Australian credit card satisfaction study

Bendigo Bank has been ranked highest in "credit card satisfaction", according to customer satisfaction research and consulting services provider, JD Power Asia Pacific.

The firm measured more than 3000 bank customers' satisfaction with their credit cards by examining six key factors: customer interaction; credit card terms; billing and payment; rewards; benefits and services; and problem resolution.

Bendigo Bank achieved an overall satisfaction score of 745 (on a 1,000-point scale) and performed particularly well in three of the six key factors, most notably in customer interaction. Bankwest ranked second with a score of 739 and American Express third with 731.

According to the study, customers' awareness of credit card reward programs was low, with just under half (44 per cent) of customers saying they "completely" understand how to earn rewards, while just over half (56 per cent) said they understood how to redeem their points.

Moreover, despite some credit card issuers providing numerous benefits and services attached to their products, only 49 per cent of customers were aware of the benefits associated with their credit card, the analysts said.

The study shows that customers who find their card rewards program attractive spend an average $799 more per month on their card than customers not enticed by the card's reward program.

The 2015 Australia Credit Card Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 3,368 credit card customers. The study was fielded between April and May 2015 in Australia.