10:36am Thursday 25th September 2008
By Joe Willis
CONSUMERS have given the region’s biggest energy supplier a resounding thumbs down.
Npower came bottom in a satisfaction survey carried out by Which? magazine.
The energy company – which has more than 500,000 customers in the North-East and North Yorkshire – was given an overall score of 32 per cent for customer satisfaction.
The supplier only received one star for billing, customer service, online support, telephone support and value for money.
The survey looked at the country’s six main suppliers of gas and electricity, plus energy discount club, Utility Warehouse, which came out top in the survey.
The Which? report said: “Although we do think that almost all of the suppliers in our survey could do more to improve their bills’ accuracy and ease of understanding, Npower was rated particularly poorly.
“The company’s customer service received a resounding thumbs down too, as did the quality of the online and telephone support and the ability to deal with customers’ queries.
“And, as a reflection of such abysmal customer service across the board, the value for money score was, predictably, also very low.”
Npower said last night it was disappointed with the results of the survey.
A spokesman said: “Our aim is to see our customers happy, not just satisfied.
“We are working extremely hard to make sure that customer service is the focus of our company.
“We have expanded our call centres, which are all UKbased.
“Since the survey was carried out, we have recruited an additional 300 people.
“This will improve our customer service.
“We are also investing about £200m in our systems, which will dramatically help improve the service customers receive.”
Npower employs 2,300 customer service staff in the North-East, at centres in Peterlee, Thornaby and Team Valley.
The second poorest performing supplier, according to Which?, was British Gas with 40 per cent.
This was followed by EDF Energy – 43 per cent, e.on – 44 per cent, Scottish Power – 49 per cent, Scottish and Southern Energy – 60 per cent and Utility Warehouse – 72 per cent.
More than 8,000 consumers took part in the survey.
Step 1: Select a new supplier. Use an online price comparison site or call Energywatch on 0845-906-0708 for a list of suppliers, and the prices they charge, in your area.
Step 2: Contact the new supplier. Get in touch with the new supplier and agree a contract. Once this is agreed, the transfer process should take about six weeks to complete.
Step 3: Give notice. Give your old supplier 28-days notice that you are changing to a new supplier. Call first, then send written confirmation.
Step 4: Pay up. Pay outstanding bills to existing supplier.
Step 5: Take reading. Take a meter reading on the day you change supplier. If your old supplier does not use it to work out your final bill, or your new supplier does not use it as the starting point for your first bill, let them know the meter reading you have taken.
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