Customer Servicing
Rachel Haworth - Independent Member
Phoenix service levels are adequate and customer satisfaction has improved on 2023, but customer service is yet to consistently meet target standards.
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Value for money indicator
Why we gave this score
All Phoenix IGC customers are serviced through external providers, mainly Diligenta. During 2024 Phoenix worked well with these providers to progress the service you received. As a result, there was an improving trend across 2024 particularly in the time taken to answer your calls.
Average processing times were also close to, or above target throughout the year, following a focus on customer outcomes with Diligenta. But there are some processes that remain slow which cause complaints, and quality assurance shows improvements are needed.
Alongside Phoenix’s telephone and postal channels, they also provide you with the ability to view your pension online and send in online forms. Some customers now have access to additional digital functionality, with full roll-out expected in 2025.
The IGC monitors customer feedback against a target of 88% customer satisfaction. Phoenix fell slightly below this target in all but one month of 2024, but never below 85% satisfied.
The IGC has been pleased with the firm’s focus on Customer service and to see improvement plans progressing to safeguard customer outcomes.
For these reasons the IGC has given an ‘Amber’ adequate rating for 2024.
- All Phoenix IGC customers are serviced through external providers, mainly Diligenta. During 2024 Phoenix worked well with these providers to progress the service you received. As a result, there was an improving trend across 2024 particularly in the time taken to answer your calls.
- The speed in which transactions are processed improved on 2023, with 90% completed within 10 days.
- Bereavement claim completion times need improving. Although volumes are low and so skewed by a small number of highly complex cases.
- Sample testing of calls confirmed that the quality of telephone service remained extremely high throughout the year. Quality assessment of processing however, found increasing issues as the year went on, with only 58% of those checked in Q4 passing quality standards.
- Acceptable Information Security strategy.
- Vulnerable customer servicing needs some improvement.
- Customers were happy with the service throughout the year with 86% satisfied
- 97% of customers were satisfied with the digital service
- Complaint volumes reduced from 2023 levels
Some additional information
Challenges
In order to improve the value for money that customers receive, we set specific challenges to address areas that could be improved. Below is an update on the challenges we set Phoenix Life for 2024:
- Partially met: We wanted improved customer service standards. Customer satisfaction has improved on 2023 and overall service levels are adequate, but are yet to consistently meet target levels.
- Partially met: We challenged Phoenix to roll out digital access to all workplace customers. Most customers did gain access to improved digital functionality, with roll out to the remaining customers due in 2025.
- Not met: The Bereavement process is still too long for customers, taking an average of 118 days.
Challenges set for 2025:
- Consistently meet target levels for processing times/quality.
- Improve the bereavement claims process to reduce average time taken to the target of 45 days.