Energy provider customer service

MrRightSA

I've only had to speak to my energy provider twice in two years. The first was because I thought they dealt with my boiler (they didn't - it was my landlord that was liable) and the other time was because I couldn't access my online account.

So my question is, why is customer service such a big factor that would have people pay £200+ more per year for? How bad is bad?

tracey3596

For myself, given the sheer number of complaints about a variety of suppliers on this (and other) forum(s) I decided to go with the cheapest supplier since all I could see were complaints. So I went with iSupply (electricity only in my case).
Which means I entered a contract prepared for the possibility of poor customer service. That said, the only evidence of poor CS I personally received relates to a refund of overpayment.
But .... back to your question: I suppose that IF you could find an energy supplier with a track record of really good customer service, £200 per year may well be less than it COULD cost you in time and effort. Waiting in for a meter reader that doesn't arrive for example, or time spent on the 'phone (or on your computer) trying to correct a billing error. These types of things happen frequently it seems; just look on this sub-forum.
You say you have only had to speak with your supplier twice in two years? Well, as an example a known difficulty is that my supplier (iSupply, remember) has on a variety of forums a frequently-posted problem whereby telephone contact could AT BEST be described as "problematic". Non-existent at times at least would be more-accurate. How long would you be willing (or able) to spend at the end of a 'phone trying to contact your supplier, being "in a queue" for 12 minutes and then finding your call disconnected?
Would you be happy to use an online messaging system, knowing you may not receive any reply for a week?
None of the above really bothers me, since I am aware that actual electricity SUPPLY problems are not part of my billing supplier's domain. Any other difficulties I may have (billing; online account access etc.) will either be rectified promptly OR further action (via Ofgem if necessary) will follow.
Inconvenient perhaps, but a deal-breaker?
Not for me.