By Telecom
Lead Team: Wireless customers who own a 4G-enabled device contact their
provider for customer service considerably more frequently than do owners of
less technologically advanced devices, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

Among
customers who currently own a 4G (4th Generation)-enabled device – which uses a
faster, more efficient network – 60 percent report having contacted their current
wireless service provider during the past six-month period. In comparison, only
47 percent of a non-4G smartphone and 35 percent of traditional/feature phone
owners contacted their provider for support.

Owners of a
4G-enabled device have a much greater propensity to contact their carrier due
to network-related problems (18 percent) than do owners of a traditional phone
that uses less advanced networks (11 percent).

One of the
main factors contributing to the higher contact rate among owners of 4G-enabled
devices may be that higher network speeds are available only in limited areas,
while slower 3G technology is offered in more areas of the country.

“It’s
not unexpected that customers who use new technology or services would be more
likely to contact their carrier with questions or problems, particularly with
the 4G network rollout that began in 2011,” said Kirk Parsons, senior
director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates.

Investment
is needed in support services to handle the increase in customer interactions
and to provide service representatives with the necessary training and
information across all contact channels to offer a timely and superior service
experience.

It takes
approximately five minutes more per contact, on average, to resolve issues
pertaining to 4G-enabled devices, compared with issue resolution times for
traditional phones.

Creating a
superior customer experience leads to a higher propensity for customers to
spend more on services and a lower likelihood they will switch providers in the
future. This is true among customers who own a 4G-enabled device, as they
report spending $36 more per month and are more likely to say they
“definitely will recommend” their current carrier than are customers
who own a traditional mobile phone.

Verizon Wireless ranks highest in with an overall score of 762 on a 1,000-point scale. Verizon Wireless performs
well in phone contacts that originate in the ARS channel and are then
transferred to a live service representative, and in phone calls made directly
to a CSR.

editor@telecomlead.com