J.D. Power Survey: Carriers May Be Finally Catching Up With Customer Expectations

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.jdpa.com/studies_jdpower/pressrelease3.asp?ss=tps&ID=2004099' target='_blank'>http://www.jdpa.com/studies_jdpower/pressrelease3.asp?ss=tps&ID=2004099</a><br /><br /></div>"Overall satisfaction performance with wireless service providers has increased 5 percent over 2003, the first time a significant increase has been achieved on a year-to-year basis in three years, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2004 U.S. Wireless Regional Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study released today. <br /><br />"Since the study was launched in 1995, overall wireless satisfaction performance has fluctuated in a downward trend based on a number of industry changes such as competitive expansion, mergers and key regulatory programs. These forces have made it difficult for carriers to meet customer expectations as wireless service gained mass appeal. Carriers may be finally catching up with customer expectations, particularly in areas where the industry as been concentrating most of its financial resources. For example, the call quality area receives the largest reported increase in satisfaction ratings over 2003 (increasing 7%), with coverage attributes such as "making calls outside local calling area" and "geographic size of local calling area" experiencing the biggest positive changes. Satisfaction with the cost of service has also risen significantly, mainly based on a strong increase in "fairness in roaming charges."<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/jdpowertrophy.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /> <br />The key highlights of this study are:<br />• Overall wireless household penetration is 59%<br />• Overall satisfaction performance with carriers increased 5% over 2003<br />• T-Mobile ranked highest in all six regions <br />• Verizon Wireless also ranks highest in a tie in four regions<br />• Users report spending $55 per month on wireless service<br />• Only 60% of the total minutes in a typical service plan are used<br />• Wireless subscribers report receiving an average of 19 voice mail and 13 text messages per month 8O<br /><br />You can check out the performance of each carrier on a region by region basis over <a href="http://www.jdpower.com/cc/telecom/jdpa_ratings/wireless/Find.jsp?ss=tps&amp;s=11">here.</a>

[Kris Kumar]

Phew...Managed to keep the post from sounding "pro - T-Mobile." :lol:
Oops...I guess I just messed up, didn't I? ;-)

Its amazing how these surveys show a carrier doing so well even though it does not have true nationwide presence. Also the collective view that is highlighted by the surveys is often different than an individual's view. Our own independent survey based on signal reception at our home & work, choice of devices and plans, may generate quite a different result.

Not sure if these one size fits all surveys, fulfills the needs of the market or not. But overall, glad that the carriers are taking the right steps to improve their service. :-)

[randalllewis]

Seeing how well Verizon scored in call quality and customer service here in the northwest (Washington specifically), I guess the horrible experience I had with them in both of those categories was unusual. I am glad that others aren't suffering as I did but between a lousy phone they wouldn't stand behind and a tag team approach to solving my problem that sent me bouncing between their store and their telephone customer service line, I calculated that continuing to pay them was more expensive than their early termination fee. I am happily free of them and as a newcomer to the world of GSM service, I see lots of advantages. I'm only sad that I wasted five months on Verizon and I remember I chose them because of all these reports about their customer service and network quality. In my case, it wasn't true.