ScottishPower ‘worst UK company for customer service’

SCOTTISHPOWER has been rated the worst company in the UK for customer service, according to Which?.

ScottishPower were criticised for their poor customer service, according to a list compiled by Which? Picture: Getty

The consumer group’s annual survey of the UK’s 100 biggest brands has revealed energy and telecoms providers are generally the companies rated among the worst when it comes to customer service, with ScottishPower taking the bottom slot.

Soap firm Lush came top of the table with the full five stars for people feeling valued as a customer, staff helpfulness and knowledge of products. It was followed by bank First Direct and household store Lakeland.

John Lewis and sister brand Waitrose also performed well, appearing in the top five.

The report found that long waiting times on the phone was a key reason that customers rated ScottishPower so poorly, along with billing problems.

Consumers gave it just two stars for feeling valued as a customer, knowledge of a product or service ★when dealing with staff and the helpfulness of staff, pushing it to the bottom slot - one place lower than in 2014.

The Glasgow-based firm had the lowest rating with a customer score of 59 per cent, just ahead of rival Npower with 61 per cent.

Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd said: “Long-suffering customers deserve better.

“Nearly nine in 10 told us poor service puts them off using a company again, so there is a clear incentive to offer service that makes customers smile.

“Companies at the bottom of our survey should take note: make your customers seethe and you will pay the price.”

Bank of Scotland dropped from 36th place in the 2014 survey to 61st this year. However, RBS was ranked 42nd, up from 60th place in last year’s survey.

A spokesman for ScottishPower said: “We would like to reassure customers that we are committed to restoring our service levels to the highest possible standards.”

He added that the firm had recruited 500 additional customer advisers to its UK call centres.

Winners and sinners . . .

The best and worst firms in the UK for customer service are as follows.

TOP

1 Lush

2 First Direct

3 Lakeland

4= Body Shop

4= John Lewis

4= Waitrose

7 Pets at Home

9= Amazon

9= Clarks

9= Dunelm

9= Marks and Spencer

9= RAC

BOTTOM:

100 ScottishPower

99 NPower

98 BT

97 TalkTalk

95= Ryanir

95= Vodafone

94 EE

89= FlyBe

89= EasyJet

89= Dreams

89= Currys/PC World

89= B&M Home Store