Press Release |
Email this press release to a friend or collegue
|
Press Releases | Fact Sheets | Media Contacts | Facts and Figures
 |
Contact:
John Tews
(248) 312-4119 |
Syvetril Perryman
(805) 418-8103 |
|
| |
J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Customers Respond Positively as Cable and Voice Providers
Leverage Web Sites to More Effectively Address Customer Service Issues
Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Cox Communications and WideOpenWest
Each Rank Highest in Residential Telephone Customer Satisfaction in Their Respective Regions
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 10 September 2008 —Voice customers who use the Web for customer service inquiries have higher satisfaction compared with those who use the telephone, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Residential Telephone Customer Satisfaction StudySM released today.
The study measures customer satisfaction with both local and long distance telephone service in four regions across the United States. Five factors are examined in determining overall satisfaction. In order of importance, they are: customer service, performance and reliability, cost of service, billing, and offerings and promotions.
In 2008, the majority of customers (80%) continue to use the telephone for inquiries regarding their voice service, while 16 percent of customers use their provider’s Web site. However, the study finds that satisfaction levels among customers who use Web channels for service inquiries are higher than satisfaction levels among customers who use a telephone to call a service center. On average, satisfaction averages 641 on a 1,000-point scale among Web users, compared with 626 for telephone users.
“In an increasingly competitive market where providers are constantly seeking ways to better manage the costs associated with service support, promoting Web sites as a viable service channel instead of traditional telephone-based support can create significant cost savings,” said Frank Perazzini, director of telecommunications at J.D. Power and Associates. “The good news is that customers are responding positively to the Web option. Voice provider Web sites offer customers useful ways to manage their billing needs, review their account information and explore available product and service offerings.”
The 2008 study marks the second consecutive year that cable television providers have dominated the highest-ranking positions across all regions examined in the study.
“According to our market intelligence research on social and consumer-generated online media, customers perceive that cable companies in particular have an advantage when it comes to providing Internet-based telephone service,” said Jeff Taylor, director for J.D. Power and Associates’ Web Intelligence Research Division. “Customers often cite the strength of cable’s existing network infrastructure as a key reason for trusting cable providers with their telephone service.”
Provider results by region are:
East Region: Cablevision ranks highest in the region, performing particularly well in customer service, cost of service, billing, and offerings and promotions.
South Region: Bright House Networks ranks highest in the region and has strong performances in customer service, cost of service, billing, and offerings and promotions.
North Central Region: WideOpenWest (WOW!) ranks highest in the region, performing particularly well in customer service, cost of service, billing, and offerings and promotions.
West Region: Cox Communications ranks highest in the West and outperforms all other providers in the region in all factors driving customer satisfaction.
When examining the impact of bundled voice and data services, the study finds that overall satisfaction is higher among customers who bundle two or more services with one provider, compared with customers subscribing to phone service alone. Satisfaction among “triple-play customers”—those subscribing to telephone, cable and Internet service—is 23 index points higher than among those customers subscribing to just phone service.
The 2008 Residential Telephone Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses collected in July 2008 from more than 13,600 customers nationwide who receive their local and long distance telephone service from one provider.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on boat ratings, car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
Media Relations Contacts:
|
John Tews
J.D. Power and Associates
Director, Media Relations
5435 Corporate Drive, Suite 300
Troy
, MI
48098
USA
(248) 312-4119
john.tews@jdpa.com
|
Syvetril Perryman
J.D. Power and Associates
Specialist, Media Relations
2625 Townsgate Road, Suite 100
Westlake Village
, CA
91361
USA
(805) 418-8103
syvetril.perryman@jdpa.com
|
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate # # #
|
What does J.D. Power and Associates do?J.D. Power and Associates' research, consulting, and performance improvement services are used by a variety of industries to improve product quality and customer satisfaction. The firm's research is based solely on responses from millions of consumers and business customers worldwide. Product and service rankings that result from this research reflect the opinions of consumers and business customers-not the opinion of J.D. Power and Associates. Rankings are derived from nationally syndicated studies that serve as industry benchmarks for measuring and tracking quality and customer satisfaction. J.D. Power and Associates conducts the research, publicly announces the results, and then offers analysis based on consumer feedback to product and service providers to help them improve their businesses.
|