Being recognised not only for offering low brokerage but also great customer service is something we're very proud of.
And while it's nice for us to win, it also means you win too. With our commitment to the best customer service, developing innovative and superior technology and keeping our brokerage low, we'll continue to offer the best value and service in Australia.
In December 2011 Investment Trends conducted a major research survey on the online broking market in Australia. Based on answers from over 7,000 share traders, Bell Direct was awarded seven medals including:
Bell Direct rated as Number 1 in the following categories:
These exceptional results show Bell Direct's commitment to active traders. Listening to our clients and providing them with the service and tools that traders actually want is the most important thing we can do.
Bell Direct recorded the highest increase in overall client satisfaction of any online broker between May 2011 and December 2011, to record a composite satisfaction score of 79 per cent, ahead of its next nearest competitor on 72 per cent.
Bell Direct's approach has always been that lower price does not have to mean inferior service or fewer trading tools and other features – in fact we believe it's quite the opposite.
In May 2011 Investment Trends conducted a major research survey on the online broking market in Australia. Based on answers from over 9,000 share traders, Bell Direct was awarded four medals including:
Bell Direct rated the top score in the following categories:
These unprecedented results show just how far Bell Direct has advanced in the online broking industry since they launched almost four years ago.
Bell Direct also emerged as the clear leader in client advocacy, with a 20% net promoter score among clients, with CommSec turning in the next best effort, well down at 6%. The industry average was -6%.
The results also showed that one in eight 'switchers', that is, traders who have stopped using an online broker within the last 12 months, have now moved to Bell Direct and use them as their main or primary broker. The main reasons cited by those clients who stopped using their existing broker were due to high brokerage or a bad customer experience.
As the first online stockbroker ever to lead more than half the customer satisfaction categories in these research results, Bell Direct has clearly struck the right chord in online sharetrading.
In December 2010 Investment Trends conducted a major research survey on the online broking market in Australia. Based on answers from 6,000 active share traders, Bell Direct was awarded 'Best Value for Money' and 'Best Company Research'.
In addition, the research found that Bell Direct significantly increased market share to move into equal third position among frequent traders (those trading at least four times a month). There are now 7 per cent of frequent traders choosing Bell Direct as their primary broker.
In November 2010, Bell Direct received the Smart Investor League of Exceptional Service (SMILES) award. This reader's choice award from AFR Smart Investor magazine recognises businesses based on how they've treated their customers over the year. We gratefully thank our award-winning online traders for voting Bell Direct as the best online broker offering exceptional customer service.
Here's what they said about the SMILES Awards in the December 2010 edition of Smart Investor magazine:
"It's that time of year again, when we thumb our noses at the experts' opinions on the best service providers and ask the people who count – you...The results of thousands of responses form the basis of our awards, so you know the winners are deserving because they've passed the toughest test around: keeping customers happy. ...[Bell Direct have taken] out the SMILES award for highest polling online broker... Bell Direct scored an impressive 83%, ahead of Westpac Broking...reigning champ CommSec was knocked off its perch for the first time in SMILES history. While Bell Direct scored a massive 91% for its brokerage rates, at the other end of the scale you gave ETRADE a rating of just 59%. "Every time I have contacted Bell Direct via email they are extremely prompt and helpful with any enquiries." Tim Flor, ACT, on Bell Direct."
"It's that time of year again, when we thumb our noses at the experts' opinions on the best service providers and ask the people who count – you...The results of thousands of responses form the basis of our awards, so you know the winners are deserving because they've passed the toughest test around: keeping customers happy.
...[Bell Direct have taken] out the SMILES award for highest polling online broker... Bell Direct scored an impressive 83%, ahead of Westpac Broking...reigning champ CommSec was knocked off its perch for the first time in SMILES history. While Bell Direct scored a massive 91% for its brokerage rates, at the other end of the scale you gave ETRADE a rating of just 59%.
"Every time I have contacted Bell Direct via email they are extremely prompt and helpful with any enquiries."
Tim Flor, ACT, on Bell Direct."
In December 2009 Bell Direct was judged by Money magazine’s ‘Best of the Best’ Award as Australia’s ‘Cheapest Online Broker’ — for the second year running.
Here’s what they said in the December 2009 edition of Money magazine:
‘Bell Direct has won Money’s gold medal for Cheapest Online Broker for the second year in a row…Bell Direct’s members enjoy the benefits of live company announcements and news, live watch screens, SMS and email alerts, consensus research reports and 20 minute delayed ASX quotes. Bell Direct’s state-of-the-art trading platform is easy to use and Bell Direct also prides itself on offering what CEO Arnie Selvarajah describes as “the best client service in the industry”.
Over the last three years Bell Direct has been recognised in the AFR Smart Investor Blue Ribbon awards. We received the 'cheapest online broker' award in 2008 and again in 2009. We then received the 'highly commended' award in 2010.