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

What a performance from First Direct this wave.

The company has increased its Overall Effort Score by +4 points, a huge rise that places it in joint first in the Financial Services in the UK table alongside Nationwide. This is the first time that Nationwide's position as outright market leader in the Customer Effort Index has ever truly been threatened.

Diving into the pillars and we see some of the best results this wave in the whole CEI for First Direct. Its score in Style of Communications is up by +5, while Speed of Resolving Problems has grown by +4 wave on wave.

Earlier this year the brand announced what the Express described 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.

The Customer Effort Index figures don't lie. First Direct's staff have clearly used this as an opportunity to showcase some great customer service.

Style of Communication

last quarter

63% say the politeness of their customer service agents is 'excellent'

65% rate the ability to communicate with them in their chosen language (other than English) as 'excellent'

Knowledge & Expertise

last quarter

59% rate the expertise of the customer service agent as 'excellent'

58% say the way details were clearly explained to them was 'excellent'

65% rate how well the customer service agent understood their particular problem or question as 'excellent'

Valuing the Customer

last quarter

63% say the way they understood their needs was 'excellent'

53% say the range of solutions or options that were suitable was "excellent"

71% say they were 'very satisfied' with the outcome of their communication or contact

Speed of Resolving Problems

last quarter

50% rate how easy it was to find the information they wanted on the website/app as 'excellent'

60% rate how they were able to speak to a customer service agent that can help them with their query as 'excellent'

65% say they made it ?very easy? to achieve what they set out to do