telco satisfaction

The latest edition of the Consumer Awareness and Satisfaction Survey (CASS) found there was an increase in consumers’ satisfaction with Singapore’s key telecommunication services.  Respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with the quality and price competitiveness of the service and variety of services offered by the telecommunication service providers. The findings indicated that consumers were satisfied with the quality and variety of telecommunication services available. Consumers were asked about fixed line telephone, mobile telephone, fixed broadband, mobile data and international roaming services, amongst others.For customer care services, there was an improvement in the mean satisfaction scores across the three major service providers. This includes the time taken to resolve complaints and customer service hotline waiting times. Most service providers also saw an increase in respondents’ satisfaction with the competency of customer service officers in 2018.From a range of 1 (“Very Dissatisfied”) to 5 (“Very Satisfied”), all five services achieved ratings of above 3.68 for “quality of service”. Mobile data service saw the biggest increase in its mean satisfaction score for quality of service which rose from 3.63 in 2014 to 3.98 in 2018.  Respondents were also more satisfied with the price competitiveness of key telecommunication services this year than in 2014, with the exception of fixed line telephone services which saw a slight decline in its mean score for price competitiveness. The mean score for price competitiveness of international roaming services increased the most, from 3.00 in 2014 to 3.25 in 2018.The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) commissioned the CASS 2018 to better understand consumer awareness, usage, and satisfaction levels with key telecommunication and media services in Singapore. The survey was conducted between March and May 2018, and involved about 1,500 households representative of Singapore’s population. The last CASS survey was conducted in 2014.Areas for improvementConsumers, however, highlighted the need to reduce hotline waiting times, to have prompt and effective follow-up to complaints, and to improve the competency and product knowledge of customer service officers as key areas to enhance customer experience.  Consumers were still relatively less satisfied with mobile coverage in tunnels, despite an increase in the mean satisfaction score from 2.92 in 2014 to 3.16 in 2018. Comparatively, mean satisfaction scores for mobile coverage outdoors, including in parks, at home and in offices all achieved ratings of above 4.00.Usage of mobile and fixed broadband services continued to grow across all segments of society. SIM-only mobile plans, introduced in 2015, now make up one in six (or 16.2%) of overall mobile plan sign-ups. There has also been strong growth in usage of these services by traditionally less digitally connected segments of society, including those aged 60 and above, or staying in 1-2 room HDB flats. Today, about 6 in 10 consumers aged 60 and above have mobile data services subscription, a sharp rise from 25% just four years ago. Similarly, about 6 in 10 consumers staying in 1-2 room HDB flats subscribed to fixed broadband services in 2018, compared to 30% in 2014.Following enhancements to the login process which included the extension of automatic sign-in to non-SIM devices such as tablets, more consumers are now using Wireless@SG – from 20.8% in 2014 to 43.5% this year. By using Wireless@SG, these consumers can use the largest free Wi-Fi network in Singapore to access the Internet at more than 20,000 free public hotspots across the island.Aileen Chia, IMDA’s deputy chief executive and director-general (Telecoms & Post), said: “The increased take-up of, and consumer satisfaction with, our telecommunication services are encouraging signs pointing to a positive attitude towards a digital future and a willingness of our service providers to meet consumers’ rising service quality expectation. I urge our service providers to continue to innovate in their service offerings and make use of technology to deliver even better services to their customers and delight them.”