First Utility’s customer service has been Reader Recommended by Good Housekeeping – a first for a utility company
London, UK (PRWEB UK) 4 November 2015 -- Readers of one of the most trusted and widely read magazines – Good Housekeeping – has given leading independent energy provider First Utility the thumbs up with its ‘Reader Recommended’ endorsement. It is the first time that a utility company been recognised in this way.
With 1.4 million UK readers and its renowned Good Housekeeping Institute, Good Housekeeping is considered the definitive guide for household advice. Interestingly, 89% of Good Housekeeping readers and 69% of non-Good Housekeeping readers are more likely to buy a product with its ‘Reader Recommended’ endorsement [1].
First Utility is the fastest growing energy supplier in the UK with a mission to save households money on their energy bills and give people more insights and control over their usage. This year it invested more than £25m in customer service as it strives to become the best in the industry.
Its whole mission is to champion the consumer by offering lower prices, more control over usage and driving positive industry change. It scored very highly in all of Good Housekeeping’s testing areas, including ‘customer experience’, ‘overall satisfaction’, ‘would use again’ and ‘would recommend’. An impressive 86% of customers agreed that First Utility offered the cheapest and best deal to suit their needs and 80% would recommend First Utility to a friend.
Verity Mann, Deputy Head of Testing, Good Housekeeping Institute, said:
“We are pleased to see that First Utility’s customer service has met our high Reader Recommended standards.”
Ed Kamm, Chief Customer Officer, First Utility said:
“We are immensely honoured to be recognised by the iconic and highly respected Good Housekeeping Institute as we strive to be the best for service alongside our low-prices. Customer service is our priority so we are proud that consumers are responding to the efforts we have made, and continue to make, to give them great value and service.”
Key survey findings
Value for money
● 86% agree that First Utility offers the cheapest and best deal for their needs at the time of switching
● 80% would recommend First Utility to a friend
Customer service
● 80% agreed that their bill was easy to understand and 90% said it was easy to submit regular meter readings
● 76% thought that First Utility’s customer service representatives were friendly and helpful and 72% agreed they were knowledgeable
● 95% of readers found it very easy to switch from their previous supplier to First Utility
● Overall, the survey showed that First Utility’s customers were impressed with the service they received
● Verbatim comments included:
○ “When I have rung [they] answered immediately, very helpful, easy to understand, staff took time to explain and help with my enquiry (sic)”
○ “I have found their service professional, efficient and competitive. First rate company”
Communication
● Customers rated First Utility highly on their level of communication, with respondent feedback praising regular and thorough contact, including informing customers of the cheapest tariffs available on their bill
○ "Always get texts and emails to keep me up to date about sending in readings."
○ “Always have it confirmed they have received my submitted reading." "[I] always get the cheapest tariff on my bill and what I would save. Brilliant communication.”
○ “I think they are an extremely efficient energy supplier and keep in regular contact. Very impressed.”
Easy switching for the cheapest deal
Adds Ed Kamm: "With almost everyone surveyed saying that it was easy to switch to First Utility, consumers can feel confident in switching to First Utility to get the best deal this winter - customers switching to First Utility save an average of £269 a year.”
“Switching is easy, an engineer does not need to visit your home and, thanks to First Utility’s ‘Fix the Switch’ campaigning efforts, switching time has been halved to just two and a half weeks".
NOTES TO EDITORS
● The Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended research took place between August and September 2015
● Hearst recruited 196 Good Housekeeping readers who are First Utility customers and asked them to complete a questionnaire about their experience
● 113 Good Housekeeping readers were recruited from the Hearst panel
● 83 Good Housekeeping readers were recruited from First Utility’s database
● All respondents use First Utility for electricity and 173 of those use First Utility for both gas and electricity
● 137 respondents (70%) have been First Utility customers for more than six months
● 95 respondents (48%) have been First Utility customers for more than a year
● The Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended accreditation is valid for 12 months, with the option to renew for a further two years, subject to a spot check
[1] Mintel Research, demographics online research January-February 2011
About First Utility
First Utility is the UK’s fastest growing and largest independent energy supplier. It supplies gas and electricity to more than 850,000 customers throughout the UK and is committed to helping them reduce their energy bills by offering cheaper tariffs, helping customers use less energy through the use of innovative technology and campaigning for industry change. First Utility also donates 1% of its profits each year to the First Utility Foundation, an independent charitable organisation with a goal to improve the lives of vulnerable families and individuals across the UK http://www.first-utility-foundation.org.uk
Anna Pank, First Utility, http://www.first-utility.com, +44 2075349805, [email protected]
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