Nearly 12,000 gas and electricity customers participated in The Big Switch, an automatic switching collective action coordinated by Britain’s consumer champion Which? These results demonstrate the extensive variation in customer service across UK suppliers. We were so moved by the survey results that we built a new one—the Which? rankings. This year, Scottish Power was rated the worst of the big six for customer service along with fellow giants EDF and British Gas.
EDF, Utilita and British Gas received the lowest scores by customers. That’s a clear indicator that they aren’t living up to customer expectations in the right ways. Only four suppliers achieved the coveted “Which? recommended provider” badge, reflecting their dedication to customer care. Among those announced winners were Octopus Energy, Sainsbury’s Energy, and 100Green.
E (Gas and Electricity) was the clear front-runner in our survey, with more than 300,000 customers. Octopus Energy — founded by vocal UK energy reforms Greg Jackson — made quite the splash in the rankings as well. Nine years ago, Which? originally endorsed Octopus back when it had only 50,000 customers. Since then, Octopus has multiplied in size, expanding to 160 times its original scale, all while maintaining its “Which? recommended” status every single year.
“Octopus was first recommended by Which? nine years ago when we had just 50,000 customers. Despite growing 160 times bigger over the last nine years, we’re still Which? recommended, and have been every year. This isn’t about scale – it’s about consistently focusing on our customers to deliver value, service and innovation.” – Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy’s founder and chief executive.
Ingood’s survey found Ovo Energy came fifth-from-bottom on the league table. E.ON Next joined Ecotricity and Fuse Energy as the joint sixth worst suppliers in the rankings. As a result, So Energy was highlighted as the poorest performer overall, finishing bottom of the table just ahead of Scottish Power.
Emily Seymour, the energy editor for Which?, commented on the findings, stating, “While four suppliers are outshining the competition, some big firms – including Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas – are letting their customers down.”
Commenting on Scottish Power’s position in the ranking, a spokesperson for Scottish Power admitted there was serious work to be done. They stated that the company is focused on “sustained, high-quality delivery for our customers” and has implemented a “much more robust and transparent methodology.” They added, “We will continue to work tirelessly every day to deliver fast, efficient and helpful support to our customers.”
Likewise with British Gas who recognized where they had failed and promised to improve the service they provide. A representative noted, “We know there is always more to do and are continually looking at ways to make further improvements for our customers.”