Verizon Wireless garnered the top ranking in Vocal Laboratories Inc.’s quarterly SectorPulse report measuring the quality of customer care among wireless operators. The most recent test was conducted between January and March 31 of this year.
Verizon Wireless achieved an “A” ranking in caller satisfaction and a “B” ranking in call completion, just edging out previous quarter winner T-Mobile USA Inc.’s pair of “B” rankings in both categories. Verizon Wireless’ scores were the same as the previous ranking, while T-Mobile USA saw its caller satisfaction ranking fall from “A” in the previous quarter to “B” during the most recent report.
Cingular Wireless L.L.C. received a “C” ranking in both caller satisfaction and call completion, which was the same score the carrier posted during the previous report. Sprint PCS achieved a “C” in caller satisfaction and a “D” in call completion, which was down from a “C” in call completion the carrier received in the last report.
AT&T Wireless Services Inc., which Cingular has since acquired, rounded out the ranking with a “D” in both categories compared with a “C” in call completion and a “D” in caller satisfaction in the previous report.
Vocal Laboratories noted that long hold times and the inability to get to customer service representatives are still the most common complaints from wireless customers as well as poorly implemented speech recognition software.
“Automated systems are still causing high caller frustration levels,” said Peter Leppik, chief executive officer of Vocal Laboratories. “There are still only a few mobile-phone carriers on the right path to doing things right with customer care and others that have significant room for improvement.”
