The Customer Respect Group has released its Summer 2003 Online Customer Respect Study of the telecommunications and networking firms, including wireless companies, that are among the largest 1,000 companies in the United States.
MCI and Nextel Communications Inc. tied for first place in customer respect with a score of 9.1 out of 10. Nextel also scored highest in the group’s previous Winter 2003 study, but MCI, then known as WorldCom, scored significantly lower at that time.
“Surveyed firms should focus on key areas such as clarity of privacy principles and interaction with online customers if they wish to see improved CRI scores and an increase in satisfied customers,” said Terri McNulty, chief executive officer of The Customer Respect Group. “We also found MCI’s results to be encouraging; given its troubled past, we believe its recently designed Web site sends a positive message to potential and current customers.
Other wireless carrier scores included: Verizon Wireless, which came in second place with an 8.8; Alltel Corp., which scored an 8.1; AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and T-Mobile each scored 8; and Cingular Wireless was lowest of the carriers with 5.3. Wireless vendors also were included: Nortel Networks Ltd. scored 8.3; Lucent Technologies Inc. was given a 7.9; Motorola Inc. followed with 7.8; and Qualcomm Inc. scored 6.1.
The study is based on the research firm’s experience with the companies’ Web sites and the firm’s ratings of attributes it has determined create the online customer experience, including privacy, principles, attitude, transparency, simplicity and responsiveness.
