Canadian Wireless Study Honours Top Carriers

Released in May, the study sought out customer feedback about feature phones and smartphones, service plans and in-store retail satisfaction. The information was used to rank carriers in seven key areas: Sales process, customer service, handset, network quality, service cost, account management and promotions.

Of the top smartphone handsets purchased by Canadians, the traditional powerhouse manufacturers dominate – Apple leads the way with 31 percent and Samsung with 22 percent. In a display of national pride, Ontario-based BlackBerry rounded out the Top 3, tied for second with 22 percent of the market share. According to J.D. Power’s account director, Apple’s lead may not be long-lasting.

“Customers own Apple iPhone’s more than any other manufacturer’s device; however, the gap in device satisfaction is narrowing,” said Chung, in a press release. “We expect this trend to continue as newly introduced devices from Samsung and BlackBerry grow in market share.”

It’s clear that smartphone ownership shows no sign of slowing. Since last year, it has increased nine percent, and a blistering 24 percent over the last two years. Of full-service customers using a smartphone, 50 percent use a mobile app to handle their wireless account and 34 percent use an online chat feature. It also appears people are straying from in-store interactions in buying, opting to purchase devices and plans online. When they do, their experience satisfaction rises – online sales experience ratings sit at 737 of a possible 1,000, and online customer care satisfaction is 699.

With this in mind, Chung recommends carriers focus on improving their websites and online offerings, allowing customers to benefit from the “convenience and timeliness of this service option.” It also benefits the carriers, since it is a cost-effective and positive way to resolve issues, he notes.

How much are Canadians spending each month? Data definitely comes into play. The 49 percent of customers who have data packages spend $86, while the 51 percent who do not spend just $65 per month. On average, the monthly bill is $77, an increase of $9 from 2012.

Canadians are also texting more – they send and receive 30 texts in a 48-hour period, four more than 2012. They connect to the Internet through their device about eight times a day and check email 11 times.

Of course, what we all want to know is where the carriers ranked in customer satisfaction. In the full-service category, SaskTel took top honors , followed by Bell Mobility and Telus. Rogers Wireless slid into last place. In the stand-alone category, Koodo was ranked first with a near-perfect score. Virgin finished second, with Solo, PC and Fido tying for last place.

While we know who customers may be happiest with, recent feedback gathered by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) shows that things aren’t rosy on the wireless front.

The agency is currently developing guidelines to introduce clear rules on unlocking phones, keeping contracts transparent and establishing caps to monitor usage and prevent overages. Customers have also been vocal about their dislike of three-year contracts, but it doesn’t appear the CRTC plans to take action on that issue.

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