Search the news and you’ll find no shortage of headlines about a “customer service crisis” in utilities. Some of them are exaggerated, some aren’t. But if you’re a leader in water, energy, or broadband, the real question is simple: how is the sector actually performing right now?
We’ve pulled directly from the state of customer service in utilities report to give you the snapshot: what’s going well, what’s not, and what you need to know about your own sector.
Water: falling trust and rising complaints
Customer satisfaction in the water sector has been falling year on year. According to the UK Customer Satisfaction Index, the sector’s average score dropped by two points in 2024 to 68.7. The steepest declines were in complaint handling, emotional connection, and perceptions of ethical behaviour. Translation: trust is eroding.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) reported a 30% rise in complaints in 2024 from customers who felt their issues weren’t being taken seriously. Many of these were escalations from people who had already exhausted their supplier’s complaints process.
It’s not just a UK problem. A 2025 survey from the International Water Association found similar gaps in the Czech Republic: only 62% of providers had official complaint codes in place, and just 53% recorded customer complaints at all. Without consistent frameworks, issues aren’t resolved – and customers notice.
Energy: satisfaction still at the bottom of the table
In the UK, energy remains near the bottom in customer service rankings. In 2024, the sector scored second from last across all industries, with net satisfaction at +51. That’s six points below the cross-industry average.
The consequences are costly. Which? estimates poor customer service in the UK energy and broadband sectors costs consumers £298 million annually through errors, delays, and unresolved queries.
In France, ENGIE’s ombudsman report showed a sharp rise in complaints. Customers often waited over two months for a response – if they received one at all. Failures like these don’t just frustrate customers; they damage trust in essential providers.
Broadband: progress under pressure
Broadband is often called the “fourth utility.” Unlike water and energy, customer service scores here are improving – at least on the surface.
Ofcom data shows 23% of standalone broadband customers had a reason to complain in 2024, up from 20% in 2022. Most of these issues were technical (slow speeds, outages), not direct service failures. The good news: satisfaction with complaint handling is up 58%, and first contact resolution has improved by 5%.
Still, rising abandonment rates (+7%) and longer wait times (+2%) suggest support teams are stretched. And not all providers are improving equally. Virgin Media ranked the lowest of 13 major providers with a satisfaction score of 38 out of 100. By contrast, Zen Internet scored 84, proving that strong customer service is possible – even in broadband.
So what’s the diagnosis?
The short version:
- Water is struggling with accountability and customer trust.
- Energy is battling the worst satisfaction scores, compounded by delays and regulatory complaints.
- Broadband is improving in some areas, but capacity issues remain.
Across all three subsectors, outdated systems and under-resourced service teams are still holding companies back.
Why this matters for utilities leaders
The sector snapshot is just that – a snapshot. If you want to understand the structural issues behind these numbers, from legacy systems to utility personalisation challenges, you’ll need the full picture.
That’s exactly what the state of customer service in utilities report delivers:
- Data across water, energy, and broadband in Europe.
- Analysis of systemic issues like digitisation, compliance, and automation gaps.
- Real-world examples of how forward-thinking utilities are already improving satisfaction.
- Evidence that we’re at a turning point for utilities customer service.
Beyond the snapshot: modernising with babelforce
Of course, performance reports don’t fix call queues. That’s where platforms like babelforce come in.
As a utility contact center platform, babelforce gives providers the tools to modernise customer service quickly, without depending on external developers. Our no-code approach means:
- Automation that handles 80–90% of routine queries, freeing agents for urgent cases.
- Smart routing to prioritise outages or vulnerable customers.
- Real-time integration with CRM for personalised support.
- Seamless connection with Zendesk and other digital channels.
For utilities under pressure, babelforce is the customer service software for utilities that turns snapshots into solutions. Data tells you where you are – automation gets you where you need to be.atform built for utilities. If you want your service to meet – and exceed – modern expectations, this is where you start.
