It turns out that the people of the UK aren’t totally happy with their Broadband suppliers, which is probably not much of a surprise to anyone reading this article. The consumer advocate that many customers turn to for help choosing the best insurance or service providers or even washing machines, “Which?”, conducted a survey across 1,800 people during November and December last year. The 2016 research found that the companies that we consider to be the “big names” in Broadband, are actually offering the worst customer service.
When asked to share whether they’d recommend their Broadband provider to others, only 38% of customers from TalkTalk were satisfied with the customer service, a number only slightly lower than BT’s 45%.
The Worst of the Worst
Although no Broadband business in the survey came out with a 100% satisfaction rating, those with an outcome of under 50% included:
- Sky at 49%
- EE Broadband at 48%
- Post Office at 48%
- BT at 45%
- TalkTalk at 38%
On the other hand, smaller providers like Zen Internet and Utility Warehouse scored highly in every aspect, and even the BT-owned PlusNet seemed to perform better than its parent (65% against 45%), which is sure to leave you wondering why BT haven’t just asked Plusnet to give them a hand. In the entire survey, not one of the major players got over three stars for their customer service.
The Case for Better Broadband
According to the Which MD of home services, Alex Neill, Broadband is no longer a luxury for most people. Instead, it’s an essential part of what we expect to have access to daily. The latest results show that the biggest players in the industry still have miles to go before they can figure out how to really satisfy their customers.
For customers who are wondering what to do about their current dissatisfaction, Which suggests that your best bet is to make your complaints known, and think about switching if you don’t see a change. The Utility Warehouse, SSE, Zen Internet, and John Lewis Broadband all seem to offer far better customer service to their customers right now.
While these brands might not be who you’d typically associate with big broadband, they’re certainly worth considering for those who aren’t pleased with their current connection. We’d love to know your thoughts and opinion on your Broadband supplier at home or at work. Let us know in the comments section below.