Zen Internet Shines in UK Broadband Customer Service, Virgin Media Lags Behind
According to a recent survey by Which?, the UK’s broadband industry is facing severe customer service challenges. The survey revealed that over 22% of customers expressed dissatisfaction with their recent telecoms experiences, with more complaints in this sector than in energy, retail, or financial services.
Amidst the disappointing industry landscape, Rochdale-based broadband provider Zen Internet emerged as a beacon of excellence, earning an impressive customer satisfaction score of 84 out of 100. Utility Warehouse and Plusnet also performed well, achieving scores of 74 and 72, respectively.
However, the survey also highlighted a glaring disparity in service quality among the major providers. Virgin Media was ranked the worst overall, receiving a dismal score of 38/100. The company’s performance in key areas such as quick and helpful responses (26/100) and technical support (34/100) was particularly concerning.
Rocio Concha, Which?’s director of policy and advocacy, voiced her disappointment, stating that customer service in the telecoms sector had hit rock bottom, with some customers facing endless loops when seeking assistance.
Customer Michael Barraclough shared his frustrating experience with Virgin Media, which involved 18 phone calls and a six-week wait to resolve a broadband signal issue. Despite repeated efforts and formal complaints, Michael’s issue remained unresolved, highlighting the need for significant improvement in Virgin Media’s customer service processes.
While compensation is available for broadband outages and service failures, customers may need to escalate their complaints to the appropriate ADR scheme if direct contact with their provider proves unsuccessful. ADR schemes act as independent mediators, providing a valuable avenue for consumers to resolve unresolved issues with service providers.
