CONSUMER sentiment towards utility companies is rising as they improve their customer service to compensate for recent price hikes.
With little to separate gas and electricity providers when it comes to price, a report into customer satisfaction suggests they are trying to differentiate in other ways.
ReutersCustomer satisfaction among energy customers has risen by 4% in recent months[/caption]
And this appears to be by offering a better experience for their customers to soften the blow of recent price increases.
Trustpilot’s latest Online Review Index – a quarterly update on consumer sentiment across reviews – found positive sentiment towards utility companies went up by four per cent between April and June this year.
This was based on 86,000 reviews submitted by customers specifically in relation to utility providers.
Mieke De Schepper for Trustpilot, said: “As inflation continues to bite and place increased strain on households, the importance of earning – and maintaining – a trustworthy reputation among consumers has never been more crucial.
“Where businesses may be less able to compete on price, other differentiators such as customer service can really help an energy supplier set itself apart from competitors.
“So in this time of economic uncertainty, it’s reassuring to see improved sentiment in reviews of businesses across the sector on our platform.”
The improvement in customer sentiment is even more impressive when compared to other sectors which saw little or no improvement – and in some cases even decreased.
‘Electronics & Technology’ and ‘Fashion’ fell one per cent, ‘Home & Garden’ dropped by three per cent, ‘Money & Insurance’ remained the same, and ‘Beauty & Wellbeing’ increased by one per cent.
Across the whole of the UK utilities sector, the keywords and topics driving the bulk of positive sentiment in reviews included ‘engineer’, ‘installation setup’, ‘staff’ and ‘solution’.
By contrast, pain points and keywords mentioned by customers which drove negative sentiment in reviews included ‘meter readings’, ‘contact’, ‘debt’ and ‘payment.’
With suppliers unlikely to offer costs significantly lower than the price cap, the report suggests customer experience is likely to play an increasingly important role among consumers – and their decision to choose one supplier over another.
Mieke De Schepper added: “Increasingly, consumers are not just searching for the cheapest deal but are also looking for the best possible customer experience, seeking assurances from suppliers that they have their best interests in mind.”