Ofcom best and worst parcel firms for customer satisfaction

According to Ofcom’s fourth annual survey, while average overall customer satisfaction remains reasonably high at 75%, levels declined for the first time in three years, having held stable at 78% since 2023. People’s experiences can vary depending on which parcel company delivers their package, with satisfaction levels ranging from 64% to 84% between firms.

In recent years, competition in the parcels market has delivered benefits to consumers, including greater choice and low prices. However, Ofcom previously identified problems with the way complaints were handled and disabled customers were treated, so in 2023 they strengthened regulations in these areas.

Since then, Ofcom have been carrying out expanded consumer research, which includes tracking people’s experiences of contacting parcel firms, and the experiences of disabled consumers.

When comparing individual parcel companies’ performance in handling contacts and complaints from parcel recipients, Amazon and FedEx top the poll again this year on customer service satisfaction. Both companies achieved an average satisfaction score of 56% across all elements of the contact process. For a fourth straight year, Yodel and Evri perform worst.

Satisfaction among customers who have cause to contact or complain to them about a delivery issue are significantly below average at 34% and 26% respectively. These companies also have the highest levels of dissatisfaction, with Evri scoring 42% and Yodel scoring 33%. Last year, people in the UK sent and received a record 4. 6 billion parcels, which was 8.

6% more than the previous year. Across all operators, seven in 10 parcel recipients (71%) experienced a delivery issue in the past six months, up from 68% last year.

The most common issues experienced are delivery delays (32%), parcels being left in an inappropriate location (28%), the delivery driver not knocking loudly enough (25%), and not being given sufficient time to answer the door (20%).

Improve or face greater regulation says Ofcom After new protections came into force, parcel operators made a number of improvements to complaints handling processes, and there were signs of improvement in customer experience in some areas.

However, like overall satisfaction, average satisfaction with contact across all operators has fallen this year from 47% to 43%. Also, disabled consumers and those with limiting conditions are still more likely to encounter difficulties with the delivery process (76%) compared to people without impacting or limiting conditions (68%).

Ofcom are concerned that there are still a significant number of customers experiencing issues, and that parcels operators can, and should, do more. In light of these concerns, we are considering further action to ensure customers are adequately protected, including whether strengthened regulation is needed.

Ofcom say that they will provide further updates on this work when they publish our annual monitoring report on the postal market in December. Parcels are a vital part of everyday life, and people rightly expect packages to arrive on time and without hassle. While some firms are delivering a good service, too many customers are still experiencing problems.

Companies need to put customers first and improve performance, or we will consider further measures to make sure consumers are properly protected.

– Fergal Farragher, Policy Director, Ofcom Evri Respond to Ofcom Ofcom data shows that Evri is delivering to more households than ever before as one of the UK’s largest parcel delivery companies, and this polling highlights that the vast majority of customers remain satisfied – reflected in 4. 4 million 5-star reviews on Trustpilot.

Third-party data from The Despatch Company, covering 1. 3 million Evri parcels, found that 99. 4% were delivered within seven working days, demonstrating the reliable service we continue to provide for customers across the UK.

We handle more than a billion parcels each year – millions every day – and while Ofcom’s data is unweighted by scale of carrier, it underlines the importance of continuing to invest in delivery choice, technology and customer support. That is exactly what we continue to do. This year, we have invested £32.

2 million in infrastructure, technology and network capacity, while also introducing new ways for customers to access support: priority assistance through the Evri app, direct email access to customer services, and an enhanced Tell Us Straight escalation route. These improvements have been introduced since the polling was conducted.

In addition, we’ve also introduced changes to our ParcelShop and locker location finder tool to ensure that consumers with accessibility needs can access a location that meets their requirements when sending or collecting a parcel. Surveys such as these provide valuable insight into customer experiences.

We take note of the findings and remain focused on delivering a reliable experience and making it easier for customers to get the suppo