Wireless phone customers who call their provider when experiencing a problem are waiting on hold longer than in the past to speak with a service representative, according to the JD Power and Associates. The average amount of time wireless customers spend on hold before speaking with a customer service representative in 2008 is 4.4 minutes—up 34% from the average hold time in 2003 (3.3 minutes). 49% of wireless customers have contacted the customer care service center for assistance within the past year—an increase from 47% reported six months ago. Among customers who contacted the service department, 34% did so due to service/equipment issues. Verizon Wireless ranks highest in wireless customer care performance with an index score of 103, followed by Alltel (102), T-Mobile (100) and AT&T (97).
Among customers who contact their provider, 75% do so by telephone while 24% do so by visiting their provider’s retail store. E-mail/Internet interactions account for only 1% of customer contacts. The average number of reported phone contacts needed to resolve a customer inquiry is 1.76, down from 1.91 contacts in the last reporting period. Customers who visit the provider’s retail store for service inquiries report waiting an average of 7 minutes before speaking with a representative.