The water-only company achieved a score of 4.57 out of five for customer satisfaction, in Ofwat’s 2015/16 service incentive mechanism (SIM) survey report.
Wessex Water was ranked second with a score of 4.52, and Bournemouth Water came third with 4.46. Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, Southern Water scored the lowest at 3.97, and Thames came second-from-last with a score of 4.10.
Ofwat said the latest results show a “positive trend”, with average customer satisfaction rising to 4.33 compared with 4.24 the previous year.
However, customers said better communication and a quicker response from water companies were the “key issues” that would make them even more satisfied.
The report concluded: “Comparing the SIM results with the 2014/15 pilot, it is clear that there has been a significant improvement in handling of customer queries over the last 18 months; much of that improvement has occurred in the last two SIM waves.”
Ofwat introduced the SIM in 2010 as a way of encouraging water companies to improve their customer service.
An industry-wide consultation on modifications to the original measure took place between October 2013 and January 2014. The main changes to come out of this were: a shorter more focussed questionnaire; excluding non-households; surveying both resolved and unresolved contacts; and no notice given for the survey.
Combined data for 2015/16 to 2018/19 will be used to support Ofwat’s decisions on financial incentives in 2019.
IMAGE: water company customer satisfaction league table
Source: Ofwat