It’s a case of an ongoing trend for a sector that has been associated with escalating bills, deteriorating customer service and complaints going unresolved. Last July’s index saw the sector drop to 11th out of 13, and it has now dropped below Transport and Public Services to 13th out of 13.

The Utilities sector encompasses both energy and water companies, both of which have seen individual drops in customer satisfaction. Specifically, customer satisfaction with energy companies dropped by 1.9 points to 68.4, while water companies saw a decline of 4.1 points to 70.7 compared to January 2023.

The key to improving customer satisfaction is to focus on themes that are familiar but that can often slip down the priority list in challenging economic times.

These include the following:

• Maintaining the integrity of the core customer proposition – focus on meeting customer needs, addressing service and benchmarking customer experience against competitors.

• Establish a personal connection – reaching the right person is consistently a primary bugbear among consumers. Automated and AI solutions have their place for routine enquiries, but customers want the facility to speak to an advisor for complex or high-priority issues.

• Leadership commitment – without the right tone from the top, customer service will never be prioritised.

• Developing skills and capabilities – combining digital solutions with skilled customer service practitioners and delivering these seamlessly.

• Relevant engagement – customers often feel they are bombarded with marketing communications but are unable to make contact when they need advice. Providing relevant, practical and accurate advice helps customers make informed choices and get optimum benefit.

• Prioritise complaints handling – consumers understand that mistakes happen. Companies can turn a negative into a positive by going the extra mile to resolve complaints quickly and effectively.