Reader’s Digest has released the names of the New Zealand businesses that achieved customer service excellence during an extraordinarily challenging year.
In releasing the Quality Service Award results, Reader’s Digest acknowledges it has been a time of “extreme difficulty” for customer service given lockdowns and other Covid-19 challenges. Yet the owners and staff of businesses listed as award winners rallied and their success is arguably more commendable than ever, says Reader’s Digest editor-in-chief Louise Waterson.
Mrs Waterson adds that while the pandemic may have shifted the standard markers of business success, customer service has remained core among those success markers.
“During the peak of the pandemic, the award-winning businesses remained savvy, clever and calm in their approach to customers, so much so that the importance of kindness and understanding once again became paramount.”
The Reader’s Digest survey revealed that about two thirds of New Zealanders (68 percent) say they are more money conscious now since the start of the pandemic. And 68 percent of New Zealand consumers acknowledge they now put more thought into their choice of products and services than they did pre-Covid.
Reader’s Digest commissioned independent market research company Catalyst to survey New Zealanders’ opinions of a range of service providers.
A total of 1,500 New Zealanders of a mixed demographic were asked to rate their experience of service provided by businesses / organisations.
Running since 2015, the survey identifies the most satisfied customers across 40 different categories, from pet insurance to pizzas and from Supermarkets to Superannuation. The prestigious Quality Service Award recognises companies that truly understand consumers’ needs.
The winners’ line-up includes businesses that have repeatedly featured on the podium, as well as first time Gold winners such as Electric Kiwi (Gas & Electricity Provider) and Hello Fresh (Meal Plan Delivery Service).
The full list of New Zealand Quality Service Award winners for 2021 can be seen here.
