer service, Virgin Mobile and Koodo Mobile, have increasingly focused on contract-free services and customer communication improvement, distancing themselves from legacy carriers like Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless. Clearly, customers are responding to the new business models. Below are survey results from the 2015 and 2017 J.D. Power Canadian Wireless Customer Care studies for comparison.
