First Direct

Financial Services in the UK

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First Direct overall Effort Score

last Quarter

Sector Effort Score benchmark

last Quarter

Brand analysis

First Direct has increased its Overall Effort Score by +2 wave on wave, but that’s not enough to move out of second place this time.

It’s a position that First Direct has held for four straight quarters now, with Lloyds remaining just -1 point behind in third.

All four pillars have grown wave on wave. The brand has recorded +3 increases in ‘Style of Communication’ and ‘Valuing the Customer’, and +2 rises in ‘Knowledge & Expertise’ and ‘Speed of Resolving Problems’.

Earlier this year the brand announced what the Express is describing as a “huge change” for its customers as from April they will no longer be able to use HSBC self-service machines to make deposits into their First Direct accounts. They will have to speak to a member of staff instead.

We’ll be keeping a watchful eye on the ‘Speed of Resolving Problems’ pillar this summer. It could be a huge opportunity for great service.

Style of Communication

last quarter

56% say the politeness of their customer service agents is 'excellent'

58% rate the ability to communicate with them in their chosen language (other than English) as ‘excellent’

Knowledge & Expertise

last quarter

58% rate the expertise of the customer service agent as 'excellent'

52% say the way details were clearly explained to them was 'excellent'

58% rate how well the customer service agent understood their particular problem or question as 'excellent'

Undertanding & Valuing the Customer

last quarter

51% rate this brand as 'excellent' for how they made them feel valued/important as a customer

58% say the way they understood their needs was 'excellent'

66% say they were 'very satisfied' with the outcome of their communication or contact

Speed Solving the Problem

last quarter

48% rate how easy it was to find the information they wanted on the website/app as 'excellent'

54% rate how they were able to achieve what they set out to do, or resolve their issue, with the first agent they contacted as "excellent"

61% say they made it ‘very easy’ to achieve what they set out to do