Which? published analysis on 22 March 2024 naming Scottish Power, Ovo Energy and British Gas as the worst performing energy firms for quick responses and effective solutions, based on its 2023 customer service survey and its annual energy customer satisfaction survey1. The consumer organisation said energy is currently the worst performing sector for customer service, with a quarter (25%) of those surveyed unhappy with their most recent experience with their energy provider, the highest share across energy, financial services, retail and telecoms1.
Which? applied a net satisfaction score, subtracting the percentage of dissatisfied respondents from the percentage of satisfied respondents, on a scale of -100 to +1001. Scottish Power came bottom, scoring -13 for how long it took to get in touch with a person who could help and 3 for how long it took to get an answer to an issue or query1. Ovo Energy scored -7 and 7 on the same measures, and British Gas scored 16 and 231. Octopus Energy performed best, at 46 and 55, with E.ON Next on 35 and 251. The sector average was +21 for getting in touch and +26 for getting an answer1.
| Energy provider | Getting in touch with a person who could help | Getting an answer to an issue or query |
|---|---|---|
| Octopus Energy | 46 | 55 |
| E.ON Next | 35 | 25 |
| British Gas | 16 | 23 |
| Ovo Energy | -7 | 7 |
| Scottish Power | -13 | 3 |
| Sector average | +21 | +26 |
The three suppliers disputed the findings. ScottishPower said it did not recognise the results of a "small-sample survey" and cited a Citizens Advice study based on operational data that ranked it best of the large suppliers for call answering and email turnaround, with 98% of customer emails answered within two days and an average phone answering speed under 110 seconds1. Ovo said the findings were unrepresentative of typical service levels, that customers reach it by phone in just over a minute and that emails are answered within two working days, adding that its own data suggests 7 in 10 customers are "very satisfied"1. British Gas said it is investing more than £50m in customer service, including 700 more UK-based contact centre staff hired at the end of last year, longer call centre opening times and a £140m customer support package1.
"Customer service is in a dire state in vital areas and some companies are routinely failing their customers, leaving them frustrated and stuck in endless loops trying to get help."
Which? said it had received 2,110 reports to its customer service tool since December 2023, around a fifth of them (419) about energy suppliers1. Its customer service survey covered 3,372 UK adults in June 2023; the energy satisfaction survey covered 9,025 adults between September and October 2023, with Which? also describing the fieldwork as October or October/November 2023 in different places1. Which? cited one Ovo customer whose case went to the Ombudsman, which in June 2023 concluded Ovo must issue an accurate bill and back billing, offer £125 as a goodwill gesture, apologise and discuss payment plan options1.
Why it matters for households
Billing disputes and unresolved queries sit at the point where a household's money and its energy account meet. A wrong bill that is not corrected, or a query that takes months to answer, can leave a household paying for energy it did not use, or uncertain what it owes, which is why complaint handling is part of energy independence rather than an administrative detail. The scores show how widely service varies between firms, and Which? said the quality of customer service can differ dramatically between individual suppliers1. For households weighing a switch, the customer service ratings and complaints data and call waiting times sit alongside price when comparing suppliers, including Octopus Energy vs British Gas, OVO vs Octopus and ScottishPower vs British Gas.
What happens next
Which? said it is asking consumers to share their customer service experiences through an online tool to help shape its campaigning1. It said it has continued to see a steady stream of complaints about British Gas in the three months before publication, despite the firm's stated investment in service1. No further dates have been reported.