Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
E (gas and electricity) named best energy supplier in Which?’s annual ranking
Nearly nine in 10 E customers (86%) said they would recommend the provider, which received the highest overall score of 79%, with four stars for customer service, ease of contact and clarity of statements.
Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas Rated as one of the worst suppliers with an overall score of less than 60% and only two stars in the consumer group’s customer survey.
Scottish Power had the lowest overall score of 56% and scored lower than any other provider in handling complaints.
EDF ranked second to last at 58%, largely because its phone lines and customer service email accounts are not monitored as long as other providers.
British Gas ranked third from the bottom with an overall score of 59%, with Which? finding it provided a “substantial amount” of support to those who needed it but were having difficulty resolving complaints and converting customers.
Octopus energy With an overall score of 74%, it ranked second, followed by 100Green and Sainsbury’s Energy, with scores of 72% and 71% respectively.
Co-op Energy and Outfox Energy achieved the same overall score as Sainsbury’s Energy, but neither achieved three stars or more in every category of the customer survey.
Which? The annual customer satisfaction survey of nearly 12,000 energy customers was conducted during September and October and provided an in-depth assessment of the behind-the-scenes practices and policies of 17 energy companies.
Which? Energy editor Emily Seymour said: “Our research shows that while four suppliers are performing well against the competition, some of the bigger players – including Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas – are letting their customers down.
Receive a free partial share worth up to £100.
Capital is at risk.
Terms and conditions apply.
advertise
Receive a free partial share worth up to £100.
Capital is at risk.
Terms and conditions apply.
advertise
“With fixed tariffs now truly cheaper than energy price caps, there is no need for customers to put up with poor value for money or poor customer service. Any supplier that is up to standard needs to improve or their customers will vote with their feet.
“Anyone unhappy with their supplier should shop around and switch to a supplier with cheaper fixed tariffs and better customer service.”
A spokesperson for British Gas-owned Centrica said: “Our investment in customer service is bearing fruit.
“Complaints have dropped by more than 20% each year over the past two years, and both Uswitch and UKCSI (UK Customer Satisfaction Index) have recognized the progress we have made.
“We know there’s always more to do, and we’re constantly looking for ways to deliver further improvements to our customers.”
It also highlighted efforts to extend call center opening hours and introduce dedicated lines for vulnerable customers.
An EDF spokesperson said: “EDF takes note of Which?’s latest findings and is committed to continuing to improve the service we provide to our customers.
“While this research highlights areas where we need further advancement, it also reflects our strengths in supporting customers who need extra help. This is consistent with feedback we’ve seen elsewhere, including our excellent Trustpilot rating of 4.8 based on more than 154,000 five-star reviews.
“We are focused on building on those strengths and continuing to work toward improvements.”
A ScottishPower spokeswoman said: “The independent Citizens Advice Scorecard is the gold standard for customer service, with a more robust and transparent way of assessing the company’s performance.
“It shows the continued, high-quality delivery we provide to our customers and reflects the significant investment we have made to improve and enhance our service – something that customers themselves highlighted in the Which? survey.”