Local authorities have been ranked as one of the worst sector’s in the UK for customer service.
New research, published by outsourcer Echo Managed Services, found that only telecoms companies were considered more frustrating for customers than local councils.
The three biggest complaints, according to the report, were unhelpful or rude service providers and not being able to find the answers to queries. Over half of those surveyed (56%) also said being kept waiting on hold was a particular bugbear.
The report also looked at the ways people preferred to contact customer services, finding face to face or over the phone was the favoured option. Around a third (36%) said they liked to make contact via a website, with only 3% opting for social media.
Monica Mackintosh, customer services director at Echo Managed Services, said: ‘Customers are now more empowered than ever to make contact choices which suit them, as a result of the myriad of communication channels available to them – from telephone and email, to social media and web self-serve.
‘But despite this ever-increasing channel choice, it’s clear from our research that some sectors are getting customer contact wrong. Consumers are citing various frustrations when speaking to everyday service providers, so we’re hoping our report will provide some food for thought for organisations and their customer communication strategies moving forward.’
