Scottish Power, Ovo Energy and British Gas finished bottom among energy companies in Which?’s 2023 customer service survey, with energy also representing the worst-performing sector for customer experience.
In Which?'s survey, a quarter (25 percent) of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their most recent customer service experience with their energy provider. This dissatisfaction rate was the highest among the energy, financial services, retail, and telecom sectors.
The consumer advice organisation analysed data from its 2023 customer service survey and annual energy customer satisfaction survey to evaluate how well energy firms are performing in customer service and resolving customer problems promptly and effectively. Scottish Power, Ovo Energy, and British Gas were identified as the worst performers in providing quick responses and practical solutions.
"Customer service is in a dire state in vital areas, and some companies are routinely failing their customers - leaving them frustrated and stuck in endless loops trying to get help," said Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy.
Scottish Power, Ovo Energy and British Gas all fared poorly in Which? research on which firms are best for giving quick and effective solutions when things go wrong. Failings in this area are particularly unacceptable when sky-high energy prices have left families and households struggling to make ends meet."
Which? noted a prevailing frustration in many of the customer accounts surveyed was the lack of prompt responses and resolutions from companies when customers reached out about a problem. Too frequently, Which? underlined, this resulted in customers being kept on hold, trapped in endless chatbot loops, or transferred from one department to another without receiving a satisfactory resolution or helpful answer to their query.
Which? also highlighted that this was "particularly unacceptable" considering that soaring energy bills have significantly contributed to the cost of living crisis, leading to substantial profits for many energy suppliers.