Australia’s best businesses for customer service revealed: Roy Morgan awards

Internode, Apple, The Good Guys and JB Hi-Fi were among the businesses to get a big nod for customer service at the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards last night.

Roy Morgan Research chief executive Michael Levine presented 39 awards to businesses that were considered to have achieved outstanding levels of customer satisfaction. The businesses were judged by surveying more than 50,000 consumers and 22,000 business decision-makers throughout 2013.

The Commonwealth Bank was named Best Major Bank of the Year for service, while Bendigo Bank topped the category of Business Bank of the Year. In retail, womenswear brand Sussan won Clothing Store of the Year, and Myer trumped the award for Department Store of the Year.

For travel, Virgin Australia was triumphant as the Domestic Business Airline of the Year, while Sofitel topped the category for Hotel and Resort of the Year.

“Since their inception three years ago, the Roy Morgan Research Customer Satisfaction Awards have earned a reputation as the most accurate and reliable measure of customer satisfaction in the country,” Levine said.

“By aggregating 12 months’ worth of responses to our Consumer Single Source and Business Single Source surveys, Roy Morgan is able to identify and celebrate those businesses — large and small — that have outperformed their competitors in customer satisfaction.”

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the retail winners, as well as winners from other industries, showed commitment to providing customers with outstanding service and the best retail experience they possibly can.

“The ability to provide a seamless customer experience in store which complements an overall multichannel retail strategy is the way forward for the sector,” he said, referring to the retail industry.

Winner of Mobile Phone Service of the Year, amaysim, hit the Australian market three years ago. Its founder and chief executive Rolf Hansen said the award was meaningful as it was judged by customers.

“What makes this award even sweeter is that we’ve won it by simply keeping our heads down and getting on with the business of customer service,” he said.

“While price will always be important, Aussies are increasingly confirming our view that if companies don’t have things like customer service and online support sorted out, people will vote with their feet.”

Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards 2013 — Winners

• Car Manufacturer of the Year: Volvo
• Bank of the Year: Victoria Teachers Mutual Bank
• Building Society of the Year: Greater Building Society
• Credit Union of the Year: CUA
• General Insurer of the Year: Defence Service Homes Insurance (DVA)
• Major Bank of the Year: Commonwealth Bank
• Private Health Insurer of the Year: Teachers Health Fund
• Risk & Life Insurer of the Year: Real Insurance
• Business Bank of the Year: Bendigo Bank
• Business Insurer of the Year: Elders
• Business Superannuation Manager of the Year: BT
• Major Business Bank of the Year: Westpac
• Auto Store of the Year: Autobarn
• Chemist/Pharmacy of the Year: Guardian
• Clothing Store of the Year: Sussan
• Coffee Shop of the Year               Michel’s: Patisserie
• Department Store of the Year: Myer
• Discount Department Store of the Year: Harris Scarfe
• Discount Variety Store of the Year: The Reject Shop
• Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year: The Good Guys
• Hardware Store of the Year: Home Timber & Hardware
• Music/Book Store of the Year: JB Hi-Fi
• Service Station of the Year: 7-Eleven
• Shoe Store of the Year: Williams
• Sports Store of the Year: Rebel Sport
• Industry Superannuation Fund of the Year: Catholic Super
• Retail Superannuation Fund of the Year: Plum
• Supermarket of the Year: Foodland
• Handset Provider of the Year: Apple iPhone
• Home Internet Service Provider of the Year: Internode
• Home Phone Provider of the Year: Southern Phone
• Mobile Phone Service of the Year: amaysim
• Domestic Airline of the Year: Qantas
• Domestic Business Airline of the Year: Virgin Australia
• Hotel and Resort of the Year: Sofitel
• International Airline of the Year: Singapore Airlines
• Electricity Provider of the Year: Integral Energy
• Gas Provider of the Year: ActewAGL
• Quick Service Restaurant of the Year: Subway