J.D. Power: SaskTel, Koodo Mobile Tops in Customer Satisfaction Again

J.D. Power & Associates released their 2013 Canadian Wireless Total Ownership Experience Study today to announce SaskTel and Koodo Mobile have topped customer satisfaction for the second year in a row to follow up on last year’s win.

What’s more interesting is satisfaction is higher among wireless users who use online self-service for both service and sales versus those who use phone service and in-store channels.

“We see a sizable shift in behaviour, with customers opting to use online self-service tools to address issues with their services or device, and overall satisfaction is highest when customers use their carrier’s online chat function,” said Adrian Chung, account director at J.D. Power & Associates.

“It’s important for wireless carriers to continue focusing on improving their website’s functionality in order for customers to benefit from the convenience and timeliness of this service option, which is not only a more cost-effective way for carriers to interact with their customers, but also creates a more positive experience when a problem is encountered.”

For anyone who has had to deal with customer service reps over the phone, the experience can be inconsistent and downright frustrating at times, depending on who you talk to; thus, self account management makes sense to bypass interactions and take control when you want to.

Some key findings from the report:

• The average reported wireless monthly phone bill is $77, an increase of $9 from 2012
• Among the 49 percent of customers with a data package, the average monthly spend is $86 vs. $65 among the 51 percent who do not have a data package.
• One-half of full-service customers with a smartphone use a mobile application to contact/monitor their carrier regarding service issues.
• Smartphone market penetration increases to 63 percentage points in 2013, up by 9 percentage points from 2012.

The following factors were used to determine the scores of wireless carriers: network quality, cost of service, account management, offerings and promotions, customer service, handset and sales process. According to the details of the report, here are the full rankings (via CBC.ca):

Under the category of stand alone carrier, Koodo Mobile (a subsidiary of TELUS) topped the rankings (followed by Virgin Mobile) while under full service carriers SaskTel ranked as the best (followed by TELUS).

Fido came in at ninth with 704 out of a possible 1000 points, followed by TELUS at 699, Bell Mobility at 674 and Rogers at 662 points.

The study was based on 13,300 mobile phone customers, fielded in September 2012 and March 2013. Which carrier is your favourite for customer satisfaction?