Trustpower has won both gold and silver awards in the New Zealand Quality Services Awards which recognise best customer service.

The Tauranga-based company was voted New Zealand's best Landline and Internet Service Provider, according to the award results.

Trustpower was voted New Zealand's best Landline and Internet Service Provider in the New Zealand Quality Services Awards.

Trustpower also received a silver medal in the Gas and Electricity Provider category, second only to Powershop.

The Quality Services Awards results are based on the findings of a survey conducted by Catalyst Marketing and Research.

Commissioned by Reader's Digest, the survey canvased a representative sample of 1500 New Zealand adults.

Respondents were asked to nominate service providers in 30 categories including sectors as varied as hotel chains, personal banking, pet insurance, pizza franchises, shoe stores and travel agencies, for example.

The highest rated company in each category was judged the Gold Standard winner.

It's the second year the awards have been held. Last year Trustpower also featured on the winners' list.

While failing to score a gold in 2015, Trustpower achieved silver, once again in the Gas and Electricity Provider category. Best Landline and Internet Provider last year was Slingshot.

Survey respondents were asked to rank their experience of the listed companies according to five questions: Was an individual customer experience provided; was a genuine insight into the customer's needs demonstrated; was dealing with the company quick and easy; was a consistently high-quality service delivered; and was the customer's expectation met or, even better, exceeded? To qualify to vote on a category they were required to have recently used such a service.

According to Reader's Digest managing editor Louise Waterson the survey enables New Zealander consumers the chance to share their views about companies that consistently deliver the very best customer service.

'It also provides our readers with a list of companies that they can turn to for excellence in service.

'To the benefit of all, the 2016 Quality Service Awards recognise the businesses with the happiest, most satisfied customers in their respective fields – at the same time encouraging the return of genuine customer service to our lives and our culture,” she says.

The category winners can be especially pleased with the results, she adds, given the survey also revealed New Zealanders are quick to reward exemplary service with repeat custom and information sharing.

The survey found that 97 per cent of the 1500 Kiwi respondents said they would spend more with the organisation or company providing the excellent customer service.

Ninety six per cent said they would spread the word to friends and family.

Comments validating Trustpower's top spot included 'Friendly and positive”, 'great service”, 'ease of contact”, 'handy to have our phone, power and internet tied in a bundle”, 'great telephone centre staff”, 'good provider”, 'they showed me how to cut down on my bill”, 'excellent service”, 'efficient”, 'easy to get a PERSON to answer my call”, and 'quick response to query with helpful information and quick action”.

Category winners, and full details of the survey results, appear in the latest issue of NZ Reader's Digest. They can also be viewed at http://www.qualityservice.co.nz/