Well, Jetstar fans. Here's what the public REALLY thinks of you. From the comsumer complaints website "notgoodenough.org". Enjoy boys and girls.
Every year, Australia’s leading consumer website Notgoodenough.org analyses the consumer feedback logged on the NGE website to alert consumers everywhere to the most complained about and complimented companies.
According to website founder, Dr Fiona Stewart, the strategy behind these sometimes controversial listings is to empower consumers to make more fully informed purchasing decisions.
NGE’s Most Griped Companies
1. NRMA Insurance (new entrant)
2. Telstra (No 1 in 2005)
2. Jetstar (new entrant)
3. Australia Post (8)
4. eBay (new entrant)
5. Comm Bank (5)
6. Optus (2)
7. Panasonic (9)
8. Foxtel (3)
9. Holden (4)
NGE’s Most Complimented Companies
1. Telstra (No 1 in 2005)
2. Holden (6)
3. Comm Bank (new entrant)
4. Foxtel (5)
5. Panasonic (10)
6. Qantas (4)
7. Australia Post (new entrant)
8. Kmart (new entrant)
9. NRMA Insurance (new entrant)
10. Optus (3)
Of special interest in this year’s Most Griped about Company List must be the new comers of NRMA Insurance, Jetstar and eBay. These first timers have entered the lists in the positions of most griped about company (NRMA was 14th in 2005), 3rd most griped about company and 5th most griped about company respectively.
“On the one hand this tells us that the customer base of these companies is possibly growing quickly or perhaps on the other hand it tells us that their customers have now become so provoked by their negative experiences with these companies that they will no longer be silenced. Telstra’s ‘improved’ ranking in 2006 suggests that Telstra customers are marginally happier than they were last year and companies such as LG, Qantas and Harvey Norman need to be congratulated by dropping well out of the Top 10 in 2006” said Stewart.
“Our general advice to companies who end up on our website is to remind them how fast bad word of mouth can travel. The online environment has rewritten the rules of customer engagement. It is quite possible for a company to find themselves on NGE on the basis of a few complaints. One unhappy customer speaks up online and this encourages others to share their equally unhappy stories and the snowball gains speed.
“This is why smart companies will address the issue, turning bad news into good news. This encourages the online public to stand around admiring, rather than condemning, and spreading the good news. It is not rocket science, just good business sense but it’s still surpising how few companies understand this simple point.”
In the happier news this year, congratulations to Telstra which has again come out tops as Most Complimented Company, and the three new entrants, Commonwealth Bank, Australia Post and Kmart. What is also of interest in the Most Complimented Companies, is the presence of Qantas (a tried and true favourite) and the absence of its discount offspring, Jetstar in the happy news.
Over the past 4 years at NGE, we have noticed the increasing trend of customers’ complimenting companies that they feel proud of and have an emotional bond with. Qantas and Holden are clearly two of those companies.
The NGE Best & Worst Lists are compiled each year by NGE on the basis of data sourced from our alliance partner and Melbourne-based online research company, Brandaide Communications Pty Ltd.
These lists are based upon ~ 25 000 posts that NGE logged in the 12 months 26 April 2005 – 25 April 2006. NGE receives an average of 68 posts every day from an online community of 46 000 members. In the past 12 months, 40% of all posts have been being complaints, down from 75% in our first year of operation in 2002.
If you've got something to say about these lists, log in to Gripe HQ and post your thoughts in our newly-created "Best - Worst Companies 2006" forum.