The survey investigated satisfaction levels across a 10 sectors (utilities, banks, credit card, ISPs, mortgage finance, mobile phone, travel agent, general insurance, supermarkets, and leisure & entertainment) and respondents were also asked how successful each of these suppliers were at using the personal information they held to deliver personalised, targeted and relevant marketing and communications to individual customers.

The findings revealed a very close correlation between marketing/communications relevancy and customer satisfaction across all 10 sectors. ISPs came below average on customer satisfaction, with only the utility, bank and credit card sectors deemed to be worse. The sector was also rated, below average on customer communications relevancy, though it came higher up in the index, above the mortgage industry.

Andy Wood, MD, GI Insight, comments: “Organisations deemed to provide good customer satisfaction are also those that implement relevant and targeted customer communications. The ISP sector fairs a little better on customer communications relevancy than it does on customer satisfaction, but this is still cause for concern. The overall findings of this research show a strong causal link between relevance and satisfaction.

This evidence proves to both marketers and company board directors that investment in targeted marketing is well founded. The ISP sector should take note that the link between personalised communication and satisfied customers is critically important. Satisfied customers provide a warm and responsive community for carefully targeted additional offers. But whether or not they buy more from the company, satisfied customers are also less likely to defect to a competitor.”