Yorkshire is home to some of the highest levels of customer satisfaction in the UK, but consumers are still far from happy with the service they get.

This is the message from Bradford-based customer service expert Mark Bradley after a survey into consumer contentment levels in the UK.

While his report found Yorkshire to be by far the best place for dealing with customers, it also found low levels of satisfaction about treatment by staff.

Mr Bradley, an author on the subject, conducted a survey of hundreds of customers and found 85 per cent considered day-to-day service to be average to poor.

The Wyke-based analyst said that if more businesses did not examine the way they dealt with customers, they could begin to find themselves seriously out of pocket.

He said: "There is so little understanding among businesses of what customers want and few understand customer service is very much tied to financial performance. Research shows that the best-performing companies often have the best customer care levels.

"British culture often dictates that people will not speak up about poor service and customer apathy often means business do not consider good service a high priority.

"But with the growth of internet watchdog sites this could all be about to change and customers may start to vote with their feet if they feel unsatisfied."

During his research, Mr Bradley came across numerous examples in the district of both the highest and lowest standards of customer service.

He is full of praise for Brighouse delicatessen Czerwik and Bradford call centre group Arete both of which he says have excellent customer care. But he also tells a story of a time he asked for a large cappuccino coffee minus the chocolate sprinklings in a Bradford caf, only to be told "without the chocolate it's a latte and we don't do those in large".

Mr Bradley said businesses need to engage with customers, rather then rely on feedback questionnaires.

"If you told your wife the meal she had just cooked you was satisfactory' she would not be impressed, would she?" he asks. "Yet companies think satisfactory service is a sign customers are happy in reality they are just indifferent.

"Companies, from local shops to multi-nationals, also need to engage with staff help them understand what is happening in the firm and listen to their ideas rather than just order them around.

"Customers have a role too and should speak up when they get bad service until this happens we will not get the service we deserve."

e-mail: mark.casci@bradford.newsquest.co.uk