Press Releases
Chase and Citi Make Headway in Banking Customer Service Survey
Vocalabs' Survey Shows Bank of America, Wells Fargo Losing Ground
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (February 6, 2013) – More Chase and Citi customers were satisfied with their customer service in 2012 than in 2011, according to a survey on phone-based customer service quality conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs), while customer service satisfaction scores at Bank of America and Wells Fargo were largely unchanged. In telephone interviews conducted immediately following a customer service call in 2012, 67% of Chase customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with the experience, up from 57% in 2011, while Citi’s score increased to 61% from 54% the prior year. In 2012, 62% of Bank of America customers and 64% of Wells Fargo customers were similarly satisfied with the service they received; both numbers were statistically unchanged from 2011.
“One surprising finding in our survey is the number of problems customers are having when the automated system asks for an account number and PIN,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “It’s not reasonable to expect a customer to have his account number handy if he’s calling to report a lost or stolen card, yet we registered more complaints than we expected about exactly this problem. We also had complaints about systems not recognizing valid account numbers, and customers getting stuck in a loop when they couldn’t get past that part of the call.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 2,980 surveys completed between April 2011 and December 2012. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/Press. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 205.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews, automated customer surveys, and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Rob Jackson, Vocalabs, rjackson@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 205.
Verizon Wireless Makes Signficant Improvements in Customer Service in 2012
Vocalabs' Study Shows AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile Down from 2011
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (February 6, 2013) – Verizon Wireless made significant improvements in customers’ satisfaction with customer service calls in 2012, according to the latest study on phone-based customer service quality conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews conducted immediately following a customer service call during 2013, 73% of Verizon customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with the experience, up from 63% in 2011. Sixty-one percent percent of AT&T customers surveyed gave the experience their top rating, down four points from 2011; while Sprint dropped one point to 62%, and T-Mobile dropped three points to 55%.
“Our survey data goes back to 2009, and Verizon has had the best-rated customer service representatives every year, but Verizon customers often reported it was hard to reach a person” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “In 2012 our survey data shows a big improvement in the ease of reaching a person at Verizon customer service, and that really plays to the company’s strength.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 9,195 surveys completed between July 2009 and December 2012. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/published-research. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 205.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Rob Jackson, Vocalabs, rjackson@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 205.
Vocalabs Research Shows Three Common Problems Impact 35% of Surveyed Bank of America Customers
Avoidable Customer Service Issues Common Across All Companies Studied
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (August 7, 2012) – In an analysis of customer service patterns at eleven companies over the past 18 months, three common mistakes in customer service systems consistently drove customer frustration at all companies. The Vocalabs Customer Frustration Index ranged from a low of 18% at HP's technical support, to a high of 35% at Bank of America. This index measures the percentage of surveyed customers who experienced one of three specific problems:
- The automated system made it hard to reach a person, or didn't have the option the customer was looking for. Only 2% of customers who experience this problem successfully self-serve. 39% hang up before getting what they need on the call, and 59% manage to overcome the barriers and reach a person.
- Customers who have to call back have to start over. Most customers who had to call more than once reported they had to start over from the beginning, and these customers were highly dissatisfied with the experience. Those customers who were able to pick up where they left off were just as satisfied as first-time callers.
- Customers can't speak to a person when they need to. Most customers know when they need to speak to a person and when they can self-serve. In our survey, customers who used self-service by choice were more satisfied than customers who spoke to a person; but customers who were forced to use self-service rated the experience very poorly.
“We conducted extensive interviews of over 8,000 customers of eleven different companies for this research, interviewing each customer within minutes of a customer service experience,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “We looked at specific elements of the customer service process to find how the customer service experience can be better designed, and found that companies are making several mistakes which drive down service levels. These problems are only about how the systems and experiences are built, and don't even get to common complaints like agent language skills or customers who couldn't get their problems resolved.”
An executive summary of this data is available to download at http://www.vocalabs.com/published-research.
ABOUT THIS RESEARCH
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 8,218 interviews completed between January 2011 and June 2012. Customers of Apple, Dell, HP, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bank of America, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo were interviewed immediately after a customer service call. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 205.
ABOUT VOCALABS
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) helps companies who care about customer service and need to get the most out of their customer feedback programs. We work with our clients to design and implement customer service surveys which are dependable, actionable, and credible. We use our expertise and real-time reporting platform to deliver the data when and where it can be most effective in improving the customer experience. Our clients gain a deep understanding of how their customers perceive the service experience, and insights into how to improve. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
Dell, HP, Chase, and Citi Customers Complain About Customer Service Language Skills in Vocalabs Survey
Study Tracks Customer Service Complaints at Apple, Dell, HP, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bank of America, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (May 9, 2012) – In an analysis of customer service complaints at eleven companies over the past 15 months, Dell, HP, Chase, and Citi customers often complained about the language skills of the companies’ customer service representatives. Customer service automation was the most common complaint overall, and led other complaints at Apple, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bank of America, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo.
An analysis of 2,379 customer complaints collected during 7,194 National Customer Service Survey interviews between January 2011 and March 2012 yielded several other insights including:
- Customers of Dell and Wells Fargo we surveyed were more likely than customers of other companies to report incidents of rude or impolite behavior.
- Apple, Verizon, and Citi had the highest frequency of complaints about customer service automation in their respective industries.
- Customers of Dell, HP, and Wells Fargo were more likely to report being hung up on than customers of other companies.
“Our interviews for the National Customer Service Survey are fairly extensive, and at the end we ask the customer if he or she has any other comments or suggestions,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “This gives us a look at what’s really bothering customers about their customer service experience. In our analysis we expected to see complaints about language barriers and automation, but reports of rude behavior and customers getting hung up on were surprising.”
An executive summary of this data is available to download at http://www.vocalabs.com/published-research.
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 7,194 interviews completed between January 2011 and March 2012. Customers of Apple, Dell, HP, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bank of America, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo were interviewed immediately after a customer service call. As part of these interviews, 2,379 open-ended customer comments were recorded and analyzed for this report. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
AT&T Takes Top Spot as Sprint, T-Mobile Fall in Mobile Phone Customer Service Survey
Vocalabs' Study Shows AT&T Improving, Competitors Down
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (February 2, 2012) –AT&T took the lead in customer service quality in the last three months of 2011 as Sprint and T-Mobile lost ground, according to the latest study on phone-based customer service quality conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews conducted immediately following a customer service call during the three months ending December 31, 2011, 69% of AT&T customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with the experience, up from 65% a year ago. Fifty-nine percent of Sprint customers gave the experience their top rating, down 12 points from the end of 2010; while T-Mobile posted a 17-point drop to end 2011 at 48% “Very Satisfied.” Verizon was effectively unchanged at 60% satisfaction.
“Providing a consistently high-quality customer service experience requires ongoing commitment and focus throughout an organization,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “When companies get distracted, or focus on only one part of their customer experience or product portfolio, the overall customer experience can suffer. We will be watching Sprint and T-Mobile in 2012 to see if they can recover the ground lost in 2011.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 8,086 surveys completed between July 2009 and December 2011. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/published-research. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
Apple’s Lead in Tech Support Quality Continues to Slip in Consumer Survey
Vocalabs' Study Also Shows Fewer Complaints about Language Skills and Support Cost at Apple
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (February 2, 2012) – Apple continues to lead Dell and HP in customer service quality for phone-based technical support, but Apple’s support satisfaction among surveyed customers dropped significantly over the past 18 months, according to the latest study conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews immediately following a support call, 54% of Apple customers were “Very Satisfied” with the experience during the last six months of 2011, compared to 44% of Dell customers and 49% of HP customers. Apple’s satisfaction score is down 19 points from the first half of 2010, while Dell and HP have generally held steady over the past two years.
Looking at common complaints in 2011, less than 1% of Apple customers surveyed complained about the language skills of the support technician; much fewer than the 8% of Dell customers and 10% of HP customers with similar issues. Many customers also complained about the extra cost of out-of-warranty tech support, but Apple saw fewer complaints here, too. About 1% of Apple customers volunteered a cost complaint in this study, as compared to 6% of Dell customers and 6% of HP customers.
“Despite its significant decline, Apple continues to lead our survey in overall tech support quality,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “But where Apple used to be well ahead in nearly every measure of service quality, there are now areas where Apple is tied with, or even behind, its competitors.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 4,852 surveys completed between May 2008 and December 2011. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/published-research. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
Bank of America and Wells Fargo Lead in Banking Customer Service Survey
Vocalabs' Study Shows Many Customers’ Problems Not Solved
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (October 25, 2011) – Among customers surveyed, Bank of America and Wells Fargo had better phone-based customer service than Chase and Citi, according to a study on phone-based customer service quality conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews conducted immediately following a customer service call, 68% of Bank of America customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with the experience, while 63% of Wells Fargo customers gave the experience their top rating. This compares to the 56% percent of Chase and 52% of Citi customers who were similarly satisfied.
Problem resolution is an issue industry-wide. Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo were statistically tied with 64%, 66%, and 64% of customers’ issues resolved on the customer service call, while 57% of Citi customers surveyed reported their problems were solved.
“Even among routine transactions like checking account balances, over 30% of the customers we interviewed did not get what they wanted on the customer service call,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “Our survey shows that problem resolution is a major driver of business goals like customer loyalty. It also costs a lot of money to serve customers who call back multiple times.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 844 surveys completed between April 2011 and September 2011. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/Press. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews, automated customer surveys, and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
AT&T Gaining while Sprint Declines in Mobile Phone Customer Service Survey
Vocalabs' Study Shows Sprint’s Gains from 2010 Disappearing
Download Executive Summary
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (October 25, 2011) –AT&T recovered in the quality of customer service while Sprint lost ground, according to the latest study on phone-based customer service quality conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews conducted immediately following a customer service call during the three months ending September 30, 2011, 66% of AT&T customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with the experience, up from 56% in the prior period, while 53% of Sprint customers gave the experience their top rating, down from 64%. This compares to the 55% percent of T-Mobile and 60% of Verizon customers who were similarly satisfied.
Sprint made impressive service gains during 2010, moving from the bottom of Vocalabs’ rankings in 2009 to being statistically tied for first place in many key metrics. These gains have largely disappeared in 2011, however, with some of Sprint’s key scores in the September quarter at or below the levels of the beginning of 2010.
“Sprint’s story has been one of ups and downs,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “Last year we applauded them for their significant gains, but this year they have slid backwards. Some of this can be explained by a shift towards prepaid customers in our survey sample, but even among traditional postpaid customers, key service metrics declined over the past three months.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 7,356 surveys completed between July 2009 and September 2011. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/Press. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs) specializes in building effective customer feedback programs designed to measurably improve the customer experience. We use a combination of immediate live interviews, automated customer surveys, and panel research to collect customer feedback tailored to each client's business goals. Our reporting tools serve the entire client organization, from executives to front-line customer service, and our unique expertise ensures ongoing improvement. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
Vocalabs' Study Shows Sprint’s Gains from 2010 Leveling Off
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (August 2, 2011) – Verizon and Sprint beat AT&T and T-Mobile in customer service, according to the latest study on phone-based customer service quality conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews conducted immediately following a customer service call during the three months ending June 30, 2011, 66% of Verizon customers were “Very Satisfied” with the experience, and Sprint garnering 64% “Very Satisfied.” This compares to the 56% percent of AT&T and 60% of T-Mobile customers who gave their service experiences the top rating.
Sprint made impressive service gains during 2010, moving from the bottom of Vocalabs’ rankings in 2009 to being statistically tied with Verizon in many key metrics. These gains appear to have leveled off in 2011, however, with many of Sprint’s scores in the June quarter effectively unchanged or slightly below the statistics from the end of 2010.
“Sprint succeeded in turning around what had been lackluster customer service performance in our survey, and it is paying dividends. Over the past year, our survey shows overall customer satisfaction with Sprint up eight points, and leading among the four national mobile phone companies,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “Now the company needs to maintain and extend those gains, and not slide back to where it was two years ago.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 6,377 surveys completed between July 2009 and June 2011. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/Press. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocalabs uncovers the “Ahas.” We combine customer feedback expertise with our advanced technology platform to find ways to improve the customer experience. Vocalabs makes a powerful difference for our clients, including communications providers, financial services companies, healthcare, industry consultants, and equipment vendors. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com. Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
Vocalabs' Study Shows Customers Reporting Problems With Automated Portion of Apple Tech Support Calls
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (August 2, 2011) – Apple continues to lead Dell and HP in customer service quality for phone-based technical support, but customers are reporting more problems with the automated part of the call, according to the latest study conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs). In telephone interviews immediately following a support call, 58% of Apple customers were “Very Satisfied” with the experience during the first six months of 2011, compared to 47% of Dell customers and 53% of HP customers. Apple's satisfaction score is down 15 points from a year ago, while HP has improved nine points over the past two years.
Customers remain highly satisfied with Apple’s support agents, with 77% of customers in the first six months of this year being “Very Satisfied” with the technician; as compared to 56% of Dell customers and 61% of HP customers. The automated part of the call is a different story, however, with only 24% of Apple customers being “Very Satisfied” with that part of the experience, trailing Dell’s 36% and HP’s 40%. In this survey period, 40% of Apple customers reported a problem with the automated part of the call, nearly double the 21% rate from a year ago.
Customers remain highly satisfied with Apple’s support agents, with 77% of customers in the first six months of this year being “Very Satisfied” with the technician; as compared to 56% of Dell customers and 61% of HP customers. The automated part of the call is a different story, however, with only 24% of Apple customers being “Very Satisfied” with that part of the experience, trailing Dell’s 36% and HP’s 40%. In this survey period, 40% of Apple customers reported a problem with the automated part of the call, nearly double the 21% rate from a year ago.
“Apple used to be well ahead of the pack in tech support,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocalabs. “Now it would be fair to say that they are merely at the front of the pack. Apple used to lead on nearly every metric for support quality. Now there are several metrics where Apple is tied with its competition, or even trails.”
About This Research
The National Customer Service Survey (NCSS) tracks customer service quality in several industries, using telephone interviews conducted with a customer immediately after a customer service experience. Statistics in this press release are based on 4,161 surveys completed between May 2008 and June 2011. The NCSS is underwritten and conducted by Vocalabs, independently of any of the companies covered.
Download the Executive Summary by visiting www.Vocalabs.com/Press. To subscribe to the full data set, contact Vocalabs at inquiry@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
About Vocalabs
Vocalabs uncovers the “Ahas.” We combine customer feedback expertise with our advanced technology platform to find ways to improve the customer experience. Vocalabs makes a powerful difference for our clients, including communications providers, financial services companies, healthcare, industry consultants, and equipment vendors. Learn more at www.vocalabs.com.
Contact: Peter Leppik, Vocalabs, pleppik@vocalabs.com, 952-941-6580, ext. 201.
