JD Power Awards Verizon Top Customer Service Award

For the fourth consecutive reporting period, J.D. Power and Associates awarded Verizon Wireless top honors in wireless customer care satisfaction among full-service carriers. Verizon scored 766 on a 1,000-point scale and performed particularly well in telephone contacts that originate in the automatic response system (ARS) channel and are then transferred to a live customer service representative (CRS), as well as calls made directly to a CSR, according to the semi-annual report.

Verizon credited its social media efforts as a major reason why it's able to excel in customer satisfaction. Big Red has a dedicated social media team that reaches out to customers on social channels and often follows up via direct messaging or with a phone call, the company said.

Verizon Van

"We’ve always been able to answer you on the phone, email or chat, but now adding social media means you have the convenience of sitting on your couch and sending us a tweet," says Chauncey Mason, Verizon Wireless social media coordinator.

AT&T also scored high, earning a score of 759. The other major carriers scored below the industry average, including Sprint Nextel (746) and T-Mobile (715).