T-Mobile bested its own top score from last year to secure the top spot on J.D. Power’s Full Service Wireless Customer Care Study, setting a record with a score of 839. Not only is this the 16th time that T-Mobile ranks highest among competitors, but the provider has also set a record for the second year in the row. Once again, this year, the company delivered the highest score ever received in the survey.
J.D. Power’s study considered feedback from more than 14,000 customers and found that one of the biggest lessons that providers can learn is that continued employee training works. According to the study, cross-training at call centers has reduced the amount of transfers required before a customer service issue is resolved, which results in higher customer satisfaction.
In a statement, Ian Greenblatt, technology, media, and telecom practice lead at J.D. Power, chalked up the strong showing to agent "cross-training":
"With cross-training, carriers have empowered customer service representatives to resolve problems across both billing and technical issues—when transfers and hold times go down, satisfaction goes up."
As for T-Mobile specifically, the company owes its success to doubling down on seamless customer experience across channels, including its call center, online chat, and in-store service. Though the provider has robust self-service capabilities and helpful support resources on its website and app, it continues to deliver full service effectively via its reps. J.D. Power also found that not only were T-Mobile reps knowledgeable and helpful, but customers also found them to be courteous as well.
MetroPCS, which is owned by T-Mobile, also earned highest honors, but in the Non-Contract Full Service segment for Overall Customer Care.
John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, in a statement took a victory lap on behalf of the T-Mobile and MetroPCS teams:
"These chart-busting results show the world what we already know—the incredible care teams at T-Mobile and MetroPCS are making customers happier than anyone else in wireless…again and again and again. It takes a customer-obsessed team to deliver these kinds of scores."
Sprint, meanwhile, which is in the middle of a merger with T-Mobile, came in last.