According to a survey by management consultancy Accenture, customers are deserting firms that keep them hanging on the phone, ask the same information over and over again and have staff that can't answer their queries.

Although the big companies such as banks, utilities and Internet providers came in for most criticism - and saw the highest levels of defection - there is a lesson in the survey for businesses of all sizes.

Spokesman Robert Wollan told Sky News:

"High-performing companies recognise that customer satisfaction is built or destroyed by how well they co-ordinate every step of interaction."