Telstra Mobile still ranked worst for customer service

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 17:01

IT Industry - Market

Telstra has again come last in the latest Roy Morgan survey of customers' satisfaction with mobile service provider, but has managed to lift its game since in April.

Roy Morgan reported that the industry average customer satisfaction for mobile service providers increased to 70 percent in August 2010, from 69 percent in July. Virgin customers' satisfaction (83 percent) remains well above the industry average and above its nearest competitor (3, with 76 percent). Optus (72 percent), and Vodafone (72 percent) tied in third place. Vodafone has slipped from second place with 74 percent in July to equal third in August 2010. Telstra scored 63 percent for August.

When iTWire last reported the Roy Morgan results, in April,  Roy Morgan said that the overall industry satisfaction had remained relatively stable and that 67.9 percent of respondents in the six months to March 2010 were 'very' or 'fairly' satisfied with their mobile service.

This stability, however was the result of Telstra's ranking declining: Virgin had lifted its ranking by 10.7 percentage points, Vodafone by 10.4 percent, 3 by 5.3 percent and Optus by 4.0 percent.

In figures released by Roy Morgan in April, for the six months to March 2010, Telstra was the only major company to record a drop in satisfaction over the survey period and the only one with a below average ranking (60.3 percent). The average figure was weighted according to the number of subscribers of each of the mobile operators covered by the survey.

Telstra was also bottom of the list back in March 2009 but at that time all providers were in a 10 percent band from 62.7 to 69.9 percent. In the next 12 months the gap widened considerably with all providers other than Telstra improving their rankings and Telstra's ranking declining.

Andrew Braun, director mobile, internet and technology, Roy Morgan Research, said: "The top three reasons that satisfied customers have chosen their current service provider were on the basis of being offered 'cheaper rates,' 'better network coverage' and 'capped plans'.

"Price and network coverage have been the compelling reasons for choice to date but with the market moving towards product bundling, it will be interesting to see whether this impacts on mobile service provider selection and satisfaction ratings in future."