February 2013
Featured in this insight: Retail, Transport & infrastructure
Market research uncovers public dissatisfaction over rail company services: A new survey by consumer group Which? has discovered that over half of the UK’s train companies score only 50% or lower in terms of customer satisfaction ratings from 7,500 regular rail users.
Despite major fare hikes introduced last month, only 22% of the respondents felt their rail service is improving.
The four least popular rail companies in the nation were found to be First Capital Connect, Greater Anglia, First Great Western and South Eastern – the majority of customers, particularly commuters, have said they do not offer services that feel like value for money.
Which? Executive Director, Richard Lloyd, commented on the findings: “Passengers tell us they are fed up with trains that are delayed, overcrowded and dirty. This is especially disappointing as many commuters can’t shop around or change the company they travel with. Train companies need to play fair with their customers, especially when they are being asked to pay more for their journeys.”
In contrast, Virgin achieved the highest customer satisfaction rating (67%) amongst all train operating companies in Britain for the second year running – they got the thumbs up for value, punctuality and reliability. This compares to First Capital Connect which had the lowest score of 40%.
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