Ticketmaster near bottom of the table for customer experience, survey shows
The competition watchdog received numerous complaints over the sale of tickets for the Oasis reunion concerts.
Ticketmaster remains close to the bottom of the table of Irish companies for customer experience in the wake of anger and frustration over their tiered pricing model for major concerts by acts including Oasis, Taylor Swift, and Coldplay.
The ticketing giant placed 143 out of 150 surveyed companies in the 10th annual customer experience (CX) report, with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission opening an investigation into the company on the back of 100 complaints it received.
The author of the CX report, Michael Killeen, said Ticketmaster’s score had already fallen last year in the wake of its tiered pricing model for Taylor Swift and Coldplay concert ticket sales introduced during a cost-of-living crisis, saying the move was “ill-judged and caused a very negative reaction”.
He said: “But rather than listen to their customers, they went on to introduce dynamic pricing this year and this led to the massive controversy we saw around the recent sale of Oasis tickets.”
At the other end of the table, the Irish Credit Union retained the top spot for the tenth consecutive year. The survey, carried out by Amárach Research, found that after two years of rising scores, Ireland’s overall CX score fell 1.9% this year with 42% of companies and organisations seeing their overall scores fall.
Pharmacies continue to lead in the retail sector, making up three of the top 10 companies with Life Pharmacy coming in second place, McCabe’s seventh, and Hickey’s ninth.
An Post’s three related companies all featured in the top 30. The mail and parcels company came third overall while An Post Money came 16th and An Post Insurance was 22nd.
Shannon Airport landed in the top 10 for the first time in fourth position, while it was also a very positive year for Dunnes Stores with the supermarket claiming fifth position and Dunnes Retail coming 10th. Specsavers in sixth and Eason in eighth rounded out the top 10.
While Dunnes claimed pole position in the highly competitive supermarket sector, Aldi was second placed in 17th followed by M&S Simply Food and Supervalu in joint 18th with Lidl and Tesco joint 29th.
Mr Killeen said Irish credit unions’ formula for success was down to putting members first.
“To have remained on top over the last 10 years is a remarkable CX story, because they listen carefully to their members, they understand them, and this enables them to customise solutions for their different life stages. That strong customer affinity is key.
“While digital options are available, if a member wants to ring or drop into them, they’ll find a person there to talk to at over 400 locations.”
