J.D. Power Releases Georgia Natural Gas Retailer Customer Satisfaction Study

J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2012 Georgia Natural Gas Retailer Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.

Walton EMC has repeated as the highest ranked natural gas retailer Georgia among residential customers, achieving a score of 742.

The rankings are based on responses from more than 3,550 customers of natural gas retailers in Georgia fielded quarterly between July 2011 and April 2012, and examines four key factors (listed in order of importance): price; billing and payment; communications; and customer service.

J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Georgia Natural Gas Retailer Residential Customer Satisfaction Study:

Customer Service Index Ranking		     J.D. Power.com 
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)		     Power Circle
 					     Ratings
Walton EMC  			    742 	5
Scana Energy Regulated Division	    703 	4
Coweta-Fayette EMC  		    700 	3
Gas South  			    696 	3
Industry Average  		    690 	3
Scana Energy  			    687 	3
Georgia Natural Gas  		    685 	3
MX Energy  			    666 	2
Stream Energy  			    649 	2 
Infinite Energy  		    630 	2
	

Power Circle Ratings Legend:
5 - Among the best
4 - Better than most
3 - About average
2 - The rest

J.D. Power said that overall satisfaction among natural gas customers in Georgia averages 690, an increase of 23 points from 2011. All brands ranked in the 2011 study have experienced an increase in satisfaction. Satisfaction is particularly high in the customer service (777) and billing and payment (740) factors, and lowest in communications (626).

J.D. Power said the study finds that 57 percent of natural gas customers in Georgia chose their current retailer because of price, followed by 13 percent who selected their retailer based on a recommendation. After selecting a retailer, natural gas customers are likely to stay with that retailer. A majority of customers (85%) have been a customer of their current natural gas retailer for more than one year, J.D. Power said.